This one comes with a story.
Oleg Volk asked if anyone could think of a modern peaceful revolution, and the first thing that came to mind was German reunification in 1989 and 1990. There was relatively little violence, the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, ceased to exist, and it's citizens and lands became part of the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany. Of course, when I remembered those days, Ode to Joy came to my head and it's been there ever since.
This performance happened a few months after the fall of the wall, and I remember listening to a recording of it on the local classical station a few days after Christmas in 1989. I know my classical music hipster douchebag street cred is destroyed by admitting this, but I fell in love with Beethoven's 9th that day, and it's theme has been a lullaby to all of my kids. Girlie Bear surprised herself last night when she could hum along to it while I played it on the stereo in the van. I guess those stories about early exposure to classical music may have some worth after all.
Bernstein changed a couple of words in this rendition to reflect the jubilation of the moment, but I don't think Beethoven would have complained.
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