Beethoven: His Search for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Every summer since 1937, apart from the COVID pandemic, the Boston Symphony has taken up residence at Tanglewood in the Berkshire Mountains. In any given season, there are upwards of 350,000 visitors to this idyllic haven for the arts.

Patrons come from all over New England and beyond to see the likes of James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, composer John Williams of Star Wars fame, and more. Singers such as Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Diana Ross, Renee Fleming, Jesse Norman have also graced the stages here, underscoring Tanglewood’s unique and vibrant history. For many, it is a home away from home, with annual visits to enjoy a pre-concert picnic on the lawn, take in the stunning landscape, and to experience some of the greatest artists of our time in a setting that is both serene and inspirational.

The area’s natural beauty cannot be understated.

Friday night was the official opening night for Tanglewood’s 2024 season and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D, as well as his “Symphony No 3. in E-flat, Eroica,” were played by the outstanding members of the Boston Symphony, led by conductor Andris Nelsons. 

The programming here is significant. It may not be well-known to all listeners of Beethoven, first timers or seasoned music aficionados, but Beethoven was an integral part of the Enlightenment period. The theme of freedom, and a sense of overcoming is ever-present in his Eroica. Throughout Europe and eventually in the Americas, individual liberty and religious tolerance were discussed and debated in homes, coffee houses, and public arena by both average citizens and philosophers alike. 

Beethoven was groundbreaking in his compositions, developing new sounds that were considered shocking by the standards of the day. He was able to use his voice to express his innermost feelings about humanity, because he was unencumbered by the critics. He forged a new language for music because of his belief in this freedom of expression without fear of reprisal. This is a hallmark characteristic that journalists share, in my opinion. As Beethoven proved to his audience in the early 1800s, you cannot be a pioneer in your work if you give in to the constraints of the voice of opposition.

It must seem a cruel joke for one of the greatest musical voices in history to have lost his hearing totally during his prime. The fact that he could still hear his compositions in his head and bring into being some of the world's best regarded classical music is nothing short of miraculous. I can imagine that many or most would have given up under those circumstances, and we must all be grateful for his perseverance.  

I have attended many discussions led by prominent voices in media and journalism, and have learned that perseverance is a quality shared by all in those fields. I have listened with amazement to stories of torture, imprisonment, isolation, and constant endangerment to find and share the truth in events around the globe.  

Music’s contribution to our culture cannot be easily quantified, but when you allow yourself to take in the work of a composer such as Beethoven, there is a deep honesty to his music, and one can easily feel inspired to dream and even fight for a better world. It was true for Beethoven then and we need to feel that now more than ever in today’s challenging world.