Early in the 20th century, there was a small farming community in Naruto in Shikoku, Japan. Today on the first Sunday of June at the Naruto Municipal Cultural Hall, Beethoven's Smphony #9 will be played in concert as it is every year. Why Beethoven? How did this come about?

During WWI, the Japanese captured German soldiers at Qingdao, a Chinese territory leased by the Germans. About 1,000 of these soldiers were taken to Bando Camp in Naruto. The camp director Matsue, allowed the prisoners to manage themselves at camp. The prisoners created a little German style town. One of the things they did was work right along with the people of the community and try out some new farming methods. Another thing they did was to play music. This was not easy, because they had to make their own insturments. They were likely not terribly good sounding, but the could play. Because the men were German, they wanted to play the music of a German composer. They choose Bethoven. After the war was over and it was time to go home, the people of Narutu and the men of Bando camp had become friends; they had respect for each other. Of course, the men would leave to return to their own country, but before they left they wanted to put on a concert playing symphony #9. The local people wanted also to join in the concert and sing the choral part. Though this was very hard work - both learning the language and the melody - they persisted and performed the united concert on June 1, 1918.

A story such as this is rare in the world. It has been made into a movie and will be realease this summer . The movie is called "Baruto (Bart) no Gakuen" (Bart is the German for mustache. Colonel Matsue had a mustache.) [view trailer]

To Naruto City today