Pandemic Day #285 – “Beethoven’s Ninth”

First of all, some good news today for me and those who share my profession here in Ohio:

Ohio teachers and school staff including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians and clerical workers — along with any other worker who comes in contact with the children at that school — will be in the next group of people to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, Ohio Governor MIke DeWine announced during a news conference Wednesday.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teachers-and-school-employees-will-be-in-the-next-round-of-people-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-in-ohio/ar-BB1cbIGj

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This just reinforced the good feels I was having after watching/listening to a couple of different performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

You almost certainly are familiar with the Fourth Movement – in which the composer set to music the “Ode to Joy” German poem written in 1785 (which predated the Ninth by thirty-nine years.)

But have you ever listened to all four movements in one sitting?

If not, I HIGHLY recommend that you treat your ears and soul to this luminous symphony sometime soon – especially during this dark COVID winter.

May I suggest one of these versions:

By far the most popular version on YouTube (26 million views) Solid audio and video, plus English subtitles for the German choral parts

Posted in early 2019, this is truly HD quality with an enthusiastic conductor and musicians

Nowhere near HD quality as this is the historic concert from 1989 celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall. A huge choir and musicians representing numerous nations. Not the first one to watch, but an excellent look at history and the legendary conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein.

And if you’d like the good vibes gained from watching/listening to the Ninth to continue with laughter, watch this short skit from Jimmy Fallon and his SNL days.

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Finally, one other thing I was listening to today – Tree.fm .

I’m not going to describe it, so you gotta click the link. I promise you won’t be disappointed with this link or the many other interesting links you’ll discover daily at the Open Culture website.