Helen Keller's heartfelt letter to musicians describing Beethoven's symphony is quite inspiring

The world is familiar with Helen Keller, a famed author and disability advocate. Yet, few are aware of a poignant letter she penned to The New York Symphony Orchestra nearly a century ago. In 1924, Keller experienced Beethoven's Ninth Symphony by feeling the vibrations from a radio speaker during a performance at Carnegie Hall, as detailed in the Letters of Note: Music audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson.

Beethoven himself had lost his hearing when he composed the famous piece. The orchestra's performance deeply moved Keller, illustrating that music is meant to be felt, not just heard. Following the transcript of the letter, which has been converted into audio format, Keller addressed The New York Symphony Orchestra on February 2, 1924. "Dear friends," she wrote. "I have the joy of being able to tell you that, though deaf and blind, I spent a glorious hour last night listening over the radio to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. I do not mean to say that I 'heard' the music in the sense that other people heard it."

Keller confessed her own surprise at the profound joy and pleasure she derived from the orchestra's performance, unsure how to convey this unexpected delight to others. Before she attended the orchestra's performance, she had been reading about how the radio was bringing happiness to sightless people everywhere. Keller was delighted to know that the blind folks had gained a new source of enjoyment, but she did not expect to "have any part in their joy."

"Last night, when the family was listening to your wonderful rendering of the immortal symphony, someone suggested that I put my hand on the receiver and see if I could get any of the vibrations," Keller continued in her letter. "He unscrewed the cap, and I lightly touched the sensitive diaphragm. What was my amazement to discover that I could feel not only the vibrations but also the impassioned rhythm, the throb and the urge of the music! The intertwined and intermingling vibrations from different instruments enchanted me. I could distinguish the cornets, the roll of the drums, deep-toned violas and violins singing in exquisite unison."

"How the lovely speech of the violins flowed and plowed over the deepest tones of the other instruments! When the human voice leaped up, trilling from the surge of harmony, I recognized them instantly as voices. I felt the chorus grow more exultant, more ecstatic, up curving swift and flame-like until my heart almost stood still. The women's voices seemed an embodiment of all the angelic voices rushing in a harmonious flood of beautiful and inspiring sound. The great chorus throbbed against my fingers with poignant pause and flow. Then all the instruments and voices together burst forth—an ocean of heavenly vibration—and died away like winds when the atom is spent, ending in a delicate shower of sweet notes," Keller described in her letter.

She added in her letter that it might not be actual "hearing," but she is familiar with the tones and harmonies and the difference between various forms of vibrations. "As I listened, with darkness and melody, shadow and sound filling all the room, I could not help remembering that the great composer who poured forth such a flood of sweetness into the world was deaf like myself. I marveled at the power of his quenchless spirit by which out of his pain he wrought such joy for others—and there I sat, feeling with my hand the magnificent symphony that broke like a sea upon the silent shores of his soul and mine," she noted.

"And there I sat, feeling with my hand the magnificent symphony which broke like a sea upon the silent shores of his soul and mine. Let me thank you warmly for all the delight that your beautiful music has brought to my household and me. I want also to thank Station WEAF for the joy they are broadcasting in the world," the letter concluded. As long as Keller lived, she continued to campaign tirelessly on behalf of the marginalized people of the society and even authored a dozen books and many articles, including her autobiography "The Story of My Life."