Bernstein declared, “I am experiencing a historical moment, incomparable with others in my long, long life.” Leonard Bernstein altered Schillers text, changing “Ode to Joy” to “Ode to Freedom. He said, legend or not, I feel this is a heaven-sent moment to sing ‘Freiheit’ wherever the score indicates the word ‘Freude’. If ever there was a historic time to take an academic risk in the name of human joy, this is it, and I am sure we have Beethoven’s blessing.” The legend is that Schillers original text was Freiheit.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 17:57:08 +0000