Dear Readers,

Here is the new issue of HEAR THE WORLD, as always packed with exciting stories revolving around the culture of hearing. The charming Renée Zellweger kicks off this issue visually, as it were, on our cover page, and we learn more from this headstrong and sensitive actress about the significance of speaking and hearing in her profession. It is not without reason that she is a new ambassador of the Hear the World initiative. Welcome aboard, Renée!

There has often been a strong link between music and politics, or rather, music and revolution in history. The Marseillaise, the anthem of all anthems, and its influence in 1789 might be the most famous example. However, there are also other political upheavals that were spurred on by fiery music and songs sung passionately and en masse. The Italian Risorgimento and the opera Nabucco, i.e., the duo of Garibaldi and Verdi, are inseparably connected. In our time too, peoples have expressed their political will and protest by singing together, most recently in Lithuania before the great “turning point,” the collapse of the Soviet system in 1990. Max Ackermann relays this fascinating piece of cultural history for you.

Sticking with cultural history, the fate of many historic figures and famous artists who suffered from the supposed “illness of our time,” namely tinnitus, is just as interesting. Yet these “non-existent sounds” were already causing trouble a long time ago. Sufferers from this hearing complaint range from Martin Luther to J.J. Rousseau, Goya and van Gogh, from Beethoven to Barbara Streisand and U2 singer Bono.

Marcel Krenz talks about a “hearing problem” of a very different kind. He visited the producer of the legendary cult motorcycle Harley Davidson, Willie G. Davidson. Davidson talks about the secret of this motorbike, the special experience of fusing with this machine time and again. And he highlights the important role of the loud roar of the engine when you ride it. The secret of easy riding, so to speak…

In Europe, the Austrian city of Linz celebrated being the Cultural Capital of 2009. Linz forewent bombastic museum and concert presentations and instead presented an innovative program, which, first and foremost, explored the sense of hearing. Thus, visitors gained experiences and new insights on a high artistic level – a change that could inspire future cultural capitals and influence the style of their celebrations.

These hints are just a small selection of juicy tidbits to whet your appetite. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of HEAR THE WORLD.


Best wishes,
Alexander Zschokke

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