Prom 18: West-Eastern Divan Orchestra/Barenboim – review

Royal Albert Hall, LondonThere is nothing quite like Beethoven's Choral Symphony. The most cosmic of Beethoven's works in its journey from darkness and chaos to light and unity, it is also the most brazen in its humanism. Introducing the final movement's setting of Schiller's high-minded drinking song, Beethoven has the bass soloist interrupt the orchestra with a piercing call to leave behind "these sounds. Let us rather sing something ... full of joy". But the musicians don't really leave anyth...

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