This year marks the 250th anniversary of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s birthday. To pay tribute to the musician, the eastern city of Hualien has turned his piece “Fur Elise” into a pop song.
That may seem like an odd thing to do, but in Taiwan, the piece has a special meaning—almost every day across the island, the piece blares from loudspeakers mounted on garbage trucks to signal that it’s time for residents to bring their garbage to the curb.
Now, Hualien residents can hear both the original and “updated” version when they take out their trash.
Take a listen! It’s Beeethoven’s “Fur Elise.” In Taiwan, when people hear the music, they know right away that garbage trucks have arrived.
But take a listen again! The piece has been adapted into a pop song called the “Words for Love” by a local musician. The singer is Mai Meng.
Opinions of the “updated” piece are mixed. One woman says she still prefers the original. But one man says he thinks the pop version is pretty good.
Hualien Mayor Wei Chia-hsien says he hopes the public can listen to different kinds of music when taking out their trash. As December 16 marks the 250 anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the mayor says it’s his city’s way of paying tribute to the composer.