Visions of Joy: Beethoven’s 9th

APRIL 13, 2019

The Unanswered Question by American composer Charles Ives poses that most vexing of existential questions: What is the meaning of existence? Unanswerable, it remains unanswered. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 has become a universal anthem for hope, joy, friendship, and optimism for the future. This extraordinary symphony, called by many the greatest piece of music ever written, was the centerpiece of an historic concert by the Berlin Philharmonic on Christmas in 1989 that celebrated the fall of the Berlin Wall, with the great Leonard Bernstein conducting. A fitting end indeed to the 2019 VSO Spring Festival: Music and Power.