Last week, as we left the UK for a short stay in Germany the papers were full of the Eurozone news – and in particular much huffing and puffing from the right wing press and Tory party that, whatever the outcome, we did not want a German dominated Europe where Angela Merkel’s Germany were able to call the shots because of their perceived economic superiority. Now, on my return, I read that “Britain is facing isolation in Europe after David Cameron vetoed a revision of the Lisbon treaty, prompting a majority of EU members to agree to draw up their own deal outside the architecture of the union”. Well, whatever the politics or the economics of those points of view, it started me thinking.
 |
| Leipzig Hauptbahnhof |
Before you read this blog, however, I really ought to make a couple of things plain – so that you don’t waste your time. I am a committed Europhile and believe that the UK’s position over the past thirty or so years – and especially that of the Tory party - has been close to treason in that it was and is so contrary to the national interest. Give me a choice between a special relationship with the USA or Europe and I will go for Europe every time. Only a few weeks ago French president Sarkozy took David Cameron and the UK to task for wanting to impose views “from the sidelines” – he was exactly correct. For years we, as a nation, have whinged and whined about Europe, pleaded being a special case and wanted to exact special treatment - without ever really “committing”. I think that if I were French or German – or any other European member state I would be a bit cheesed off with the attitude of Britain – and would want to say “B****r off then, go and live in your little England”. So, if you are a Eurosceptic, a Tory, a Daily Mail or Daily Telegraph reader then I suggest that you find a more anodyne blog to read today!
 |
| Bach - the man who this was all about |
But back to Germany! As our train sped across the flat Saxon plain in northern Germany it occurred to me that when the Saxons (or Sachsens’s as they say in Germany!) invaded England after the Romans left our shores they must have felt pretty much at home. Gliding from Leipzig to Dresden we could have equally have been in East Anglia passing the flat crop laden fields,small villages, hundreds of allotments all neatly tended with nice little garden sheds and greenhouses. It all made me think. My wife had said at breakfast that morning, as we sat watching Angela Merkel speaking, grim faced, to the German parliament (as she saved Europe again!) how similar the Brits are, in many ways, to the Saxons. My wife was right. Our German neighbours listening and watching as they breakfasted with us in the hotel dining room rolled their eyes and muttered sceptical, cynical things under their breath as Frau Merkel spoke – the sort of things that we (or at least I) mutter when I watch David Cameron and his colleagues! We felt very much at home! Walking through the streets of Leipzig or Dresden we could just as easily have been in Nottingham or Leicester or any other British town or city. Of course, much of that is because so many of the shops are the same High Street names we see in our own city centres. My wife saw shop called "DM" and we wondered if it was the German equivalent of a poundshop - called "DM" as it harked back to the old currency, the Deutsch Mark. The market place has become global! – which is a bit sad really since one goes abroad to sample the different way of life. Throughout our few days in Leipzig we felt at home – people reacted as we expected, they laughed at the same things, they showed the common courtesies and kindnesses that we hope for in the UK, they looked and dressed like us.........we felt at home!
 |
| Must be the best busking pitch in the world - under Bach's watchful eye! |
But, our few days in Leipzig gave me much food for thought about the similarities and differences between ourselves and our German neighbours. I should preface this by saying that we know Leipzig well – these are not first impressions but things that we have noticed over a number of years. These are simply observations. I suppose that I might be accused of seeing the world through rose coloured glasses or thinking that “the other man’s grass is always greener” – but in the end I love Germany and the Germans. They appear so practical and sensible. So reliable and so pragmatic. There are no unnecessary “frills” – food is good and wholesome and not designer fayre which hides a very ordinary meal on a posh plate or with unnecessary dressings. Like us Brits, the Germans will stand quietly in a queue until their turn comes. When you drive on German roads the traffic moves fast – but drivers drive so predictably. When you cross the road everyone obeys the rules of the pedestrian crossing. The list goes on. In short, you know where you are! Going back to the starting point of this blog, I can remember many years ago on one of my first visits to Germany, saying quite unequivocally, “I could live in a German dominated world!” Over many years and many visits I have seen nothing to change that viewpoint.
 |
| Beats Nottingham Railway Station - German domination looks good to me! |
So, late last Thursday night we arrived at Leipzig Hauptbahnhof and walked towards the barriers at the end of the platform. In front of us in huge illuminated lettering was advertised the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra - arguably, under the baton of Riccardo Chailly, the world’s greatest orchestra at this point in time. In football parlance, one nil to the German’s, I thought! – even on their railway station they have a community pride in something of worth rather than the banal rubbish that plasters much of our High Streets, shopping malls and railway stations!
