Voyager!!!

[amadeus]

Currently on the spacecraft voyager, which is just about near the outskirts of our solar system, is carrying on it a copy of Beethoven's fifth symphony.

Is there a reason that the powers to be chose the fifth over any of his other works. Especially the ninth.

I'll bet if you were to take a world wide vote you would get more votes for the ninth then the fifth as the greatest piece of music written. And with the choral and all you think that would be better suited to show other lifeforms what humans are capable of?

Anyone else have any more input on this then just the fact that its on there waiting to be heard.

[PDG]

I don`t mean to hog the posts - maybe I`m the only one up this late(!).

They must have picked the 5th because it grabs the attention from the off - everybody can identify this work after hearing only the first second of it. I doubt whether extra-terrestrial life forms would hang around for over an hour, appreciating the special nuances of the 9th, arguing amongst themselves, `The gateway to the romantic movement.....or not?...hmm...`

[amadeus]

so you think because it jumps right out at you It would be like an immediate attention grabber, hence they might be impressed right from the beginning.

You know the beginning to the ninth is very unusual itself. Plus i dont think it would send as much of a violent message as the fifth does. I mean come on listening to the fifth you kinda wanna go to battle. Well the first movement anyway.

But the fact that the ninth has people singing. With that we could've shown our far away friends somethings that were capable of doing with our voices.

And I mean as long as you can hear you get the message of peace and joy in the final movement of the great ninth.

Your probably right though. The peopel at nasa sitting down saying, "oke as soon as these aliens touch this button,lets present them with some of the most powerful and extraordinary music that we (humans) have ever created." hence the fifth.

Does it bother you at all PDG. I believe it was you that rated the fifth 6th in your list. Do you feel that our world could've been better represented with the 6th.

[PDG]

I agree. Our green-skinned, seven-eyed, poison-clawed, etc., friends would probably take the 5th as a declaration of war. Why didn`t we REALLY rub their scales up the wrong way, and send `em `Mars` from "The Planets"?! The trouble with the 9th is that it, too, is very intimidating to the uninitiated. The 6th would have better-served the purpose but, best of all, I think, would have been a selection of slow movements.

[MCS]

To PDG-
"Mars' from "The Planets"!!! Didn't you see "Independence Day"? We wouldn't want to go intimidating anyone out there now...I think something 'friendlier' would be safer...Maybe that one by Mozart's father with the birds in it..What's it called?
BTW Happy Beethoven Day to all!

[Peter]

Can you imagine if another civilisation has sent their greatest music to us and what a shock if it also turned out to be Beethoven's 9th! - I'm talking (rubbish of course!)of parallel universes - another world mirroring this one exactly and producing Beethoven!
I'm also thinking the unthinkable - what if they send us something even greater than Beethoven!

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'Man know thyself'

[Kevin]

Greater than Beethoven? Please! I recall Stephen Jay Gould being asked about the first question he would ask aliens upon their arrival. He responded "I would ask them if they have anything even remotely as good as Bach's Mass in B Minor." It was his guess that they wouldn't be able to touch it.

"Music is a higher revelation than philosophy."

Originally posted by Peter:

Can you imagine if another civilisation has sent their greatest music to us and what a shock if it also turned out to be Beethoven's 9th! - I'm talking (rubbish of course!)of parallel universes - another world mirroring this one exactly and producing Beethoven!
I'm also thinking the unthinkable - what if they send us something even greater than Beethoven!

[Peter]

Originally posted by Kevin:
Greater than Beethoven? Please! I recall Stephen Jay Gould being asked about the first question he would ask aliens upon their arrival. He responded "I would ask them if they have anything even remotely as good as Bach's Mass in B Minor." It was his guess that they wouldn't be able to touch it.

"Music is a higher revelation than philosophy."

If 'aliens' were to arrive here at all they would have to be far more advanced than we are, so I don't consider the possibility of them having music as great as ours to be that remote.

------------------
'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

But their music might use pitches out of our range of hearing or even sound waves that travel into other spatial dimensions. They might even cause our eardrums to explode!

I think I watch too much Star Trek

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 12-17-2000).]

[Suzie]

Originally posted by Chris:
But their music might use pitches out of our range of hearing or even sound waves that travel into other spatial dimensions. They might even cause our eardrums to explode!

I think I watch too much Star Trek

One can never view too much Star Trek.

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 12-17-2000).]

[Suzie]

Originally posted by PDG:
I agree. Our green-skinned, seven-eyed, poison-clawed, etc., friends would probably take the 5th as a declaration of war. Why didn`t we REALLY rub their scales up the wrong way, and send `em `Mars` from "The Planets"?! The trouble with the 9th is that it, too, is very intimidating to the uninitiated. The 6th would have better-served the purpose but, best of all, I think, would have been a selection of slow movements.

I agree that the 6th would make a friendlier impression. I wouldn't want anyone's scales rubbed the wrong way. I often listen to the 6th after a nasty day at work and my scales are all sticking up. It's quite soothing.

[Chris]

Originally posted by Suzie:

One can never view too much Star Trek.

You know it, baby

[Kevin]

Originally posted by Peter:
If 'aliens' were to arrive here at all they would have to be far more advanced than we are, so I don't consider the possibility of them having music as great as ours to be that remote.

Actually, I have been abducted a few times and I can vouch from expericence that their music in not all its cracked up to be despite indications otherwise on X Files. However, their women are exceptional.
To be technologically "advanced" does not of necessity lead to spiritual or artistic genius and accomplishment.

[PDG]

KEVIN:-
In what ways are their women exceptional? Have not we Earthmen been blessed with the most exceptional females in the universe? I suggest, sir, that by inference, you are a bounder and a cad!!

PS. Any phone numbers you could pass on??......

[This message has been edited by PDG (edited 12-18-2000).]

[Kevin]

Originally posted by PDG:
KEVIN:-
In what ways are their women exceptional? Have not we Earthmen been blessed with the most exceptional females in the universe? I suggest, sir, that by inference, you are a bounder and a cad!!

PS. Any phone numbers you could pass on??......

Indeed Sir, our women are the envy of the the universe and rightly so, nevertheless, you are correct in both your assertions of my being a cad and quite the bounder. I simply assert that alien women, especially the green ones, are exceptional relatively speaking.

[This message has been edited by PDG (edited 12-18-2000).]