Europe’s anthem and its meaning
The article presents research on the anthem of the Europe. The author investigates its origins, argues about other possible variants for the Europe’s anthem, and provides critical analysys of the meaning, functions and prospects of the Ode to Joy. У статті проводиться дослідження про гімн Європи. Ав...
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Інститут філософії імені Г.С. Сковороди НАН України
2012
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| Cite this: | Europe’s anthem and its meaning / M. Januszewska-Warych // Світогляд - Філософія - Релігія: Зб. наук. пр. — Суми: ДВНЗ "УАБС НБУ", 2012. — Вип. 2. — С. 114-121. — Бібліогр.: 7 назв. — англ. |
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| citation_txt | Europe’s anthem and its meaning / M. Januszewska-Warych // Світогляд - Філософія - Релігія: Зб. наук. пр. — Суми: ДВНЗ "УАБС НБУ", 2012. — Вип. 2. — С. 114-121. — Бібліогр.: 7 назв. — англ. |
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| description | The article presents research on the anthem of the Europe. The author investigates its origins, argues about other possible variants for the Europe’s anthem, and provides critical analysys of the meaning, functions and prospects of the Ode to Joy.
У статті проводиться дослідження про гімн Європи. Автор розглядає історію виникнення гімну, його інші можливі варіанти та наводить критичний аналіз значення, функцій та перспектив існування Оди до Радості.
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Світогляд – Філософія – Релігія
114
Література
1. Даннеман Ф. История естествознания. Естественные науки в их развитии и
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432 с.
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608 с.
3. Завадский К. М. Вид и видообразование / К. М. Завадский. – Л. : Наука, 1968. –
404 с.
4. Завадский К. М. Основные этапы и закономерности познания борьбы за суще-
ствование как фактора эволюции / К. М. Завадский, Я. М. Галл // Биология и
современное научное познание. – М. : Наука, 1980. – 395 с.
5. Копнин П. В. Диалектика как наука / П. В. Копнин. – К., 1961. – 168 с.
6. Мостепаненко М. В. Философия и методы научного познания / М. В. Мосте-
паненко. – Л. : Лениздат, 1972. – 262 с.
7. Филатова А. Н. Некоторые вопросы теории понятия (в связи с проникновением
идеи развития в биологию) / А. Н. Филатова. – М. : Высш. школа, 1962. – 111 с.
8. Швырев В. С. Научное познание как деятельность / В. С. Швырев. – М. : Полит-
издат, 1984. – 232 с.
9. Швырев В. С. Теоретическое и эмпирическое в научном познании / В. С. Швы-
рев. – М. : Наука, 1978. – 382 с.
Отримано 01.02.2012
Summary
Protsenko Mykola. Abstract and concrete level of empirical knowledge.
The article provides logical and gnoseological analysis of the mechanism
of correlation betweentte abstract and the concrete in the process of formation
of concepts at the scientific and empirical stage of the science development.
The idea of unity of ascension from the abstract to the concrete and vice versa in
logical and gnoseological aspects is justigied.
Keywords: scientific and empirical level оf knowledge, science, abstract,
concrete, spontaneously-empirical level of knowledge, logic, epistemology.
УДК 342.228.5(4)
Maria JANUSZEWSKA-WARYCH©
EUROPE’S ANTHEM AND ITS MEANING
The article presents research on the anthem of the Europe. The author investigates its
origins, argues about other possible variants for the Europe’s anthem, and provides critical
analysys of the meaning, functions and prospects of the Ode to Joy.
Keywords: anthem, Europe, Ode to Joy, Romanticism, Bethoven.
Problem Statement. Since the first structure of the Union’s community
emerged, every next step of its development cause arguments and numer-
ous controversies. Nonetheless, before Ode to Joy was announced as the
© Maria Januszewska-Warych, 2012
Збірник наукових праць. 2012. Випуск 2
115
Europe’s anthem, discussion concerning that concept was rather peaceful.
Perhaps it was the effect of the fact that the discussion was made without
wider participation of the most interested – the Europe’s nations. It took
long to compose the Europe’s symbols, starting from the flag, through an-
nouncing the Europe’s Day, ending with the anthem. Questions arise what
motives preceded this decision and what are the consequences?
What values were taken into account by announcing the Ode as the
Europe’s anthem, important for nations of our continent? What were the
decision-makers counting for? And why did they succeed, because they
really succeeded, as the Ode has already firmed place in European political
culture.
