They assert that everything in Texas is larger than elsewhere. Think again. Do you believe the Rockin’ 1000 is a huge musical performance group? Think again. Every year since 1983, a choir of 10,000 singers has convened in Japan to perform the choral finale of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in December. Add in the orchestra musicians, and you have a magnificent performance.
We filmed the video below in December 2011. Yutaka Sado, the choir’s general director and conductor since 1999, leads it. In 2015, Austria’s oldest orchestra, the Tonkünstler Orchestra (1st performance, 1907), appointed Yutaka Sado, a Japanese conductor who trained with Seiji Ozawa and Leonard Bernstein, as Music Director.
Jonathan Lauzon states succinctly, “Composed by a German legend, sung by a Japanese multitude, gave chills to a Canadian nobody.” According to GoodVibes1997, “As a German, I’m impressed by the perfect pronunciation, the orchestra, and the sheer number of musical talents.” The quality of the singing becomes even more impressive when one considers that the majority of the vocalists are amateurs who supplement professional soloists and a chamber choir. The selection process is quite competitive, making it an enjoyable experience.
In Japan, Beethoven’s Ninth has been synonymous with Christmas. Hundreds of Ninth Symphony performances take place in shopping malls, community centers, and symphonies. Many feature singalongs to the “Ode to Joy,” the choral portion of the symphony’s fourth movement, which represents peace, optimism, and joy. Friedrich Schiller’s 1785 poem serves as the basis for the libretto of the choir section. It’s a heartwarming mini-documentary about the yearly Ode to Joy concert with 10,000 singers.
In the documentary, conductor Yutaka Sado observes, “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, and that everyone matters. That has been my biggest challenge since Year 1 and still is.”
The narrative of the first performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Japan is legendary. This performance occurred during the last stages of World War One. During the conflict, Bando Camp held around 1000 German prisoners of war. The camp operated with compassion, fostering sports and cultural exchanges among the detainees, Japanese guards, and residents. Paul Engel, a German prisoner, received permission to teach music at the camp. Paul Engel received permission to instruct interested Japanese individuals outside the camp twice a week.
The camp had two orchestras of 45 members each, two brass bands, and two choruses of sixty singers. Barrack One of the Bando camps hosted the first-ever performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Japan on June 1, 2018, after more than 80 convicts spent months studying it.
Despite the epidemic, the tradition of the 10,000-strong Daiku (literally nine, as in Beethoven’s Ninth) persisted. In 2020, we virtually celebrated the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth for the first time. Singers from all across the world contributed films, and there were 11,961 singing videos to complement the live orchestra. In 2021, they presented the event as both a live and virtual concert. Take a peek.