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ABC News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
MSO Beethoven's Ninth
MSO Beethoven's Ninth SPECIAL Concert Arts Music Watch Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 6 seconds 1 h 8 m Article share options Share this on Facebook Twitter Send this by Email Copy link WhatsApp Messenger After eight symphonies, Beethoven took his Ninth to a whole new level by composing the biggest symphony in existence at that time. This landmark feat for choir and orchestra is best known for its epic finale - of Ode to Joy.
Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Great Music May Surpass Our Understanding
Many things we thought we knew have been found to be false. Things like 'the world is flat,' or 'the sun revolves around the world,' make us a bit more cautious when arriving at a conclusion or passing judgment. Regarding aesthetic matters, one sees that works of art are great mysteries whose qualities and laws are far beyond our knowing. Whether they are good or bad is a more confounding issue still. Beethoven's great mystery, the Ninth Symphony, has been perceived in many ways, as many, in fact, as there have been listeners. It seems sublime to some, monstrous to others. The music historian and novelist Romain Rolland said it was 'an unsurpassed triumph of the human spirit.' Yet, Ludwig Spohr, the German composer and Beethoven's contemporary, called it grotesque, tasteless and trivial. Beethoven in 1804, the year he began work on the Fifth Symphony; detail of a portrait by W.J. Mähler. Public Domain Robert Schumann thought that Richard Wagner 'to put it concisely, is not a good musician,' and that his music was 'often quite amateurish, meaningless and repugnant.' The childlike composer Anton Bruckner, however, upon meeting Wagner, fell on his knees and kissed his hand. The elder composer had to rein in Bruckner during a performance of 'Parsifal,' asking that he not clap so loudly. Bruckner in his turn was called 'a fool and a half' by the rich and powerful Viennese critic Eduard Hanslick, but Jean Sibelius, a deeper mind and more generous heart, called him 'the greatest living composer.' A photograph of Johannes Brahms in 1866 by Lucien Mazenod. Public Domain Johannes Brahms was adored by Clara Schumann, who wrote that he was: ' one of those who comes as if straight from God,' while Benjamin Britten had other ideas: 'I play through all Brahms every so often to see if he's as bad as I thought—and usually find him worse.' Tchaikovsky wrote in a letter to a friend that he would like to say 'Mr. Brahms! I think you are a talentless, pretentious, and completely uninspired person.' But the Russian composer himself suffered the assorted slings and arrows of people supposedly 'in the know": His great B flat minor concerto was not well received at its premiere. Nikolai Soloviev, composer, critic and professor at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, remarked 'Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto, like the first pancake, is a flop.' Related Stories 3/13/2025 4/11/2025 The mighty Tsar Alexander III also had negative views. In his diary, Tchaikovsky wrote 'The Tsar was haughty to me 'Very nice,'!!!!! [sic] he said to me after the rehearsal [of 'Sleeping Beauty']. God bless him.' Igor Stravinsky, however, revered the composer to his last days, and dedicated 'Le Baiser de la fée' to his memory.' Let Each Judge These witnesses for the prosecution and for the defense lead to only one possible verdict: All criticism is precarious, personalized, and subject to change. There is and can be no explanation of why one piece of music pleases one man and displeases another; it is, and will remain, a mystery. A phrase from a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier says, 'We older children grope our way, from dark behind to dark before.' But in our groping, we now and then come upon something more or less solid, something that we might use as a touchstone for what lies beyond pleasing or not pleasing: What is good or bad, truthful or counterfeit. The homestead of John Greenleaf Whittier; this poet create a hospitable home in which to write and think. We have time itself, for example, the judge that decides what will be remembered, and what forgotten; we have what Virginia Woolf described as 'the feeling of being added to.' Most solid of all might be philosopher Immanuel Kant's idea in 'Critique of Judgment,' that 'if the fine arts are not imbued with moral ideals that are common to the whole of mankind, then they can serve only as frivolous entertainments to which people resort to deaden their discontent with themselves.' Let each of us question and judge. Einstein tells us we should never lose a 'holy curiosity.' What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
The Hindu
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
What is the white circle, blue logo appearing on the El Clasico scoreboard during match between Barcelona and Real Madrid?