Previous research. The problem of the Europe’s anthem was previously
partialy described by such scientists as C. Clark, F. Boedeltje, G. Lewis,
I. Berlin, Einstein A. and others. Nevertheles this issue was not enough
highlighted and demands further research.
The aim of the paper is to investigate origins of the Europe’s anthem,
to provide arguments about other possible its variants, and to provide critical
analysys of the meaning, functions and prospects of the Ode to Joy.
Main body. The Ode was a child of cultural epoch distant in its features
from the contemporary one. It was effect of pre-Romanticism, simultane-
ously stimulating romantic creation, with preference of ideals and values
specific for the epoch. Does present-day in the cultural sphere live up to the
romantic epoch? Creation of romantic artists not only contributed to new
values in cultural life, but also was opposition to cold culture of the
Enlightenment Age. In today’s world the Enlightenment’s mechanism is
alive. Progress and development would not be possible without that. But this
situation forces to make alternative choice and abandon one or the other
tradition.
Romantics were opened to values of former cultures, i.e. antique, but
also to the beauty of the medieval culture which was standing point for the
Enlightenment’s ideas. Does postmodernism with its continuous negation
of values of the previous humanistic experience and the entire thought and
art inherits romantic method or is it Romanticism’s caricature? And if – as
I think – it is so, this postmodernist separation from creative achievements
of predecessors makes postmodernists unable to relate to the Ode in general,
and to Ode as anthem of all Europeans and for all Europeans.
Formally Romanticism is described as ideological and cultural trend,
in the time 1789–1848, i.e. from the French Revolution to the Spring of
Nations. Polish Romanticism is different in the time of later beginning, i.e.
in 1822 (Adam Mickiewicz’s Ballads and Romances) and later end – the
January Uprising 1863–1864. S. Jarociński writes – and he is not the only
Світогляд – Філософія – Релігія
116
one – that … Romanticism, in selected spheres of cultural actions of nations
lasts to present-day [4, s. 6]. It is much harder to determine the essence of
Romanticism than the essence of the Enlightenment. S. Jarociński, refer-
ring to W. Tatarkiewicz, writes that the phenomenon of Romanticism is not
easy to define precisely, because it is too … diversified, elusive, indefinite
[4, s. 5]. Next, in practice, we may assume that in social scale it is artistic
and intellectual trend, dominating in the 19th century, and in the individual
scale it is expressed in idealistic attitude to life, which is contrary to realistic
attitude promoted by pragmatics [4, s. 5]. Political background of Romanti-
cism is diversified and has different dimensions – revolutionary, integration,
independence. The last one was specific for Polish Romanticism, in which
Messianic and soteriological aspect were present in vision of regenerated
Poland and its role in world because Poland was to be the … Christ of nations
Andrzej Walicki perceives … Mickiewicz’s Messianism as one of many
romantic attempts to point Poland’s way to national and religious regen-
eration, and which could be different from secularization and traditional
Catholicism with traditional Polishness [7, s. 9].
Romantic artists, contrary to the Enlightenment ones, turned to new
areas of interest and points of reference – culture of the East, folk culture, tra-
dition. They rediscovered artistic values of medieval ages and the irrational –
just like radical negation of rationalism – myth, fairytale and religion in
Messianic interpretation. It was definitely new horizon of creative inspira-
tion. Abandoning the primacy of reason, science and knowledge resulted in
primacy of emotion with its wide range, impulsive and intuitional – love,
hate, suffer, joy, sacrifice, usually those expression that go beyond shallow-
ness of stabilized every day.
Seeking the closeness between content of culture and ideas of the
Romanticism Age and the time when L. Beethoven’s works were made a
symbol of united Europe, it is necessary to turn to values recognized by the
European predecessors of present-day as the most important ones. Those
values were opposed to that priced in the 18th century. Among those are
values important for individual and those important for society – values em-
bedded in slogans of revolution of 1789 (freedom, equality, brotherhood)
and values directly connected with artistic work and creator – beauty, intui-
tion, spontaneity, honesty, creative freedom, tolerance.
The main assumption of Romanticism was synthesis of arts. Imple-
mentation of this was, amongst others, Ode to Joy, work that in the begin-
ning was a poem, but shortly after its announcement became inspiration
for L. Beethoven to find musical form of expression ideas of the Ode.
