More EU Madness ?

"To Joy" (An die Freude in German, however in English we often familiarly called the Ode to Joy rather than To Joy) is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet and historian Friedrich Schiller- , known especially for its musical setting by Ludwig van Beethoven in the fourth and final movement of his Ninth Symphony, for four solo voices, chorus, and orchestra.

Beethoven's musical interpretation has become, without text, the anthem of the European Union. The singing of a EU anthem in German would have the overtones of Herr Hitler - but in fact the original was inspired by another despot, Napoleon Bonaparte.

In 1971 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe decided to propose adopting the prelude as the European anthem. The Council of European Ministers officially announced the European Anthem on January 19th 1972 at Strasbourg.

The well-known conductor Herbert Von Karajan was asked to write three instrumental arrangements - for solo piano, for wind instruments and for symphony orchestra and he conducted the performance used to make the official recording. He wrote his decisions on the score, notably those concerning the tempo. Karajan decided on crotchet = 120 whereas Beethoven had written minim = 80.

The anthem was launched via a major information campaign on Europe Day in 1972. In 1985, it was adopted by EU heads of State and government as the official anthem of the then European Community - since 1993 the European Union. It is not intended to replace the national anthems of the Member States but rather to celebrate the values they all share and their unity in diversity (sic).

The European anthem is based on Schiller's idealistic vision of the human race becoming brothers - a vision Beethoven shared. It is played on official occasions by both the Council of Europe and the European Union. Due to the large number of languages used in the European Union, the anthem is purely instrumental and the German lyrics have no official status. A suggestion for Latin lyrics to the anthem has been written by the Austrian composer Peter Roland, but the lyrics has not been accorded official status, and is not used by the EU.

that's not true - don't believe everything you hear on the radio.

What the EU might have said was, here is the EU anthem, Ode to Joy by Beethoven - then someone decided to cause some trouble by stating on the radio that this has to replace the anthems of all the member countries ...

Good choice for the anthem tho...

My God how many false stories about the EU are broadcast in the UK. The EU wouldn't do such a thing, nevermind its not in their jurisdiction, but the EU anthem is at the moment in orchestral form only, no lyrics. The only time I have heard it was at the accession ceremony in Dublin when the ten new members joined.

The weird thing is, most of the mad laws that the EU passes would be passed by national governments anyway, the governments now have a sort of scapegoat to do their dirty work.

Yes, the European anthem is the 'Ode to Joy' which is the last movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony (The Choral). It's a great tune but we should not have it imposed upon us by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels.

The British Press are notorious for spreading urban legends about the EU. Look at the websites below and you'll understand what the tabloids have done to you.

http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/press/euromyths/...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6481969.st...

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/06/08/eu....

Hey, let's wind up the Europhobes with some nonsense about National Anthems, so they get all indignant and explode in a self righteous mass of Little Englishness.

BANG! Yes, that was the sound of another UKIP supporter's Union Jack boxers exploding.

The choice of Ode to Joy is merely that the only people who feel joy about the Brussels junta and its various unelected bodies are the Brussels junta. Cute eh? Make every one sing of the joy of a dictatorship that no one wants.

Isn't it Ode To Joy...or Symphony #9 in D Minor? Beethoven.

I'm an American. A lot of Europeans are too liberal and silly for me.

any britain that does sing it instead of his own is a traitor.

if i was pm and they tried that i would pull all british teams out of european games.

This sounds appropriate to me

Der Fuehrer's Face

Spike Jones and the City Slickers

When Der Fuehrer says, "We ist der master race"

We HEIL! HEIL! Right in Der Fuehrer's face

Not to love Der Fuehrer is a great disgrace

So we HEIL! HEIL! Right in Der Fuehrer's face

When Herr Gobbels says, "We own der world und space"

We HEIL! HEIL! Right in Herr Goring's face

When Herr Goring says they'll never bomb this place

We HEIL! HEIL! Right in Herr Goring's face

Are we not the supermen

Aryan pure supermen

Ja we ist der supermen

Super-duper supermen

Ist this Nutzi land not good?

Would you leave it if you could?

Ja this Nutzi land is good!

Vee would leave it if we could

We bring the world to order

Heil Hitler's world New Order

Everyone of foreign race will love Der Fuehrer's face

When we bring to der world disorder

When Der Fuehrer says, "We ist der master race"

We HEIL! HEIL! Right in Der Fuehrer's face

When Der Fuehrer says, "We ist der master race"

We HEIL! HEIL! Right in Der Fuhrer's face