Anthony Robin Schneider and Dr Karen Grylls talk to Clarissa Dunn about Beethoven's vocal writing in the ninth symphony.
Bass Anthony Robin Schneider Photo: Andrew Bogard
It took Beethoven about 200 attempts and 30 years before he managed to make a setting for Schiller's 'Ode to Joy' that worked for him.
Even then he fretted that he’d made a mistake and considered replacing the entire movement with a purely instrumental one. His writing stretches the capabilities of the human voice, both for the chorus and for the soloists.
Karen Grylls Photo: Supplied
In the almost 200 years since then, 'Ode to Joy 'has become a universal anthem – for the EU, sports teams, and fall of the Berlin Wall.
Beethoven’s belief in music as a political force was lifelong and his interpretation of these words remains a beacon of hope.
Recorded 27 August 2019 by RNZ Concert
Producer: David McCaw
