Anthem - Intellect

Anthem
self-identification of the traditional kind that leans heavily on differences between
Fortress Europe and its surrounding others, the West and the rest? 413 The conflict of
interpretations has not reached any firm conclusion in this respect.
Beethoven’s modification of Schiller’s lyrics was thus deemed to be both too specific
(German) and too general (universal). Many European officials and politicians
expressed a hope for some future ‘genius’ to be able to provide a new and acceptable,
more properly European text in the main European languages. This will remain highly
difficult due to linguistic and cultural differences within Europe. Meanwhile, in order
to at all get the tune accepted by all European states, the compromise was to have it
without words, which makes it difficult to actually sing it jointly, thus paradoxically
annulling the original motivation behind an anthem in the first place: to occasion
communal singing. The instrumental anthem silences the collective human voice that
Beethoven found essential to introduce to convey his intended meaning of the ode,
and which the whole idea of having a European anthem in many ways continues to be
dependent upon in order to function as a ritual marker of collective identity. 414
Esteban Buch concludes: ‘Thus, the European anthem will not be vocal music,
nor instrumental music, but well a song where the lyrics is missing, an unfinished
symbol.’ 415 This critical formulation may perhaps open up for a partial rescue of the
anthem, as the lack of words gives the music a chance to transmit its message across
linguistic barriers, in a kind of ‘universal language’, which is a widespread (though
highly problematic) presupposition about music’s innate capacity. 416 It was previously
argued that the open circle of the European flag also in a sense presented an unfinished
symbol, inviting other actors to step in and fill it with shifting contents. The textless
tune could likewise be used for karaoke, opening up a sonar space for singers to fill
with expressive activity. 417 What from a critical perspective is an empty void may then
simultaneously imply an invitation for participation. In any case, the original lyrics
linger in the background for those who know a little bit about Schiller’s poem or
Beethoven’s symphony, and at least the anthem title hints at happiness as a core value,
coinciding with the desire and pleasure of the Europa myth.
Even though the anthem has excluded so much of its original context in Schiller’s
and Beethoven’s works, it is still full of tensions, paradoxes and contradictions, which
Buch clearly points out. 418 First, the anthem is a musical translation of the universal
values of joy and brotherhood, but is forced not to explicitly express those same values.
Second, it is supposed to express collective European democratic principles but is the
work of a former Nazi. Third, the anthem illustrates the rootedness of the EU symbols
in the nation-state tradition, but also the wish to be different from this tradition and
develop truly late modern and transnational symbols. Fourth, it is to incarnate the
‘voice of the Europeans’ but with its silenced lyrics is impossible to sing. Only the
music but not the lyrics have official status:
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