'Pulse of Europe' – Flash Mob – Symphony: Schiller's Ode to Joy and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as Soundtrack at Public 'Stagings' of Europe

Abstract:This article describes the use of Beethoven's 9th symphony (mostly along with Schiller's text) as a soundtrack when it comes to stagings of Europe in public space. It investigates a wide spectrum of musical idioms ranging from more or less spontaneously sung melodies to neatly choreographed flash mobs as well as to high-end performances of the symphony, which also provides the official anthem of the European Union. The essay shows that Beethoven's music has – notwithstanding the fact that it has been used politically for worst – an openness in itself that allows it to be taken it as a symbol for a modern and pluralized society. The fact that it is a choral piece, in which the chorus can be understood as a congregation of many different individuals, allows it to be seen perhaps as an adequate "instrument" of pluralism.