The No. 5 and the VJ day
I’ve been to Beethoven – Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 many times and listen to it at home, constantly. His music, this in particular strikes me as seriously, heavy, overcoming and eventually triumph.
This was the war turn in WWII, the Jap’s surrendered on on August 15, 1945 and on September 2, 1945, the ceremony of a formal surrender was held in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri, where and when President Truman declared September 2 to be VJ Day -Victory over Japan Day.
Many years ago, an old gent sat next to me at Avery Fisher Hall @ Lincoln Center. It’s an rather expensive seat and most concert goers around me had season tickets, many of them had music sheets or book in hand. Before the first movement ended, the gent began to weep. He served in the US navy. Beethoven’s 5th was being played on all radio stations on VJ Day – to celebrate the defeat of the evilest evil. Guess Obama wasn’t born yet.
I would often tear up to this piece.
