I just now submitted the following comment to WeeklyStandard.com in response to a review of “Beethoven and the World of 1824 by Harvey Sachs. The review, written by Lawrence Klepp, was titled: “Freedom’s Symphony : The world of Beethoven’s Ninth”
I challenge Mr. Klepp to watch Tengiz Abuladze’s 1984 movie, Pokayanie (Repentance) and then continue to speak of Beethoven’s Ninth as freedom’s symphony. If that isn’t enough, think about the totalitarian overtones in the Ode to Joy, in which all men become brothers. And those who don’t? Well, tough for them.
The part I was thinking about is what I blogged about over a year ago: http://kino.reticulator.com/2009/04/26/music-for-pokayanie/
Here is a YouTube clip of the segment of the movie that features the Ninth Symphony. Naturally, it doesn’t have the same impact out of context.