Збірник наукових праць. 2012. Випуск 2
117
Usually when talking about the hierarchy of arts, music is situated at
the top. With reference to A.W. Schlegel, Goethe, Novalis and other au-
thorities of that time, Alfred Einstein wrote that Like borders between art
and religion are obliterated, between conscious thought and poetic imagi-
nation, the same is with lines dividing individual arts. […] music always is
the end and final effect. […] all of them [the authorities mentioned above]
point to supremacy of instrumental music because it cannot transfer any real
terms, because of its indeterminacy, but music is the art of sub-consciousness.
In the end the sense of music stays in junction with pantheism [2, s. 471].
After those general remarks we must assume that Beethoven’s work,
based on the philosophical Ode to Joy written by F. Schiller contains group
of values that are objective grounds for choosing this work as possible to be
accepted by everyone in Europe as standing point.
The importance of Beethoven in count of great composers of all time
is unquestionable. How great composer he was, also in opinion of other art-
ists almost as great as he, proves opinion of R. Wagner. On the occasion of
the centennial anniversary of Beethoven’s birth Wagner published study
where he… incorporated Beethoven into count of saints, because contrary
to Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven “released” music: … he was himself un-
able to be servant of luxury, but he also felt the necessity to release his own
music from every sign of submission to frivolous taste [2, s. 118].
In the 20th century Isaiah Berlin described Beethoven in a way that
needs to be thoroughly cited. The person – he said during his lectures –
whose picture is dominating in the 19th century is character of torn and
messy Beethoven, sitting on his attic. Beethoven is a man who makes real
what flows from inside. He is poor, crude, he is gruff. His manners are awful,
he does not know much and he is perhaps character not very interesting, if
inspiration is not taken into account that pushes him forward. But Beethoven
did not sell himself. He is sitting on his attic and works. He works in harmony
with world, that burns inside him, and this is all what human being should do:
this makes human a hero. […] he was gifted with the most heroic, resulting
from sacrifice, traits that human can be [1, s. 37].
In Beethoven’s biographies, authors underline, that when he was a
young man, just 20-years-old, he was so fascinated with Schiller’s poem,
that he wanted to compose music to the Ode. But because of other compo-
sitions of symphonies, he temporarily resigned. However simultaneously in
his other works motives specific for the 9th symphony were present.
Finally, the Ode – prelude to the 9th symphony, was recognized as an-
them by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at 8th July
1971 and Herbert Karajan was asked to elaborate on instrumental version
for symphonic orchestra, wind-instruments and piano. But Schiller’s text
Світогляд – Філософія – Релігія
118
was abandoned as too idealistic, saying about people who become brothers.
Texts of the Ode to Joy – in views of Europe’s authorities – concerns gen-
eral human values, not the European ones, moreover there could be diffi-
culties in playing the anthem in so many national languages. Few years
later, in 1985, during meeting of Presidents and Prime Ministers of many
countries a decision was made to recognize the anthem of the Council of
Europe as official anthem of the European Union.
Currently the function of the Ode is changing by sociological reasons,
because the Union’s societies’ expectations are changing but not for the an-
them itself or the EU but for the history that is to happen and which brings
more anxiety than hope. Content of the poem must remind of general val-
ues embedded in Schiller’s work. Those values should still be respected not
only in rhetoric, but also in actions, practice.
During my correspondence via Internet with Wiktor Iwanowicz Ga-
radża, member of the Russian Educational Academy in Moscow and Pro-
fessor of the Łomonosow University in Moscow, I received a letter, where he
commented on the idea of a paper discussing the meaning of the Ode to Joy as
the European anthem. Among other he wrote:
Choosing the Ode to Joy as the anthem is a good reason for turning
back to the 1950’s, to post-war period and compare hopes of that time with
present-day. I think that shortly after the war people understood that Europe
has gone through not only economic but also political catastrophe. But anxi-
ety arose that moral basis of the European civilization has been destroyed.
People wanted peace and normal life but new post-war conflict broke out
and the “cold war” started. People expected optimistic look for the future,
there was hope for unity and overcoming former hostility. The European
organization for economic co-operation needed cultural signposts. Perhaps
choice the Ode, work of two Germans, was a symbol of the fact, that uniting
Europe should leave behind hostility and that Europe has common base –
cultural heritage as a way of changes? And music was always a key factor in
changing the way of viewing the world. General cultural (and philosophi-
cal) context of post-war Europe is interesting, incorporating the meaning
and place of music. I write this because the idea of the paper should be put
into practice and important and interesting problems should be discussed.