Whilst on the railway station theme, a few days later we walked through the Hauptbahnhof in the early evening. We noticed several policemen standing at the end of a platform and several more on the platform. Was a famous personality arriving – perhaps Saint Angela Merkel? Was someone going to be arrested? We hung about and then all was made clear – as hundreds of young football supporters in their green and white scarves and hats alighted from the train – Leipzig had obviously been playing away and the fans were returning home. I assumed from their glum expressions that perhaps they had lost! So, just like in England we thought – football fans need to be escorted along the streets!
Except it wasn’t quite like England!
 |
| Leipzig Market Square - everyone having a good time |
You see, I contrasted the German police with their English counterparts. Whether at the train station, on the street or at the airport there was a significant difference. As we had left Stansted airport a couple of days before I had sadly watched two airport policemen patrolling the concourse. Tooled up with every conceivable kind of weapon on high display, bare armed, base ball cap headgear, shaven headed, bull necked, huge military style boots (just right for giving someone a good kicking!) and covered in aggressive and unseemly looking tattoos. They looked far more intimidating than any crook, thug or terrorist I might meet! I would accept this and say that perhaps for the high security of an air port you need a special kind of high profile operator to establish a “presence” but in the UK we see more and more of the intimidating policeman in our everyday life. When I watch the TV cop documentaries I see ordinary motorway patrol men with their bull necked, shaven headed profile. I see big aggressive looking men in their yellow high visibility ‘flak jackets’, radios dangling, handcuffs displayed and at the ready. Is this a specific policy to make the police look more thuggish and intimidating than the potential burglar, terrorist or hoodie? I am minded to believe that it is. But in Germany, yes, the police wore a gun – hidden away – but in all other respects were ordinary human beings – everyday hairstyles, a smart but casual uniform, a blue winter jacket very much like the one I was wearing – except, in acceptable and ordinary lettering, it said on the back “Polizei”, ordinary looking shoes, no visible tattoos - this was not a dress statement of aggression. I could go on!. You may well say that I am naive, that I should be proud of our English “Bobby” – the envy of the world you might say. But I’m not – I am very cynical and sceptical. For me “Dixon of Dock Green” is long dead! The Met and other police forces now remind me of violent Hollywood type “Terminator” characters, all, like Clint Eastwood, subconsciously saying to the man in the street “C’mon Punk, make my day!” I am not foolish – the Germans will have their hard men, their specialist anti-terror squads but they are not apparent on the everyday streets as they are in England. And yet, in Germany I felt safe – when the police men on duty at the Christmas Market walked amongst the shoppers and chatted with them, smiled, stopped at a stall and bought a hot dog they were saying "We are one of you, ordinary and enjoying the day!" And I felt a little more secure. The strange thing is that although I would not profess to be an expert, from the little that I know of social psychology the received wisdom is that violence begets violence, the abused will likely as not become an abuser – so when our police set themselves up as aggressive looking thugs, they may well be actually promoting a violent response from potential criminals and the ordinary man in the street. Perhaps the Germans understand this. Two nil to the Germans.
