Present leaders, ghostly shadows: Genius declares No more Walls
Barenboim
Beethoven
Steinmeier
Merkel
Thirty years from the Fall of The Berlin Wall
aniel Barenboim and Beethoven's Fifth
Ludwig van Beethoven’s “importance in music has been principally
defined by the revolutionary nature of his compositions” — Beethoven “freed
music from hitherto prevailing conventions of harmony and structure.”
The world says to human beings “‘Do not stick to the old ways; learn to
think anew,’” which is “what musicians do every day.” [Quotes attributed to Barenboim]
Barenboim
South American-born Daniel Barenboim (KBE) is a world-renown pianist
and conductor who began studying piano at the age of five and at seven “gave
his first formal concert in his hometown, Buenos Aires.” He later studied harmony
and composition with Nadia Boulanger in Paris.
Much, much later Barenboim is an acclaimed
“musical genius, pianist, conductor and author”; also “lauded as the savior of
the Berlin Staatsoper; founder of an important music academy, humanist,
peacemaker and one of the most influential musicians in the world.”
He conducted Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at this year’s
celebration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
udwig van Beethoven
“The true artist is not proud: he unfortunately sees that art has no
limits; he feels darkly how far he is from the goal, and though he may be
admired by others, he is sad not to have reached that point to which his better
genius only appears as a distant, guiding sun.”
“The barriers are not erected which can say to aspiring talents and
industry, ‘Thus far and no farther.’” [Quotes attributed to Beethoven]
Of Beethoven and his Fifth and the Ninth
Bonn, Germany-born composer and pianist, Ludwig van Beethoven is one of
the greatest composers of all time.
At age 31, 26 years before his death Beethoven began to lose his
hearing but he “continued to conduct” and in 1804 and 1808 respectively, he conducted
the first performances of his “Third and Fifth symphonies.” By 1811 he was almost
completely deaf.
The story has been told and confirmed that after conducting the premiere
of his Ninth Symphony, Beethoven, hearing nothing, “had to be turned round to
see the audience’s tumultuous applause.
During the Cold War-divided Germany at the Olympic Games for the United
Team of Germany (1956-1968), the “Ode to Joy” segment of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
was played instead of a national anthem. The Council of Europe in 1972 and later
the European Communities (now the European Union) in 1985 adopted the “Ode to
Joy” instrumentation (without the words) as the Anthem of Europe.
erman President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Saturday November 9, 2019, speaking a crowd
“This evening, we stand here with gratitude (and) with tears in our
eyes.”
“This massive wall, this inhuman structure that claimed so many lives,
is no longer standing. This wall is gone, once and for all”
But new walls have been constructed…
… “Walls of frustration,
walls of anger and hatred;
walls of speechlessness and alienation;
walls that are invisible but still divide;
walls that stand in the way of our cohesion.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Detmold, West Germany born of Polish and German parents one a carpenter,
one a refugee (“during the flight and expulsion of Germans after World War II”)
from a Lutheran part of Silesia, a historical region of Central Europe located
mostly in Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Steinmeier is a veteran public servant: current President of Germany (March
19, 2017 -); former Minister for Foreign
Affairs (2005- 2009; 2013 -2017); Vice-Chancellor of Germany (2007-2009); chairman-in-office
of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE (2016). A “career
civil servant” in the 1990s through the turn of the century, he holds a
doctorate in law and was formerly a career civil servant.
Studied Law and Political Science, credentialed Doctor of Law) Justus
Liebig University Giessen); “dissertation explored the role of the state in the
prevention of homelessness”; Member of the Bar.
erman Chancellor Angela Merkel
Saturday November 9, 2019, speaking at the Chapel of Reconciliation
“I remember those who were killed at this wall because they were seeking liberty”
“We want to ensure that no wall will separate people ever again.”
“The Berlin Wall is history, which teaches us this:
“No wall that segregates people and limits freedom
is so high or so wide
that it can’t be broken through.”
Angela Merkel
Born of Polish (mother, a teacher) and German (father, a Lutheran pastor)
parents first in Hamburg (West Germany) then in infancy to East Germany, Angela
Dorothea Kasner Merkel is a veteran public official and current Chancellor of
Germany (2005 -), lauded as “de facto leader of the European Union, “the most
powerful woman in the world,” and “leader
of the free world.”
In addition to political party offices and positions, Angela Merkel,
before assuming the Chancellorship, was Minister for the Environment, Nature
Conservation and Nuclear Safety (1994-1998); Minister for Women and Youth (1991-1994); Member of the Bundestag (Constituency: Stralsund
– Nordvorpommern – Rügen 1991-2013; Vorpommern-Rügen
– Vorpommern-Greifswald I (2013–)
In addition to being a politician she is a scholar. Her academic
credentials, in addition to having studied several languages other than German,
include a doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) for her thesis on quantum chemistry; Leipzig
University (B.S.); German Academy of
Sciences at Berlin (Ph.D.)
Moments of Reflection in red, white and blue
ommemorations instead of lolling and idling us in the past
can push us forward — past walls, over and beyond walls —
together.Surely Americans are able to distinguish sense from nonsense, shallowness from depth, con artists from artists, and geniuses from jacklegs.
The shallow among us
are deficient in natural talent, in genius.
They spend their lives
hoarding, wasting and destroying
wealth and
resources of mountains and mankind.
Their toxicity robs, blames and
defames the living in
all of its forms.
Their congenital, perverse egoism renders them
incapable of offering
anything of true value to the world.
Sources
Barenboim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Barenboim
https://www.dw.com/en/
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/daniel-barenboim-quotes
Beethoven
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven#Loss_of_hearing
http://www.beethoven.ws/loss_of_hearing.html
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ludwig_van_beethoven_553973
553973
DW News “Germany’s Steinmeier warns of ‘invisible’ walls that threaten
social cohesion” ; “Germany has commemorated 30 years since the fall of the
Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989”; DW’s Kate Brady “assesses the ‘new walls’ in a
Germany divided over identity” https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-steinmeier-warns-of-invisible-walls-that-threaten-social-cohesion/a-51184946
DW News “Germany marks 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall”
November 9, 2019 https://www.dw.com/en/germany-marks-30-years-since-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/a-51186864
Wikipedia
Frank-Walter Steinmeier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
Angela Merkel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Merkel
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