Beethoven eviction!

[Peter]

One British city council has halted a scheme to use Beethoven to drive out six homeless residents of a city centre car park.

After playing Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 for four days, the rough sleepers had moved out, but Stoke-on-Trent City Council called a halt to the musical marathon when local residents claimed the scheme was inhumane.

"We have had some complaints from individuals on the grounds that they were sympathetic to the rough sleepers," said a council spokesman.

While Stoke-on-Trent city council hasn't abandoned the plan altogether, they have accepted that the problem won't be solved until alternative accommodation is found.

"It was almost too successful," the spokesman said. "The rough sleepers were indeed unhappy with the music, but we have now turned it off and will provide them with somewhere to go before it is turned back on again."


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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

Very funny story, Peter! I guess that just goes to show you that even with the greatest music you can have too much of a good thing!

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Michael]

I read about this when they were introducing the scheme a few weeks ago. The reason they picked on the Ninth Symphony was because its "loudness" and abrupt changes would prevent anyone falling asleep. Mind you, I've heard some performances that would send you off in ten minutes or less.
I wonder what Beethoven would say if he knew that almost 200 years after its composition, his symphony would be employed to drive homeless people out of a building.
I think this news item says it all about the general attitude to great music in this century.

Michael

[melvyn]

Originally posted by Michael:
I think this news item says it all about the general attitude to great music in this century.

Michael

Agreed. But you can have too much of a good thing!

Melvyn.

[Joy]

Any kind of sound and listening to it continuously after four days would drive you crazy. I suppose they could have used any kind of music or general noise and it would have probably had the same effect. It certainly does tell you, however, a lot about the people, society, and culture of this new century and how they view great classical music and how this type of thing demeans it.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Amalie]

Clearly, Stoke-on-Trent Council understand little about Beethoven's music and care even less. Surely a more appropriate genre would have been 'Rap' music played very loudly, although of course, the council is laying itself open to human rights claims for potential damage to the ear drums of the anti-social element.
The Council has not even bothered to read the words to the 9th, with its proclaimation of the brotherhood of man, and that is surely a very ironic statement, considering their purpose was to evict homeless people, but irony is lost on the not very bright people that work for the council.

[Joy]

I was going to say the very same thing about rap, Amalie! If they played that it would surely evict me from anyplace in less than a minute!!

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[Amalie]

Originally posted by Joy:
I was going to say the very same thing about rap, Amalie! If they played that it would surely evict me from anyplace in less than a minute!!

Yes, I agree Joy,

It has just come to mind that way back in the 80's American troops used extremely loud David Bowie music to drive out General Noriega from his Embassy compound in Panama. I think he ran out in his pyjamas!--
Oh, those were the days!



[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited August 26, 2003).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Amalie:
Yes, I agree Joy,

It has just come to mind that way back in the 80's American troops used extremely loud David Bowie music to drive out General Noriega from his Embassy compound in Panama. I think he ran out in his pyjamas!--
Oh, those were the days!

I know they played alot of my favourite rock band AC/DC on this occasion, but I don't recall Bowie bing mentioned in connection with this incident, that might have sent him to sleep! I would have loved to have been there though, I bet the soldiers loved it.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[mrfixit]

I find this really offensive myself. I dunno where do the homeless people go? there shouldnt be any homeless people in the uk as at all. Its almost like the concil is pissing on the grave of beethoven. Well i hope they dont start doing this with beethoven or any peice of music elsewhere

[Joy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Amalie:
[B] Yes, I agree Joy,

It has just come to mind that way back in the 80's American troops used extremely loud David Bowie music to drive out General Noriega from his Embassy compound in Panama. I think he ran out in his pyjamas!--
Oh, those were the days!

Amalie, I guess that has been the practice for some time, now evicting people through music. I think it's a shame to use music in such a manner though!



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[Joy]

Originally posted by mrfixit:
I find this really offensive myself. I dunno where do the homeless people go? there shouldnt be any homeless people in the uk as at all. Its almost like the concil is pissing on the grave of beethoven. Well i hope they dont start doing this with beethoven or any peice of music elsewhere

We have plenty of homelss in this country (US) as well especially in the inner cities. It is a disturbing reality. We have not resorted to 'musical evictions' not yet anyway. The police seem to be handling it for now.



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