How deaf people experience Beethoven's Ninth Symphony | Music Documentary

Using Beethoven's Ninth symphony as an example, Paul Whittaker, a deaf musician from Great Britain, shows us how deaf people can feel music.

Together with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO), Whittaker is organizing a "Feel the Music" workshop in Barcelona, which allows deaf children to "listen" to music as part of the orchestra. In the evening, they enjoy a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the Palau de la Música Catalana.

Whittaker wants to encourage the children to feel the music and become active themselves. They learn that Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) was also deaf at the end of his life and had to rely on his inner ear when he composed the Ninth Symphony.

Beethoven's first symptoms of hearing loss appeared when he was around 28 years old. It forced him to end his career as a pianist and concentrate solely on composition. As his deafness progressed, Beethoven increasingly renounced to high notes. In his last works, when he was already completely deaf, he started using high tones more frequently again, since he could only rely on his inner ear.

In the Ninth Symphony, which lasts 70 minutes, three instrumental movements lead up to the finale. In it, thunderclaps from the kettledrums and basses, banging effects, wild tempos and threatening melodies give way to harmonious sounds before, finally, the chorus and soloists present their stirring message.

Paul Whittaker has worked with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO) since 2013. He designed the "Feel the Music" workshop for deaf children, which has been given in 13 countries already.

Just like the children, Whittaker has been deaf from birth. Yet against all odds, he studied music and learned to play the piano. As a pianist and organist, Paul Whittaker graduated from Wadham College in Oxford, founded "Music and the Deaf," a charity that helps deaf people learn to enjoy music, and worked on shows like "Les Miserables," "Cats," "The Phantom of the Opera," "West Side Story" or "My Fair Lady."

Paul Whittaker has been awarded the OBE (Officer of the British Empire) in the field of music education by Queen Elizabeth II.

#beethoven #9th #deafcommunity

[lvb]

From Beethoven's letters we know his full deafness came came much later. Late 40's is closer to reality. It was a long, painful journey for him. Some days were better and some days worse. His hearing came in and out. The proof is in his letters. Thanks for posting this great video.

[paoladeafcellist]

I am deaf and I play cello I learn a lot practice feel vibration and with hearing aid technology 🤟🏼❤️

[e.mwenda]

2:54, To continually feel the music, does that mean Whitaker can't affectively play on keyboards or electrically powered instruments?

[dertig]

He’s still more understandable then most rappers

[romanengelbrecht]

I have tinnitus and remember the music so I get what you saying about the story of Beethoven cuz I can somewhat relate, I struggled for a while to not only bring myself to create music again but just getting out of bed was hard because I was overwhelmed by negative thoughts so I really admire what you do

[Melissa]

I kind of wonder if some of these deaf people who are professional musicians, like the British guy in this video and a woman I saw in another video, who I think was from New Zealand or Australia, are actually kind of "hearing" the music in a weird way, because they've retrained their brains. I wonder if it's possible that they have such a strong ability to mentally hear things in their head, that they've perhaps combined that ability with a really strong ability to feel, and be extra sensitive to vibrations, which they've developed to compensate. Maybe, in this way, they've retrained their brains to actually hear sound when they feel vibrations, so that they're hearing through their hands, or whatever part of their body they can feel sound vibrations through? Like, maybe feeling vibrations is actually causing the auditory centers of their brains to activate? I know it sound crazy, but stranger things have happened. Just watch the show Stan Lee's superhumans. It'd be interesting if these deaf musicians would do fMRI test to see if something like this could be happening.

[intoalivinghope]

Thanks for sharing! Is this part of a full length documentary?

[lightupdarkness]

Aww he made it for ppl who like himself... WHO cutting the dam onions

[soniczforever]

I was born deaf I had hearing restored but can relate to what he's saying. I still can feel a car coming up the driveway. Don't even have to to turn. It's lonely to be even deaf in one ear I have basic sign language. It should be taught in schools not too tricky. The words looks look like their signs. It's good to teach young as you won't lose the language. It becomes visual eventually. I know exactly what's being signed. I did about 2 levels of classes would recommend.

[juliemackenzie]

So beautiful! ;) Loved this story so much! :)

[SoggySandwich]

I always wonder if I’d want to live if the gift of music was taken from me

[nikitachesnekov]

How can I find his contacts? I need to contact him, because I myself am deaf and also a musician. Thank!

[danilousuga]

It's very poetic to me to think that music resides beyond our hearing sense.

[scottfarcus]

If Whittaker has never heard it, how does he have an English accent?

[erikary]

What is the name of the first piece that was being played by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and conducted by the boy? I love the piece but I don’t know the name!! Much appreciated💕

[juliusjrgasataya]

Deaf: I cant hear
Also deaf: BIG MUSIC PEICE NO.1 ALL HISTORY WHILE BEING STONE DEAF

[lightupdarkness]

Its all Vibrations anyway our eardrums vibrate then we hear

[ahmadbatti]

and this picture is beethovens picture but on paint