 |
| Yep! Christmas is just round the corner |
And as we meandered around the Leipzig streets and Christmas markets for four days we watched as the Sachsens consumed huge quantities of Bratworst and supped the Gluhwein. Where did they put it all? From first thing in the morning till last thing at night stalls were busy and queues forming. But throughout it was all good natured, common decencies were observed. A myriad of Christmas gifts and tree decorations were bought; Santa Claus and Frau Claus sang on the market place stage; a Russian band of brass players from St Petersburg played beautifully on Dresden’s streets and were warmly applauded; five Russians wearing their red army uniforms sang their Cossack songs beautifully – and again received cheers and a standing ovation. And this in a city which only a few years ago was a central part of East Germany and under the Russian boot. In Dresden we saw a smartly dressed middle aged man holding aloft a great Soviet Flag – the hammer and sickle – and stopping passers-by – obviously trying to expound soviet politics. And people listened – there was no aggression, no undercurrent of hatred or animosity. At one point, right outside the wonderful Gewandhaus Concert Hall – one of the world’s great concert venues, we discovered an Indian wigwam! And nearby a stall selling fresh smoked salmon – the great salmon “steaks” roasting by an open fire and being served up with a plate of fresh salad and bread. We carried our picnic lunch into the wigwam to sit down by the brazier to eat with locals out of the cold wind. It was quite a bizarre experience but seemed perfectly normal – and seemed to me to be representative of a society at ease with itself. Occasional groups of teenagers looked, as in all cities, a bit louder and noisier than the rest – but, again, not excessively so. Some of these youngsters were making their own fashion statement (after all that is what being a teenager is all about). I remember it well in the 60s, wearing a “slim-jim” tie and tight fitting trousers - much to my mother’s horror and shame. Some of the young Germans wore ear studs and had other body piercings (Ugh!) – but to coin a phrase, it all seemed “in the best possible taste”. We saw no immature or threatening behaviour, no throwing up in shop doorways, no outlandish dressing of the type I see regularly on Nottingham’s night streets. Despite bars being open, despite youngsters being out for a good time I didn't notice a single security guard or "bouncer" outside a bar or nightclub - and yet in Nottingham last night as I went to the Concert Hall every bar and club was closely guarded and entrants "frisked" by thuggish looking bouncers. But in Leipzig (and in Berlin last year, and in every other place we have visited in Germany), just ordinary people – young and old – were enjoying a night or day out!
Three nil to the Germans!
Three nil to the Germans!
 |
| The Red Army entertains! |
Of course, no holiday would be complete without some reference to good food and drink – at least not in my book! We already knew of one or two super restaurants or bierkellers where we could get good wholesome food. And we found another – the “Thuringer Hof” – just a couple of hundred metres form the Thomaskirche and soaked in tradition. Wonderful traditional cooking. Martin Luther, it is thought used to dine here -- that's how old it is. It's been serving regional fayre since 1454. Goethe used to drop in, as did the composer Robert Schumann. By 1865 it became known as one of the most famous restaurants of Germany. Some of the recipes sound as if they are the same that Luther himself ate - Thuringian potato soup with sausage slices ( we sampled it - it was absolutely delicious!) or pickled beef and Thuringian dumplings or rare filets of lamb in a garlic sauce with potato croquettes. All washed down with a couple of wonderful German beers! On other nights we ate facing the Thomaskirche at the “Thomaskirche Brauhaus” – a place we have eaten at several times before. The German beer is quite outstanding there, as is the food. Can there be a better bowl of Gulashsuppe anywhere in the world? Like the “Thuringer Hof” the place is steeped in history – originally 15th century, its walls decorated with pictures of old brewery craftsmen and the like. Again, Luther is thought to have eaten and drunk there as did Bach – it is so close to the church, just across the courtyard - it must have been Bach's local! Both places were busy, noisy and full of people enjoying an evening out or an after work drink – lots of laughing and smiling. No canned music needed here to generate a false atmosphere of good will and enjoyment – it was there aplenty. Four nil to the Germans
 |
| Neva Brass - straight from St Petersburg |
 |
| Are those smoked salmon steaks ready yet? |
 |
| Yes, they are - and we'll sit in the wigwam by this warm fire! |
That night Pat and I sat within a few feet of the choir and orchestra and enjoyed the Oratorio. As we knew it would be, the Thomaskirche was packed. We had travelled from England, the German couple sitting next to us informed us that they too had travelled a long way – over a 100Km from Karlsruhe – just for a concert. We have seen this before on previous visits – at the end of concerts, coaches from throughout Germany picking groups up – people who have travelled large distances – making a pilgrimage, just to enjoy the world’s great music. And this in a country where, unlike England, most towns have their own top notch orchestra, opera or ballet company. And as the final chorus died there was silence; almost a stunned silence. In Italy the audience would have screamed its applause, in England there would have been cries of “more”. But in the Thomaskirche a stillness that seemed to last an age – we have noticed it before, it’s a kind of reserve, a recognition that they are in a Church and not a theatre. And then the clapping, subdued at first, began........ and then mounted to a crescendo with cries of appreciation. Over and over again the orchestra and choir stood and bowed, the soloists beamed. Everyone smiled and knew that Bach would have approved as he gazed down on his church.