The scoreboard during the El Clasico match between Barcelona and Real Madrid on Sunday displayed a blue flag embossed within which was a white circle. It was, in fact, the flag of the European Union (EU) to mark Europe Day—as a part of the 2025 Europe Week. FOLLOW: BARCA vs MADRID LIVE updates On Friday, May 9, people took to the streets of Barcelona, Madrid, and other European cities to celebrate the European Union. The melody that symbolises the EU was played—taken from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, composed in 1823, in which he set to music Schiller's 'Ode to Joy' written in 1785. Barcelona beat Madrid 4-3 after goals from Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal and a Raphinha brace in the first half. Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trik for Madrid but it wasn't enough for the away side. Barca is leading the La Liga by seven points ahead of second-placed Madrid with three matches left.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
On This Day, May 7: U-boat sinks British liner Lusitania killing 1,200
May 7 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1718, the French established the city of New Orleans on land inhabited by the Chitimacha tribe. The actual date of the city's founding is unknown, but the anniversary is traditionally observed May 7. In 1789, the first U.S. presidential inaugural ball, celebrating the inauguration of George Washington, was conducted in New York City. In 1824, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was performed for the first time. In 1913, homemade bombs found under the bishop's throne in St. Paul's Cathedral and opposite the offices of Evening Star in Bouverie Street, were deemed by police to have been the work of suffragettes. A stone bust of Ludwig van Beethoven stands near the Old Playground Pavilion in Tower Grove Park in St. Louis on March 3, 2021. On May 7, 1824, Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony" was performed for the first time. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI In 1915, a German U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland, killing nearly 1,200 people. In 1921, in an exclusive interview with the United Press, Sun Yat Sen, president of the Canton Chinese government, outlined his policy proposals as he sought recognition for his fledgling government. The St. Anne Parade marches down Royal St in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday, February 21. On May 7, 1718, the French established the city of New Orleans on land inhabited by the Chitimacha tribe. File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI In 1945, U.S. Army Gen. Dwight Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany from Gen. Alfred Jodl. Germany's Gen. Gustav Jodl (C) signs the unconditional surrender documents on May 7, 1945, in Reims, France, ending the war in Europe. He is flanked by Col. Wilhelm Oxenius (L), his aide, and German Adm. Hans Georg von Friedeburg. UPI File Photo In 1954, rebel Viet Minh forces overran the French stronghold of Dien Bien Phu, bringing about the end of French control in Indochina and creating the division of Vietnam. In 1987, Rep. Stewart McKinney, R-Conn., died at age 56, the first member of Congress identified as a victim of AIDS. McKinney contracted the virus following a tainted blood transfusion. On May 7, 1994, "The Scream," Edvard Munch's famed expressionist painting, was found in a hotel room south of the Norwegian capital of Oslo three months after it was stolen. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI In 1994, The Scream, Edvard Munch's famed expressionist painting, was found in a hotel room south of the Norwegian capital of Oslo three months after it was stolen. Thieves stole the painting again in 2004 and it was recovered a second time in 2006. In 2000, Vladimir Putin was sworn in as Russia's second president in the first democratic transfer of executive power in the nation's 1,000-year history. France's newly elected president, Emmanuel Macron, addresses a crowd of well-wishers at the Louvre in Paris on May 7, 2017. Macron won the presidency over nationalist leader Marine. File Photo by Clement Martin/UPI In 2007, officials reported no survivors in the crash of a Kenyan Airlines plane that went down in a Cameroon mangrove swamp with 114 people aboard. In 2014, a Thai court, in an abuse-of-power ruling, removed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI In 2017, France elected Emmanuel Macron, of La République En Marche! Party, president over Marine Le Pen of the National Front. In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin was inaugurated to his fifth term in office despite much of the Western world boycotting the ceremony because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Asharq Al-Awsat
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Osaka Expo Opens in Japan Offering a Vision of the Future. Here's What to Know
