Beethoven's Ode To Joy Flashmobbed

When the goings on of this world get you down, things like these act as a beacon of hope

I came across this moving video on a site called Open Culture (http://www.openculture.com/), which is a veritable goldmine of arts, literature, music, films etc.
In today's times, when the internet has become this dark, dangerous place, leading to skepticism and mistrust; sites like Open Culture define what the internet should always be used for.

http://www.openculture.com/2012/07/beethovens_ode_to_joy_flashmobbed.html

Before I watched this, my previous experiences with flashmobs had led me to believe that they catered only to flashy dance performances, to the tune of the latest chartbusters. Another manifestation of the 'hip' / 'cool' aspect of the generation Y.
I had never associated it with something much more substantial and meaningful, not something which had a lasting impact. Definitely not something that had the power to tug at your heartstrings.
What sheer joy to discover this then!

The Open Culture site introduces this gem as:

Flashmob performances haven’t been a fresh concept for some time. And they’ve been somewhat taken over by corporations during recent years. But that doesn’t stop viewers from enjoying the performances, whether in person or on the web. Take this recent example orchestrated by thefinancially-challenged Spanish bank, Banco Sabadell.

Earlier this summer, the bank brought together 100 musicians and singers from the Orchestra Simfonica del Valles,Amics de l’Opera de Sabadell,Coral Belles Arts, and Cor Lieder Camera to perform the anthem of the European Union — Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” from his Symphony No. 9. It all happens in the Plaça de Sant Roc in Sabadell, Spain, a little north of Barcelona. Perhaps this will put a smile on your face. Maybe you’ll even shed a tear. One way or another, make sure you turn up your speakers….

It did put a smile on my face. It also made me shed many tears.
It made me truly realize the Bard's words when he said, "If music be the food of love, play on."

And to think that Beethoven was almost completely deaf at the time he composed his magnum opus, the Ninth Symphony. I cannot even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the tragedy. To create such ethereal music when you are cruelly robbed of the power to ever listen to it yourself.

Music such as this has an ethereal, out-of-this-world quality. It elevates, it emancipates; it transcends all boundaries of time and space. It resonates with the celebration of life, the joy of living. In dark times like now, it is a reminder of the essence of humanity.