Reviewed by Dr. Roberta Valdez
From the student protests in Tiananmen Square to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the documentary Following the Ninth shows how Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony has inspired people around the world. Chinese students played the composition over loudspeakers during the ill-fated Tiananmen Square protests. In Chile, women sang their version in the streets in defiance of the Pinochet dictatorship; those in prison could hear their voices. At a celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Leonard Bernstein conducted the Ninth and changed “Ode to Joy” to “Ode to Freedom.” “Daiku” means “ninth” in Japan and all over the country, choral groups as well as amateurs sing Beethoven’s Ninth on New Year’s Eve. The film even features a 5,000 member chorale singing the work in Japan.
According to screenwriter and director Kerry Candaele, the film has been screened nationwide and has been featured on the BBC and NPR. Candaele said he worked for six years to bring together people and stories from around the world, and the documentary includes very effective use of archival footage intercut with individuals who were there at the events relating their experiences. One particularly moving interview was with a Chilean who was a political prisoner, heard the women singing, and recounted that the current President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, was with him in prison.
While the Japanese choral groups were impressive, a more thorough explanation of the origins of the “Daiku” would have been helpful in connecting it to the other segments. The tone was uplifting but better quality photos in the closing montage would have made the impression even stronger. Overall, though, by showing how people’s lives all over the world were touched by a beautiful piece of music, the film achieved a sense of hopefulness.
Following the Ninth screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival, held April 24-May 1, 2014, as part of a multi-media exploration of Beethoven by the Orange County California Philharmonic Society that included exhibitions, lectures, films, and music.
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