[text of that letter in author’s own archive – MJW] Coming back to present
functions of the Ode as an anthem in systemically globalized world it seems
that the content (it is being brought to many presentations of the anthem)
creates illusion of reaching values that are less and less real to reach in
capitalistic world. This world seems to achieve new phase dominated not
by progress but rather degeneration, that usually reveals in swirl in value
system recognized by societies, and politicians as well.
Збірник наукових праць. 2012. Випуск 2
119
Is the 9th symphony to old? And does public life agree with values
promoted by Romanticism? The symphony is rather getting younger, partly
owing to wide popularization of it as a symbol of Europe. But does it suit
to culture of contemporary societies, where middle-class is dominating?
Societies are very differentiated. The Western ones, … based on rational
bounds and cold calculation and those Eastern ones, communities based
on … emotional and irrational bounds. Paweł Kubicki referring to lumi-
naries of sociology divides societies into opened and closed, that could
be described as … lacking rational political debate, where state is strongly
interventional, were thinking in categories of authority dogmas, xeno-
phobia, lack of autotelic relations is dominating, and especially lack of
sound competition of place in social structure. He argues that history
shaped Polish society … rather as closed model [5, s. 7–8]. Rationalism
and cold calculation are features of the Enlightenment culture In Polish
journalism there are many voices in favour of Polish society as rational
and of enlightenment community. Many regret that … some ideas were
eliminated from culture, ideas which were based on working civil society
that in Poland was called positivist, Enlightenment, sometimes liberal con-
servatism [6].
Romantic origin of the Ode is not close to that ideal. It seems to be
closer to those who prefer emotional basis for social bounds, as well as re-
ligion, national idea and local xenophobia. It is not far away from values
preferred by many romantics.
As an anthem the Ode was recognized in the time when in European
community were Western states, with societies oriented at rational and
Enlightenment ideas. Why then the Ode was perceived in those societies as
factual or even warm? Perhaps because the idea of building the Great
European Community, motivated rationally, is in fact dreamy, romantic,
visionary. Including the Ode to this vision, as some kind of logo of the pro-
ject, has logic grounds. Romanticism ended formally after the Spring of
Nations but in reality it lasts. Outstanding philosopher and cultural anthro-
pologist, Isaiah Berlin, was saying during his lectures, that … Romanticism
is interesting not only as historical phenomenon. Many contemporary phe-
nomena – nationalism, existentialism, admiring great people, admiring
non-personal institutions, democracy, totalitarianism – are influenced by
Romanticism. Romanticism infiltrate them all [1, s. 12].
The Ode lost its confrontational function, when the utopia of building
communist society collapsed. Degradation of structures of so called Eastern
sodrużestwo does not mean wiping from human memory what many mem-
bers of Eastern Europe’s societies claimed true, i.e. existential values, and
Світогляд – Філософія – Релігія
120
erasing animosity or even hostility for those charged with fault for suffered
harm. European symbols, if it really assumes the openness to the whole
continental Europe, cannot preserve things that should be eliminated from
nations’ life. The Ode in its double role has a chance to some, small per-
haps degree, break prejudices in new system of international relations
through adaptation of different social groups into artistic culture.
The Ode is work of two Germans, but Polish trauma to Germans, as a
result of history, strengthened so much during the World War II and Hitler’s
occupation are not transferred to the German culture. Appreciation for
the Ode’s creators does not mean transferring appreciation to all Germans,
but at least it gives rise to recognition of the German culture.
What scale of influence of the Ode to Joy on people’s behavior and
their way of thinking is to be foreseen? According to view of K. Guczalska
concerning formative issues of art, the influence would probably be small.
Guczalska states that In modern world art is no longer a place where recon-
ciliation of human being with social reality is possible, as well as abolition
of aporia of the epoch and funding freedom in state. The modern art does
not release humans from inevitable conflicts with ethical reality and does
not fund harmonic co-existence of citizens with the state [3].
Tragedy of growing social stratification, defiant pride of the richest, an-
ger of the marginalized, create great dissonance to ideals of the Ode to Joy.
