5 great Symphonies and what Entrepreneurs can learn from them.

My column in the August issue of the Entrepreneur magazine.

The symphonies (short versions) have been embedded here for you to listen and enjoy!

Lessons from Symphonies

Mozart was invited to a good friend’s house for dinner. When Mozart reached the house, he remarked that the grandfather clock in the dining room was ‘losing time’. The friend refused to believe this and pointed to the correct time on the clock, but Mozart insisted that the clock was indeed losing time. The next day, his friend got the clock company to inspect his clock. The repairman confirmed that the clock was losing time, but just a few minutes each year! When the friend asked Mozart how he had known this, Mozart remarked that the clock sounded ‘out of tune’ from the last time he had heard it – one year ago!

Great men like Mozart composed some of the greatest music in the world. As a struggling Entrepreneur and someone who has been listening to symphonic music for the past 25 years, I believe there are some great lessons to be learnt from these classics.

These are my 5 top picks: 

1.     The 5^th Symphony of Beethoven (1770-1827) 

Even if you’ve spent all your life in a Himalayan cave, you would have knowingly or unknowingly heard the 5^th Symphony of Beethoven. Why? Because it’s the musical anthem of the world!

And what is the charm of this colossal work? For me, it’s the ‘ta-ta-ta-taaaa’ four-note motif that appears immediately as the symphony starts and then continues to appear all through the work; almost like a ghost haunting the listener till the very end. 

The interesting bit is that this ‘ta, ta, ta, taa’ note can be replicated by you on a hard surface, using your knuckles. Try it. It resembles knocking on a door! In the life of Beethoven, this is ‘fate’ knocking on his door of life. Just while Beethoven was writing the greatest symphony on earth, he realized that he was growing deaf. The four-note motif is the beautiful expression of his anguish! 

I am completely inspired by Beethoven’s Fifth. To me, it represents triumph over the greatest challenge one can face in life. It also represents response: not via pain but via joy; while accepting unconditionally what life serves us.

Beethoven’s Fifth

Lesson – You cannot stop doing what you have to, no matter what; even if nature itself turns against you.

2.     Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

It’s remotely possible that you have heard the most sinister part of this great symphony –remember the musical score in the scary scenes of the movie ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’ starring Julia Roberts?

What is so special about this work and French composer (whom you may not have heard of)? I think this symphony is the purest form of musical imagination while narrating a personal story of pain and defeat.

Berlioz fell hopelessly in love with an Irish actress who spurned all his advances, including his numerous love letters. Berlioz then composed this complex, scary and monstrous symphony as an offering of his lovefor her. When the lady heard the gigantic work a few years later, she recognized his genius and married him. Their marriage itself was torturous and ended badly.

What completely fascinates me is how the first part (movement) of this symphony begins with innocent ‘daydreaming’, progresses to a musical ball, then moves to a scene in the fields, then very menacingly hurtles towards a march to a scaffold and culminates into a witches ball! You can recreate the scenes in your mind even though there is nothing to see! The music is simply enchanting and the use of ‘funeral bells’ in the last scene is goose bumpy! 

This symphony is the ‘Taj Mahal of Musical Love’ of the 19^th century. And unlike the Taj Mahal that needs to be visited to be enjoyed, this Taj can be carried in your pocket and plugged into your ears, anytime!

Symphonie Fantastique – part 1

Lesson – Sometimes deep pain and anguish can help entrepreneurs, only if channelized. Berlioz and Mark Zuckerberg had rejections in love. But look at what they created!

3. Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) – Symphony No. 40

The universally famous ‘pa-ra-ram, pa-ra-ram, pa-ra-ram-pam (repeat)’ has been shamelessly copied by some Bollywood music pirates decades ago.To add insult to injury, a few years ago when I was driving with some friends, this symphony began to play. One of them said, “Alok, this ‘tune’ has been copied from a Bollywood song.” I could’ve screamed…

Globally, there is not a single man, woman, child or animal who won’t fall in love with this music. It is truly ‘a symphony’ that can please anyone.

What I love about the 40^th Symphony of Mozart is the universality of its music. It cuts across nations, nationalities, caste, creed and always manages to make people sway. It’s light, non-demanding and the way music was intended to be – to be enjoyed and then heard; not heard and then enjoyed.

What this symphony teaches me is the role of destiny in life. Mozart died bankrupt, broken, sad and destroyed. His end was so bad that he was buried in an unmarked grave; the exact location of which still remains unknown. This is the same Mozart who taught the mighty Archbishop of Salzburg music and single handedly defined western classical music.

Listen to this symphony to dance, rejoice and celebrate the magic and tragedy of life!

Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 – 1st Movement

Lesson: Entrepreneurs can create global delight with their imagination and perseverance. They may not be rewarded for it in their lifetime, but that’s part of the game.

4.     Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) – Symphony No. 9 – New World Symphony 

Antonin Dvorak (pronounced di-vor-zhak) is probably the most famous Czechoslovakian composer of all times. His Symphony No. 9 is so moving that Neil Armstrong took it to the moon on his historic flight in 1969. 

What I admire about Dvorak is his vision. In 1892, just after he arrived in America, he said, “I am convinced that the future music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies.” 

His composition is beautiful music inspired by African-American songs and spirituals, Native American and Czech music. Dvorak created the world’s first ‘fusion symphony’.What inspires me about Dvorak’s No. 9 is his interpretation of world harmony. What he achieved with one symphony 150 years ago, presidents and prime ministers find impossible to do in this age and time!

Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 – New World Symphony (part 1)

Lesson –In this case, it’s of adaptability and vision. These are quintessential qualities of an Entrepreneur, who can create value for himself and the ecosystem in the most alien of environments.

5.     Tan Dun (b. 1957) – Symphony 1997 (Heaven Earth Mankind)

In 1997, when Hong Kong was being was handed back to China, I heard music play in the sovereign ceremony that did not seem familiar at all.

The music was Symphony 1997 – specially composed by Tan Dun for the handover. Tan Dun is a genius musical composer, famous for music of movies such as ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’.

Symphony 1997 is an one-of-a-kind, new age symphony. It reveals for the first time the magical sounds of ancient (2400 year old) Chinese bells called ‘Bianzhong’; accompanied by a weeping cello played by the world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. It also includes children’s choirs and other kinds of peculiar orchestral sounds.

What fascinates me about Symphony 1997 is the man who wrote it. Tan Dun was born in rural China and was an ordinary rice planter for years in a government commune! His musical inspiration came from the village shaman (who prayed to rocks and birds) while hewas trained by village peasants who taught him to play stringed instruments. Interestingly, Tan Dun was 19 years old when he heard Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony and decided to become a musical composer!

Tan Dun’s Symphony 1997 (Heaven Earth Mankind) – track Jubiliation

The lesson in this? Tan Dun leapt from being a poor rice planter to one of the greatest musical composers of modern times; fuelled only by passion, creativity and imagination. Just the three ingredients needed to succeed in anything you do in life, especially if you’re an Entrepreneur!

I hope you enjoy listening to this gorgeous music and fine-tune your Entrepreneur skill sets!

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UPDATE: SEPT. 6, 2013: Very proud to share Mozart’s 40th Symphony by Makhal Symphony Orchestra – conducted by Rodinhooder Michael Makhal !!!! Pls watch & listen and ask Michael some questions. He is following this post!