 |
| All the fun of the fair! |
And the next morning we went along to the Gewandhaus. “Are there tickets available for the children’s Advent Music concert starting at 11 a.m?” Pat asked. Yes there were – and only 9 Euros – 9 Euros to sit on one of the world’s great concert halls and enjoy the singing and music of the Gewandhaus children’s choir and orchestra! We handed on our wet coats to the lady at the cloakroom and Pat looked at her umbrella – quick as a flash the cloakroom lady reached below her counter and produced a plastic bag, put the wet umbrella inside and hung it with our coats. A small thing, but one we haven’t come across before in England! They think of everything the Germans! The Hall filled with proud parents and even prouder grandparents all enjoying the Christmas songs and music. We listened to German carols that we knew well and smiled as the choir sang “O Come All ye Faithful” in absolutely perfect English – every word crisp and clear. We smiled even more when we heard a German rendering of “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer” – but which half way through switched into English! And towards the end of the concert when the conductor turned to the audience and said “Now it’s your turn” – the whole audience joined in with great gusto to sing a couple of German carols – no mumbling or lack of effort which we so often get at similar points on English concerts – the music was there to be enjoyed and taken part in.
Five nil to the Germans! Oh dear, this is becoming a bit of a “whitewash” isn’t it!
 |
| As good a pint as you will get anywhere - in the Thomaskirche Brauhaus |
 |
| And dumplings in the Thuringer Hof |
And I read in my Guardian and see on my TV this morning that our illustrious PM, David Cameron, has used his veto at the economic summit and effectively sidelined the UK in Europe. Yes, you knew this was coming, didn't you!. From where I stand economics is only one very small part of being in Europe – it is there where our history began and will continue – not on some far Atlantic shore. Just as important, or more important, than economics are the cultural, social, historical, political and geographical connections that we have with our close neighbours – indeed, as I noted at the top of this blog we are distant cousins of the Sachsen’s. It is they and their near north German neighbours the Angles who populated our country and wrote our early history. It is the Angles who gave our country its name “Angle Land” which became “England”. And our PM and the right wing Tory press wish to cut us off from our cultural tradition and heritage – for one reason only - to feed the monster that is the City of London and its financial vultures. Cameron was quite open about that before he left for what we will laughingly call the negotiations - he was going to protect City interests he told us - and to hell our culture, our industry, our alliances with our nearest friends and neighbours. I can find only one word for this: Philistine! Whilst writing this blog I’ve amused myself by wondering what would David Cameron and his party and the Mail and Telegraph readers have said had they been around in the ninth century – they would have had to swallow a pretty bitter pill as Alfred the Great (the only English king to be known as “the Great”) became King of England – a Saxon! Or what about in 1714 when the House of Hanover took over the English throne – Oh dear! – that really is German domination with a vengeance! Perhaps in those days politicians had a slightly wider vision of the world than the current Tory party or Daily Telegraph! Would Cameron have vetoed Alfred the Great or George 1st – who, horror of horrors, could not even speak English! Or, I wondered, this afternoon as I listened to Handel's great oratorio "The Messiah" how comfortably these Europe and German haters in the Tory party feel when listening to "The Messiah", knowing (if they indeed do know) that Handel was a Saxon - born in Halle, just up the road from Leipzig. It must be a bitter pill to swallow to know that the undoubted favourite piece of choral music in the UK was written by a German and performed for a German King of England - and that when the great "Hallelujah Chorus" is sung people like me, throughout the UK and the wider world, will stand in homage to the work, to the German composer and as a mark of recognition to this German King. Yep, it must be pretty galling for these people! No wonder they don't want anything to do with Europe and they fear German domination - I mean, it might constantly remind them that we might have something to learn from our friends across the Channel. Listening to "The Messiah" or thinking of Alfred the Great must make Cameron and his "Little Englanders" choke on their roast beef and good warm English ale - I mean, how can it be that these "foreign Johnnies", who can't possibly be "top drawer" because they aren't English have such an important place in the cultural and historical life of the nation.