Difference in income growing every year, and following difference in life
quality, makes major gaps in social structures. Tabloids, television, popu-
larize sophisticated forms of strange luxury in everyday living of many
richest, and become ground of social rebel. Because of that many may
find inspiration in Schiller’s works but not in the Ode, rather in the earlier
The Robbers…
Conclusions. Music provides esthetical experience, but music reflecting
reality, as in Beethoven’s works, shapes moral attitudes and release different
behavior. Music of the Romanticism epoch is still present, but overwhelmed
by new styles, means of expression, trends which lose tradition of Roman-
ticism or re-shape it into parody of old-time romantic values e.g. in Satanic
music. The European Union recognized the Ode to Joy as anthem. Will
European leaders step further and prepare effective promotion of art, spe-
cially music, which can bring into European culture climate close to that
left by music composed by romantic creators? Some actions are taken but
there is some anxiety that even the highest engagement in it, in collision
with crisis of social co-existence may result in depreciation of high values,
specific for the music and make it powerless.
Збірник наукових праць. 2012. Випуск 2
121
References
1. Berlin I. Korzenie romantyzmu. Wykłady Mellonowskie w zakresie sztuk pięknych,
wygłoszone / I. Berlin // Narodowej Galerii Sztuki w Waszyngtonie / red. H. Hardy. –
Poznań, 2004. – S. 12–37.
2. Einstein A. Muzyka w epoce romantyzmu / przekład M. i S. Jarocinscy / A. Einstein. –
Kraków, 1964. – S. 118–471.
3. Guczalska K. Rewolucja estetyczna. Schiller i Hegel / K. Guczalska // http://www.
guczalska.pl/teksty/rewolucja_estetyczna.html
4. Jarociński S. Ideologie romantyczne / S. Jarociński. – Kraków, 1979. – S. 5–6.
5. Kubicki P. Nowi mieszczanie w nowej Polsce / P. Kubicki. Raport, wyd. internetowe,
Instytut Obywatelski. – S. 7–8.
6. Łagowski B. Polska wzorem? / B. Łagowski. – Przegląd z 21.08.2011 r.
7. Walicki A. Mesjanizm Adama Mickiewicza w perspektywie porównawczej /
A. Walicki. – Warszawa, 2006. – S. 9.
Отримано 01.02.2012
Анотація
Янушевська-Варіх Марія. Гімн Європи та його значення.
У статті проводиться дослідження про гімн Європи. Автор розглядає
історію виникнення гімну, його інші можливі варіанти та наводить кри-
тичний аналіз значення, функцій та перспектив існування Оди до Радості.
Ключові слова: гімн, Європа, Ода до Радості, романтизм, Бетховен.
|
| id | nasplib_isofts_kiev_ua-123456789-40690 |
| institution | Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| issn | XXXX-0108 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-12-07T16:34:32Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Інститут філософії імені Г.С. Сковороди НАН України |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | Januszewska-Warych, M. 2013-01-24T17:15:11Z 2013-01-24T17:15:11Z 2012 Europe’s anthem and its meaning / M. Januszewska-Warych // Світогляд - Філософія - Релігія: Зб. наук. пр. — Суми: ДВНЗ "УАБС НБУ", 2012. — Вип. 2. — С. 114-121. — Бібліогр.: 7 назв. — англ. XXXX-0108 https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/40690 342.228.5(4) The article presents research on the anthem of the Europe. The author investigates its origins, argues about other possible variants for the Europe’s anthem, and provides critical analysys of the meaning, functions and prospects of the Ode to Joy. У статті проводиться дослідження про гімн Європи. Автор розглядає історію виникнення гімну, його інші можливі варіанти та наводить критичний аналіз значення, функцій та перспектив існування Оди до Радості. en Інститут філософії імені Г.С. Сковороди НАН України Світогляд - Філософія - Релігія Філософія Europe’s anthem and its meaning Гімн Європи та його значення Article published earlier |
| spellingShingle | Europe’s anthem and its meaning Januszewska-Warych, M. Філософія |
| title | Europe’s anthem and its meaning |
| title_alt | Гімн Європи та його значення |
| title_full | Europe’s anthem and its meaning |
| title_fullStr | Europe’s anthem and its meaning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Europe’s anthem and its meaning |
| title_short | Europe’s anthem and its meaning |
| title_sort | europe’s anthem and its meaning |
| topic | Філософія |
| topic_facet | Філософія |
| url | https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/40690 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT januszewskawarychm europesanthemanditsmeaning AT januszewskawarychm gímnêvropitaiogoznačennâ |