One Can Only Ponder How Beethoven Would Have Been Thrilled by This Outstanding Show.

They claim that everything is larger in Texas. Rethink that. Believe the Rockin’ 1000 is a huge musical ensemble? Rethink that. Annually since 1983, a choir of 10,000 vocalists has assembled every December in Japan to perform the choral finale of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Combine that with the orchestra members, and you have a colossal performance.

The video below was filmed in December 2011. It is led by Yutaka Sado, who has been the General Director and conductor of the choir since 1999. Yutaka Sado, a Japanese conductor trained by Seiji Ozawa and Leonard Bernstein, was appointed Music Director of Austria’s oldest orchestra, the Tonkünstler Orchestra (first performed in 1907), in 2015.

Jonathan Lauzon succinctly remarks, “Composed by a German legend, sung by a Japanese multitude, gave chills to a Canadian nobody.” GoodVibes1997 states, “As a German, I’m impressed by the perfect pronunciation, the orchestra & the sheer number of musical talent.” The singing quality is even more impressive considering that most participants are amateurs who complement professional soloists and a chamber choir. The demand to sing exceeds the available spots, making selection a privilege.

In Japan, Beethoven’s Ninth is linked to the Christmas season. In shopping malls, community centers, and concert halls, there are hundreds of performances of the Ninth Symphony. Many feature singalongs to the “Ode to Joy,” the choral segment of the symphony’s fourth movement, symbolizing peace, hope, and joy. The libretto for the choral section is derived from a 1785 poem by Friedrich Schiller. Below is a heartwarming mini documentary about the yearly 10,000-singer performance of Ode to Joy.

In the documentary, conductor Yutaka Sado perceptively notes that “having 10 000 singers is amazing, but if they’re not into it, it would be depressing. I need to make them feel like they’re not one of 10 000; that everyone has the main role. That’s been my biggest challenge from the first year and still is today.”

The tale of the inaugural performance of Beethoven’s Ninth in Japan has become legendary. This event took place during the final phases of World War One. Throughout the war, approximately 1,000 German prisoners of war were held at Bando Camp. The camp was managed humanely, fostering sports and cultural interactions between the prisoners, Japanese guards, and local residents. A German prisoner named Paul Engel was permitted to teach music within the camp. Twice weekly, he could offer lessons to interested Japanese individuals outside the camp.

Apparently, the camp developed into having two orchestras with 45 members each, two brass bands, and two choirs of sixty members each. Over 80 prisoners dedicated months to perfecting Beethoven’s Ninth, which was performed in Barrack One of Bando camp on June 1, 2018, marking the first performance in Japan.

The tradition of the 10,000-strong Daiku (literally “nine,” referring to Beethoven’s 9th) continued through the pandemic. In 2020, marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the event was held virtually for the first time. Singers worldwide submitted videos, resulting in 11,961 singing videos accompanying the live orchestra. In 2021, the event was conducted as a hybrid live and virtual concert. Take a look:

Regarding the Japanese affection for the choral segment of Ode to Joy, Toshiaki Kamei, the director of the All-Japan Association of Daiku Choral Societies, states “Nowadays, we observe many conflicts between different religions or different ethnic groups happening around the world. We believe singing Daiku together with people from various cultural backgrounds helps us learn to accept diversity and promote world peace.