 |
| Proud parents applaud their children at the Gewandhaus Advent Concert |
A couple of days ago Larry Elliott in the Guardian forecast almost exactly what Cameron would do. “David Cameron has his red lines for the crunch two-day European summit . They are predictable red lines. They are the red lines that any [British] prime minister in the last three decades would have drawn. And they are the wrong red lines. The prime minister will go to Brussels determined that the City of London be safeguarded from any of the dangerous ideas circulating on the other side of the Channel, such as a financial transactions tax. If he is serious about rebalancing the UK economy, he might be better off agreeing to some of these "dangerous" proposals, letting the City fend for itself (something it is perfectly capable of doing) and devoting some tender loving care to Britain's manufacturers......... The reality is that for many years the only industry that has really mattered in Britain has been the financial services industry. Picking winners has been abolished for all but one special interest group in the economy: the City........Germany's manufacturing output rose strongly in October and has recovered all the ground lost during the deep recession of 2008-09. Britain's factory production is still 7% below where it was at its peak in 2007, despite the benefit of a 25% drop in the value of sterling.......”
 |
| The choir take the applause at the end of the Oratorio. |
Elliott was proved exactly right.
 |
| Bach's window in the Thomaskirche |
As I read this I thought back to the start of the banking crisis three or four years ago. I am not an economist but I remember well thinking, “Yep, that makes sense” when I heard of the German government’s initial response to the problems that were beginning to mushroom out of control across the world and which had their roots not in the Eurozone but with the free market financial mismanagement in the USA. At that point the English response under Gordon Brown was to throw money at the banks and hope they would lend this to manufacturers. They didn’t and haven’t and this has been compounded by the fact that as people worry about jobs, price rises and insecurity they are not spending anyway - so who are the manufacturers going to sell to? And the banks? –well, they and the City grabbed the money and ran – wrote off their losses with the government handouts and are back in profit within months, bonuses bulging – “Hey, what a great life guys – we literally are laughing all the way to the bank!”
 |
| The Thomaskirche at night |
 |
| Bach's tomb |
Six nil to the Germans!
 |
| Rehearsal time for the choir and orchestra |
Of course, David Cameron wouldn’t see it my way – and probably at least half the readers (if there are any left) of this blog will vehemently disagree with me. But in the end I feel strongly that in the world of today, as never before, we need to work with our close neighbours and the wider world. Of course, we are all different – but to bury one’s head in the sand as successive UK governments have done in relation to Europe is counter productive. Whether Cameron likes it or not, our past and our future is absolutely bound up with and dependent upon our friends across the Channel. We grovel for a special relationship with the USA, we will do its bidding and dance to its tune on any number of things but fail to recognise that the USA has little or no loyalty to us – we are a little island that can and will be cast aside when American big business says so. No, Europe is our past and our future – it is in our blood and we are in its blood. As Pat and I glided across the Saxon plain to Dresden on Monday I looked at my railway ticket. The ticket lady at the Leipzig Hauptbahnhoff had told us that the cheapest way for us to get to Dresden and back was to pay 31 Euros for a “Saxon Rover” ticket! I liked that – for a day I was a “Saxon Rover” – like those Saxon Rovers of two millennia ago who roved across the Channel and settle in Angle Land and who were my forefathers – I felt that I should have worn my sword, my spear, my cape, my horned helmet (sorry, I think that was the Vikings!). Our Rover ticket was valid for up to five people – so we could have taken three more all for the same price. Perhaps I should have given David Cameron, George Osborne and William Hague a ring and offered them a free ride through Germany to widen their cultural and economic horizons!
