Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony forever influenced the world in ways the composer could not have imagined…
“ODE TO JOY” as an anthem:
During Cold-War Era Germany, used as a substitute anthem at the Olympic Games for the Unified Team of Germany between 1956 and 1968.
Used as the “European Anthem,” adopted by both the Council of Europe and the European Union.
Used as a temporary anthem as a nod to the EU for their help when Kosovo declared independence in 2008 until their own could be adopted.
With new text, used as the national anthem of Rhodesia, the unrecognized southern African state between 1974 and 1979, as “Rise, O Voices of Rhodesia.” Rhodesia became the Republic of Zimbabwe in 1980.
A LITTLE BEETHOVEN: INSIDE AND OUT
INSIDE!
Thu, Fri & Sat • May 31-Jun 2 • 8 p.m.
Pacific Symphony • Carl St.Clair, conductor Kelley Nassief - soprano • Susana Poretsky - mezzo-soprano • Chad Shelton - tenor • Kevin Deas - bass • Pacific Chorale - John Alexander, artistic director
TICHELI: Rest TICHELI: Radiant Voices BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, “Choral” Preview Talk with composer Frank Ticheli at 7 p.m. Art Exhibit - OC Can You Create? In the lobby: an array of artwork by local artists who responded to the call for original expressions reflecting the numerous ways Beethoven’s Ninth has impacted humanity.
Matinee: St.Clair leads the Symphony in a performance and conversation for Classical Connections, “Beethoven’s Ninth Revealed,” on Sunday, June 3, at 3 p.m. After, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and mingle with St.Clair and musicians for “Coffee Connections,” and a reception for “OC Can You Create?” artists.
OUTSIDE! PLAZACAST
Saturday, June 2 • 8:30 p.m.
Pacific Symphony, in association with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, presents the very first “Plazacast,” a live simulcast of Beethoven Ninth shown on the Center’s Arts Plaza during the June 2 concert starting at 9 p.m.;festivities begin at 8:30 p.m. Hosted by Classical KUSC’s Rich Capparela.
Celebrate Maestro St.Clair’s 60th birthday, the Center’s 25th anniversary and John Alexander’s 40th as artistic director of Pacific Chorale.
FREE and open to the public—no ticket required. Come early, bring chairs and picnic on the plaza, while enjoying a preview and live interviews with key guest artists—and a few surprises.
“March from A Clockwork Orange” Wendy Carlos’ Arrangement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony performed by Eugene - live at FESTIVAL of EUROPE 2011 (Florence)
Electronic music pioneer Robert Moog would have been 78 years old today and Google is celebrating with a really cool Doodle on their homepage, which is an actual working flash-based minimoog synthesizer and four-track recorder.
Wendy Carlos played a big role in popularizing Moog’s synthesizers with her arrangements of classical music especially the music of J.S Bach on albums such as Switched-On Bach (1968), The Well-Tempered Synthesizer (1969) and Switched-On Bach II (1973). Her renditions reached an even wider audience with the soundtrack for Stanley Kubrick’s classic film A Clockwork Orange (1971), which contains, among other great classical works, an electronic rendition of Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” from his Ninth Symphony.
To hear the original acoustic version, come join Pacific Symphony for our free Plazacast, a live simulcast of the Symphony’s Beethoven Ninth performance shown on the Center’s plaza during our Saturday, June 2 concert starting at 9 p.m., with festivities beginning at 8:30 p.m.
That appears to be true!
David Beckham kicks through a rendition of Beethoven’s Ode To Joy!
CLASSICAL SEASON ENDS WITH A FESTIVAL OF MUSIC FEATURING A FUSION OF MAGNIFICENT VOICES, SUBLIME SYMPHONIC SOUNDS
Beethoven’s crowning achievement, the epic and exquisite Symphony No. 9, “Choral”—featuring the soul-stirring “Ode to Joy,” which has thrilled listeners around the world for nearly two centuries—brings Pacific Symphony’s 2011-12 classical season to a memorable close. The concert, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, features a monumental union of orchestra and voices that includes Pacific Chorale and four world-class opera singers—soprano Kelley Nassief; mezzo-soprano Susana Poretsky; tenor Chad Shelton; and bass Kevin Deas—who take on the florid and challenging solo passages in the fourth movement.
Takingplace Thursday-Sunday, May 31, June 1-3, at 8 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, this concert is also part of the Symphony’s Music Unwound series and includes a display of Beethoven-inspired artwork by local artists. A preview talk by composer Ticheli begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25-$110; for more info or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visitwww.PacificSymphony.org.
For a complete line-up of events taking place for “Beethoven’s Ninth: Inside and Out,” read all about it HERE.
“BEETHOVEN’S NINTH” INSIDE AND OUT!
Pacific Symphony, in association with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, presents the very first “Pacific Symphony Plazacast,” a live simulcast of the Symphony’s Beethoven Ninth performance shown on the Center’s Arts Plaza during the Saturday, June 2, concert starting at 9 p.m., with festivities, including a selection of food available for purchase, beginning at 8:30 p.m. The evening is a prismatic celebration of Maestro St.Clair’s 60th birthday, the Center’s 25th anniversary and John Alexander’s 40th anniversary as artistic director of Pacific Chorale, hosted by Classical KUSC’s Rich Capparela.
This unique event is free and open to the public with no ticket required. The community is invited to come early, bring chairs and blankets, and picnic on the plaza, while enjoying a preview and live interviews by Capparela with key guest artists—and a few surprises.
PACIFIC SYMPHONY ADDS NOTCH TO BELT BY PERFORMING SOUNDTRACK FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST ANTICIPATED VIDEO GAMES TODAY: BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT’S “DIABLO III”
It was big news for Irvine-based video-game developer Blizzard Entertainment, thegaming community and Pacific Symphony, when “Diablo III” was released last Monday at midnight—causing a big stir in Orange County and far beyond. Known for three of the world’s biggest gaming franchises (“Warcraft,” “Starcraft” and “Diablo”) played by millions of people, Blizzard selected the Symphony to perform the soundtrack for one of the most anticipated video games of the past five years.
More than 100 Symphony musicians came together last July in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, where the score was performed under the baton of Eímear Noone and recorded live by Blizzard for “Diablo III.”
