Beethoven's Symphony
- Published: 27/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Realtime
To celebrate HM the King's birthday, Mahidol University's College of Music presents Beethoven's world-famous 9th Symphony to be performed at full length, with a full orchestra and a large choir, including four foreign soloists at its Music Auditorium on Dec 4 at 7pm and Dec 5 at 4pm.
This Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op 125 Choral is Beethoven's last symphony completed after long work on it in 1824. One of the best-known works of the Western classical music repertoire, this symphony is also considered as being one of Beethoven's greatest masterpieces.
Four guest soloists will perform Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Mahidol University Choir and Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra at Mahidol University’s College of Music on Fri, Dec 4 at 7pm and again on Sat, Dec 5 at 4pm.
It was the first example of a composer using voices and choir in a symphony, and putting the choral at the end of the symphony. The text is sung during the final 4th movement by four vocal soloists and a large choir. Originally, the text is from the Ode to Joy (in German: Freude Schoner Gotterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium...') of the German poet Schiller, adapted by Beethoven.
This poem, which contains an ecstatic vision of future brotherhood and unity of mankind - both with itself and with the whole universe - is famous by itself, and it has served as a textual base for several other music compositions. The Ode to Joy final choral has also become the anthem of the European Union.
The programme will be performed by four soloists - Katja Bildt (alto), Tae Qun Chung (baritone), Colleen Jennings (soprano) and Janate Stobbe (tenor) with a back-up by a large choir and an orchestra.
The choir comprises 140 chorus singers from various Mahidol choirs, who were prepared for this very ambitious programme through an intensive rehearsal schedule by chorus master Henri Pompidor. The orchestra is the well-known Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of its conductor Gudni A Emilsson.
Tickets for the concert cost 300 and 500 baht (100 baht for students). Due to the high demand, advance booking is highly recommended. For reservations, call 02-800-2525 ext 154/5. For more information, visit http://www.music.mahidol.ac.th.