 |
| I'm determined to eat all of this sausage! |
And for me this is the issue. Sadly, the UK is today lead largely by politicians of the Mickey Mouse variety - people who would not hold down a job in other walks of life. I don't know the definition of a statesman or woman - but I sure as hell know that there aren't any in the present Parliament nor were there in the last. Hate Margaret Thatcher as I did, I could also respect her - she made things happen, she saw the bigger picture. Even though she had grave reservations about Europe she consistently said "We have to sit at the top table" - she did not use her veto, she did not give in to factional self interest in the way that today's politicians do. Where are the politicians today who can see the bigger picture, who can cut through with a few well chosen words to the heart of the matter, who can inspire and change opinion even amongst those who greatly disagree, who can cut through the "red tape" and set a course of action? Will we ever have another Thatcher (perish the thought!), Foot, Macmillan, Crossland, Atlee, Churchill, Bevan, Butler, Williams............ or are we forever destined to have mean minded little men and women who do the bidding of the far right or far left or the City because they haven't got any better ideas, are incapable of seeing the bigger picture or because that is where their "bread is buttered". In the final analysis would I be inspired and follow David Cameron, George Osborne, William Hague, "Nick" Clegg, "Vince" Cable, "Ed" Milliband, "Ed" Balls, and the rest into battle? Would I be swayed by the power of their arguments and rhetoric? The answer is resoundingly "No". And yet, and yet.......as I sat in the hotel dining room in Leipzig last week, eating my breakfast and watching Angela Merkel facing the German Parliament, and even though my German language skills are severely limited, I could respect what she was saying, could see a bit of "vision", of clarity of purpose.......of "statesmanship".
Seven nil to the Germans! Yep, we might have beaten the Germans in 1966, we had a bit of an aberration and the Germans an off day in 2001 when we beat them in Munich 5-1 but, overall, they win hands down - both on the football field, politically, economically, culturally and as a society. And yet, our illustrious leader and his Tory cronies want to turn their back and say "We know best!" I have difficulty following that logic.
And I will end with a bit of sweet irony (at least that’s how I see it). In a week’s time on December 17th at the Leipzig Gewandhaus there will take place one of the great musical events of the year – perhaps for many years – an event I would give almost anything to be present at. Riccardo Chailly and the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra will be performing in front of their home audience. I had inquired about tickets – but they had been sold out for months. And what are they performing? One of the world’s very greatest pieces – some might argue the greatest piece ever written – Beeethoven’s Ninth Symphony – the Choral, with its univesal hymn of brotherhood the "Ode to Joy". Chailly and the Gewandhaus earlier this year recorded all the nine Beethoven symphonies to great acclaim – the recordings of the year, the definitive Beethoven – all from Leipzig, a small town in Germany. The Ninth was first conceived by Beethoven in 1793, as the French Revolution raged. It began to take shape as a piece of music in 1817 at the conclusion of the great Napoleonic wars when the piece was commissioned by the Philarmonic Society of London (no fear of German domination in the City of London then!!!!). It had its premier - possibly the greatest musical event of that century (or indeed any other) in Vienna in 1824 as Europe rebuilt after the Napoleonic wars. At that time, it was customary in Vienna that only the Imperial couple should be acknowledged with three ovations. The fact that five ovations were received by a private person who was not even employed by the state, and moreover, was a musician - a class of people who had been perceived as lackeys at court - was in itself considered