The Expo 2025 opened in Osaka on Sunday with more than 10,000 people singing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to celebrate the start of the six-month event that Japan hopes will unite the world divided by tensions and wars. Here is what to know about the Expo 2025 Osaka: What is Expo 2025 Osaka about? The Osaka Expo is held at Yumeshima, which means "dream island," a reclaimed industrial waste burial site in the Osaka Bay, where participants from more than 160 countries, regions and organizations showcase their futuristic exhibits inside about 80 pavilions of unique architecture. "Creating a future society for our lives" is the main theme. It is Osaka's second Expo after the hugely successful 1970 event that attracted 64 million visitors, a record until Shanghai in 2010. Organizers expect 28 million visitors through mid-October, though ticket sales have been slow, with about 9 million sold in advance, short of an initial target of 14 million. "It's been 55 years since the last Expo in Osaka. I've been looking forward to it," said Daiki Chiba, who traveled from Sendai, about 900 kilometers (560 miles) northeast of Osaka. Many visitors carried Myaku-Myaku mascots or wore clothes matching its colors — red, blue and white — to get in the mood. What does it mean to hold Expo amid global tensions? The Expo comes only four years after Japan struggled to host the no-audience Tokyo Olympics during the coronavirus pandemic. It opens in the wake of trade wars and fears of a global economic downturn sparked by US President Donald Trump's tariffs, the three-year Russian invasion of Ukraine and Middle East conflicts. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba compared the global tensions to a "national crisis" and said that Trump's tariffs, especially the 25% duty on automobiles, would be a blow to all industries and Japan's economy. Still, Japan wants to turn the pinch into a chance. "I think the timing is actually quite fitting," said Sachiko Yoshimura, head of Expo 2025 global communications. "Holding the Expo now could eventually help to address the divisions in the world. ... I believe this Expo in Japan might actually lead to stronger international relationships and improvements." What is the Grand Ring? The iconic ring, designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, is a lattice-like structure encircling the venue and recognized by the Guinness World Records as the largest wooden architecture. It is 20 meters (65 feet) high and has a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) circumference. The costly ring takes up more than 14% of the Expo's total spending of 235 billion yen ($1.64 billion) and has triggered public criticism. The total cost nearly doubled from the initial estimate largely due to the weaker yen, causing construction delays. Several pavilions, including those of Nepal, India, Vietnam and Chile, were not ready for the opening. The ring is supposed to be partially reusable, reflecting the theme of creating a sustainable future. What are other highlights? Exhibits of cutting-edge technology, such as robots and flying cars, as well as pop culture like Hello Kitty and Gundam, are among the highlights. "Pavilions all look amazing," said Laurel Sylvester from New Zealand, visiting with her husband and two children. Her family is interested in ocean sustainability and planned to visit the Blue Ocean Dome. She said the boys are "super excited to have their photo with the (big Gundam) robot and some of the interesting tech things that are going on." A small artificial heart made from induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS, demonstrated a heartbeat at a Japanese health care pavilion. At the Future of Life pavilion, visitors can interact with robots. A human washing machine that was a sensation at the 1970 expo returned with a high-tech makeover. The US pavilion focuses on space travel. Its lunar stone from the Apollo 12 mission, a sensation at the 1970 expo, was back on display. China, also highlighting space technology, exhibits soil samples from its lunar missions. Carrying a "Not for sale" sign and decorated with its blue-and-yellow national flags, Ukraine attracted many visitors with a globe and other items carrying barcodes. By scanning them, visitors can see videos showing people's lives at war and their reconstruction effort. Dymtro Liuyi, Ukrainian creative director, said his country's participation was undecided until December due to the war. The preparation was finished Sunday morning, he said, showing blue paint on his fingers. What is Myaku-Myaku? With its blue face encircled by red balls, some of them eyeballs, the mysterious, smiley creature Myaku-Myaku welcomes visitors. The imaginary creature was born from the fusion of cells and water in a small spring in the Kansai region, organizers say. The friendly but clumsy character can transform into various shapes and is good at finding a rainbow after the rain.
