Joy - In spite of it all. Beethoven's Ninth. (Even in loss, we make music.)
In the spring of 1824, a deaf composer stood before an orchestra in Vienna.He could not hear the outlandish sounds his own mind had created. When the final notes of his Ninth Symphony faded – so goes the story - Ludwig van Beethoven remained facing the orchestra, unaware of the thunderous applause behind him until the one of the singers, reportedly the alto soloist, gently turned him to face the audience's rapturous response."
Two centuries later, Beethoven's symphony—particularly its final movement with Schiller's "Ode to Joy"—remains a profound musical expression of human solidarity. The symphony was born in darkness: Beethoven composed it while completely deaf, during a period of political repression across Europe. Yet from this personal darkness and that of the society around him emerged a work that concludes with a hopeful vision of humanity.That's why the melody was chosen as anthem of the European Union, emerging from the horror of WWII and centuries of European wars.
"Alle Menschen werden Brüder"—All people become brothers—the chorus proclaims. It's a vision we can relate to, an emerging reality, as the support for our besieged democratic institutions is hesitantly coming together.
For those of us who play in the orchestra, the emotional impact is overwhelming. As a cellist, I find myself moved to tears each time we join the basses to introduce that final, uplifting melody. We connect, one string player to another, basses and cellos, speaking as one voice before sharing the theme with the entire orchestra.
Like in Beethoven's time, we are struggling to defend and expand our liberty and freedoms. We are not alone. Across America, more than a dozen federal judges have issued rulings defending constitutional rights—from halting unlawful deportations to protecting Voice of America from dismantlement. In the legal community, over 500 law firms have united in an unprecedented show of solidarity against executive intimidation. Across higher education, over 200 college and university presidents have joined together to protect academic freedom from governmental overreach.
International communities stand with us too. The Polish Judges' Association Iustitia, which successfully defended judicial independence in their own country, writes: "For many citizens of Eastern European countries, and perhaps most importantly for us Poles, the United States has always been a symbol of democracy, respect for the separation of powers and the independence of judges." Their January 2020 "March of a Thousand Robes" through Warsaw—a silent, powerful demonstration of judicial solidarity—offers a blueprint for dignified resistance.
Even as institutional battles rage, life's fundamental rhythms continue uninterrupted. The "Wonnemonat Mai"—May, the month of delight—approaches with its explosion of flowers and renewal. Babies are born, bringing forth optimism and joy in their very existence. The natural world reminds us that cycles of renewal are inevitable, even after the harshest winters.
Beethoven understood this profoundly. His symphony's final movement doesn't arrive immediately at joy—it begins with dissonance, with a musical searching. The famous melody emerges tentatively at first, in the cellos and basses, before growing into the full orchestral and choral celebration. Joy, Beethoven tells us, must be earned through struggle.
"Freude, schöner Götterfunken"—Joy, beautiful spark of divinity—begins Schiller's text. Joy isn't merely a fleeting emotion but a celestial ember, a divine spark that connects us to something larger than ourselves. When we stand together for fundamental values—when judges issue emergency stays at 1 a.m. on a Saturday morning, when Polish jurists send messages of solidarity across the ocean, when 1,500 associates sign open letters despite career risks—we fan that ember into flame.
Beethoven's Ninth is a defiant assertion of humanity in the face of systemic alienation and fear. Today, each act of resistance—large or small—carries that same spark.
The solidarity we're witnessing isn't accidental—it's the natural response of humanity recognizing itself in others, the exact revelation Beethoven captured nearly two centuries ago.
"Seid umschlungen, Millionen!"—Be embraced, you millions!—the chorus sings. Across courtrooms and campuses, across countries and generations, we are many. Not millions yet.And again, Beethoven's, no, the poet Schiller's words- one other is enough „Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!"„He who calls just one heart his own" is lifted through our celestial spark of joy.