almost indecent. Police present at the concert had to break off this spontaneous explosion of ovations. Beethoven left the concert deeply moved. Seems that old Ludwig and his music had the ability to inspire and move people, to encourage them to dream and strive for greater things - unlike David Cameron and his cronies! Here was a man, Beethoven, of dreams and ideals, creating something to reflect the dreams and ideals of Europeans of that age as they looked forward to a brighter future. And, as the symphony draws to its wonderful final movement, and the choir rise to sing the glorious “Ode To Joy”, the European Anthem, based on Schiller’s poem, I might have thought of the great words “All men become brothers......Join our jubilation.......Be embraced you millions......a kiss for the whole world...........”. I might have sat in the Gewandhaus and thought, as Beethoven’s music swirled around me of how the ideals of Beethoven have crumbled - at least in England. The Ebenezer Scrooge gradgrinds are in charge in London - the bean counters, the men whose only vision is self interest and the ledger and pile of pennies - the "bottom line" men. These men , the men of the City, and the present incumbent of 10 Downing Street and his Tory acolytes have no vision of a better world. They don't "do" inspiration or ideals, they don't "do" statesmanship or or bigger pictures or dreams. They "do" vetoes. Like Ebenezer Scrooge they say "Humbug" to the future and to the aspirations of millions. They see only profit and loss - and their only ideal and motivation is that of the ledger. In short, they are Philistines who do not see the bigger picture - and sadly, they are followed by a Tory press who still want to stir up anti-Europe, anti-German hatred.....and who, seventy years after the last war finished, want to continue it in the in the corridors of power and on our television and cinema screens. Beethoven had no such inhibitions and mean thoughts - he wanted men to join together as brothers. Beethoven and the politicians of Europe - Merkel, Sarkozy and those who have come before them have seen the bigger picture, have striven for a dream, have had ideals, have "reached for the stars". Indeed, "The Ode to Joy" speaks of the stars in heaven - and in doing so has given people something positive to work for and dream of. When Mrs Merkel or Mr Sarkozy and the rest go home at night to their respective husbands and wives, do their spouses say: "Have you had a nice day at the office dear?" And do they reply, "Well, it's been a hard day, giving people dreams and ambitions and building a better future for all the nations of Europe, but it's all worth while!" And when our own PM and his friends go home and are asked the same question by their respective spouses do they answer "Well I used my veto, I really enjoyed destroying ambitions and dreams and the chance for a better future of millions throughout Europe - and the good thing is that my City pals have given me the thumbs up - it's all money in the bank, dear, - our bank!!!! Yes, as the symphony reached its climax I would have thought of that pathetic small minded man who is my Prime Minister and who leads a party of even smaller minded individuals who do not wish to commit to Europe - all because they want to protect their cosy City directorships and City friends. And who then wrap it up and try to legitimise it by calling it “defending our interests”.
No, they are wrong, wrong, wrong. Cameron, the Tory party and the City have not been "defending our interests" - he has been defending his interests and those of his Tory friends. The Prime Minister, by his actions, has blatantly compromised and destroyed the national interest - economically, socially, politically and culturally. Our interests lie in Europe not as an isolated little off shore island somewhere between the North Sea and the Atlantic and most certainly not be dependent upon the whims of capitalist free marketeers, freebooters and right wing extremists in Washington. Europe is where we want and need our special relationship - unfortunately Cameron is unable and unwilling to grasp this simple truth!
 |
| "All men shall become brothers ...Join our jubilation" wrote Beethoven and Schiller (unfortunately they hadn't met the Tory party,the right wing UK press or the City of London). |
And I will end with a bit of sweet irony (at least that’s how I see it). In a week’s time on December 17th at the Leipzig Gewandhaus there will take place one of the great musical events of the year – perhaps for many years – an event I would give almost anything to be present at. Riccardo Chailly and the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra will be performing in front of their home audience. I had inquired about tickets – but they had been sold out for months. And what are they performing? One of the world’s very greatest pieces – some might argue the greatest piece ever written – Beeethoven’s Ninth Symphony – the Choral, with its univesal hymn of brotherhood the "Ode to Joy". Chailly and the Gewandhaus earlier this year recorded all the nine Beethoven symphonies to great acclaim – the recordings of the year, the definitive Beethoven – all from Leipzig, a small town in Germany. The Ninth was first conceived by Beethoven in 1793, as the French Revolution raged. It began to take shape as a piece of music in 1817 at the conclusion of the great Napoleonic wars when the piece was commissioned by the Philarmonic Society of London (no fear of German domination in the City of London then!!!!). It had its premier - possibly the greatest musical event of that century (or indeed any other) in Vienna in 1824 as Europe rebuilt after the Napoleonic wars. At that time, it was customary in Vienna that only the Imperial couple should be acknowledged with three ovations. The fact that five ovations were received by a private person who was not even employed by the state, and moreover, was a musician - a class of people who had been perceived as lackeys at court - was in itself considered almost indecent. Police present at the concert had to break off this spontaneous explosion of ovations. Beethoven left the concert deeply moved. Seems that old Ludwig and his music had the ability to inspire and move people, to encourage them to dream and strive for greater things - unlike David Cameron and his cronies! Here was a man, Beethoven, of dreams and ideals, creating something to reflect the dreams and ideals of Europeans of that age as they looked forward to a brighter future. And, as the symphony draws to its wonderful final movement, and the choir rise to sing the glorious “Ode To Joy”, the European Anthem, based on Schiller’s poem, I might have thought of the great words “All men become brothers......Join our jubilation.......Be embraced you millions......a kiss for the whole world...........”. I might have sat in the Gewandhaus and thought, as Beethoven’s music swirled around me of how the ideals of Beethoven have crumbled - at least in England. The Ebenezer Scrooge gradgrinds are in charge in London - the bean counters, the men whose only vision is self interest and the ledger and pile of pennies - the "bottom line" men. These men , the men of the City, and the present incumbent of 10 Downing Street and his Tory acolytes have no vision of a better world. They don't "do" inspiration or ideals, they don't "do" statesmanship or or bigger pictures or dreams. They "do" vetoes. Like Ebenezer Scrooge they say "Humbug" to the future and to the aspirations of millions. They see only profit and loss - and their only ideal and motivation is that of the ledger. In short, they are Philistines who do not see the bigger picture - and sadly, they are followed by a Tory press who still want to stir up anti-Europe, anti-German hatred.....and who, seventy years after the last war finished, want to continue it in the in the corridors of power and on our television and cinema screens. Beethoven had no such inhibitions and mean thoughts - he wanted men to join together as brothers. Beethoven and the politicians of Europe - Merkel, Sarkozy and those who have come before them have seen the bigger picture, have striven for a dream, have had ideals, have "reached for the stars". Indeed, "The Ode to Joy" speaks of the stars in heaven - and in doing so has given people something positive to work for and dream of. When Mrs Merkel or Mr Sarkozy and the rest go home at night to their respective husbands and wives, do their spouses say: "Have you had a nice day at the office dear?" And do they reply, "Well, it's been a hard day, giving people dreams and ambitions and building a better future for all the nations of Europe, but it's all worth while!" And when our own PM and his friends go home and are asked the same question by their respective spouses do they answer "Well I used my veto, I really enjoyed destroying ambitions and dreams and the chance for a better future of millions throughout Europe - and the good thing is that my City pals have given me the thumbs up - it's all money in the bank, dear, - our bank!!!! Yes, as the symphony reached its climax I would have thought of that pathetic small minded man who is my Prime Minister and who leads a party of even smaller minded individuals who do not wish to commit to Europe - all because they want to protect their cosy City directorships and City friends. And who then wrap it up and try to legitimise it by calling it “defending our interests”.
 |
| Chailly leading the Gewandhaus |
No, they are wrong, wrong, wrong. Cameron, the Tory party and the City have not been "defending our interests" - he has been defending his interests and those of his Tory friends. The Prime Minister, by his actions, has blatantly compromised and destroyed the national interest - economically, socially, politically and culturally. Our interests lie in Europe not as an isolated little off shore island somewhere between the North Sea and the Atlantic and most certainly not be dependent upon the whims of capitalist free marketeers, freebooters and right wing extremists in Washington. Europe is where we want and need our special relationship - unfortunately Cameron is unable and unwilling to grasp this simple truth!
No comments:
Post a Comment