Posts - Blip

Magdalena Kožená in conversation with Jonathan Kelly

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:37:41 +0000

In a guest appearance with the Berliner Philharmoniker from October 2010, Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená was singing the title role in three symphonic fragments from Bohuslav Martinů’s opera “Julietta”, composed in 1939. For a long time, this surreally magical stage work was hardly ever performed, but it has experienced several revivals in the last few years. A recording of the fragments from Prague, also with Magdalena Kožená as Julietta, was awarded the Echo Klassik award from the Deutsche Phonoakademie in the “World premiere recording of the year” category. You may learn more about Martinů’s extraordinary work in our intermission talk between Magdalena Kožená and Jonathan Kelly, principal oboe of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Giovanni Antonini in conversation with Raimar Orlovsky

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:21:14 +0000

Giovanni Antonini, whom we can get to know in this conversation with violinist Raimar Orlovsky, made a name for himself in particular as the founder and leader of the ensemble Il Giardino Armonico. For the Berliner Philharmoniker, working together with conductors from the world of early music is a bonus in more ways than one. Firstly, these historically informed performance specialists often bring a new perspective to music of the Baroque and Classical periods. Secondly, time after time these concerts include glorious works which are otherwise hardly ever performed by traditional symphony orchestras, as it was the case with Giovanni Antonini’s recent guest appearance with the Berliner Philharmoniker when works by Johann Sebastian and Carl Philipp Emanuell Bach were performed.

Pierre Boulez in conversation with Emmanuel Pahud

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:07:35 +0000

In a concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker from September 2010, Pierre Boulez paid tribute to Igor Stravinsky in more respects than one: as conductor of the opera “Le Rossignol” – an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Nightingale” – and also with his own composition “...explosante-fixe...”, which Boulez wrote in memory of his elder colleague. In this video interview with Emmanuel Pahud, principal flute of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez we learn more about his special relationship with Stravinsky.

Sir Simon Rattle introduces Mahler’s First Symphony

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:48:13 +0000

In this video, Sir Simon Rattle gives an insightful introduction to the First Symphony of Gustav Mahler. Mahler’s symphonic œuvre is of particular significance for the relationship between Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Not only was a Mahler symphony – the Sixth – performed at Rattle’s Berlin debut in November 1987 but also at his inaugural concert as the orchestra’s Principal Conductor in September 2002, when the Fifth was played. The recording of the latter remains to this day a best-seller in the international CD catalogue and, in Gramophone magazine’s opinion, “it can safely be ranked among the half-dozen or so finest performances on record.”

Sir Simon Rattle introduces Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:27:17 +0000

In their season opening concert 2010/2011, Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker performed Mahler’s First Symphony juxtaposed with Beethoven’s Fourth, giving us the opportunity to appreciate how these two composers, employing the most modern compositional means available to them in their respective periods, used the genre of the symphony to formulate music that lent voice to expression in an unparalleled way. In the first part of Simon Rattle’s introduction to the concert we learn more about Beethoven's amazing, yet sometimes underrated work.

Sir Simon Rattle in conversation with Harri Kuusisaari

Wed, 26 May 2010 13:19:02 +0000

The Berliner Philharmoniker have performed a cycle of Sibelius’s complete symphonies only once in the 20th century – and that was on vinyl. In May 2010, the orchestra’s first live cycle culminated in a concert with Sir Simon Rattle conducting three Sibelius symphonies in one evening. In our intermission interview the conductor talks to Harri Kuusisaari, editor-in-chief of the Finnish music magazine “Rondo”.

Renaud Capuçon in conversation with Matthew Hunter

Wed, 26 May 2010 13:15:07 +0000

The violin concerto by György Ligeti is a work with many faces. Among the sources of inspiration stated by the composer were not only concepts from contemporary music, but also African music and the “impossible reality” pictures of M. C. Escher. In May 2010, this multi-faceted work was performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker and Renaud Capuçon, one of today’s most promising young violinists and a former student of Isaac Stern, whose instrument he now plays – a 1721 Guarneri. In our intermission video Capuçon talks to Matthew Hunter, violist of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Simon Halsey on Johannes Brahms's “Rinaldo”

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:40:19 +0000

On the occasion of a recent concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado conducted a memorable performance of Johannes Brahms’s cantata “Rinaldo” which has never been performed before by the orchestra and gives us an inkling of what an opera by this composer might well have sounded like. In our intermission video Simon Halsey, chief conductor of the Rundfunkchor Berlin, gives a profound insight ihn this unjustly forgotten work.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard in conversation with Emmanuel Pahud

Fri, 14 May 2010 13:21:19 +0000

Pierre-Laurent Aimard is a regular guest of the Berliner Philharmoniker – particularly since his time as “Pianist in Residence” in the 2006–07 season. In June of 2009 we heard him perform Ravel’s fiendishly difficult Concerto for the Left Hand. Berlin’s Tagesspiegel was astounded at how Aimard “elicits coloratura from the piano with his uncommonly virtuoso left hand, creating an intimate dialogue with the woodwind. Both style and soul, brilliance and sentiment, modesty and exuberance: Aimard combines these contrasting elements with a smoothly flowing touch.” In another concert from May 2010 Aimard played Schoenberg’s Piano Concerto – a work demonstrating just how colourful, lively and un-cerebral twelve-tone music can be. Our video shows the intermission talk for the latter performance with Aimard in conversation with Emmanuel Pahud, solo flautist at the Berliner Philharmoniker.

András Schiff in conversation with Jonathan Kelly

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:41:37 +0000

Schiff is – in the words of Clavio magazine, “a magician of sound [...], who lends life and wings to works which uphold the [...] almost forgotten ideals of piano playing.” For his latest concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker he provided a captivatingly impressive concept for the programme. It included two austere D minor piano concertos by Bach and Mozart, with Schiff as both soloist and conductor. In this intermission interview, he talks to Jonathan Kelly, principal oboe of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Round-table discussion about the Berliner Philharmoniker’s benefit concert for Haiti

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:54:02 +0000

UNICEF usually gives the title “International Goodwill Ambassador” to outstanding individuals from the public arena. The Berliner Philharmoniker is the only institution in this exclusive club. As a result of the news about the devastating earthquake in Haiti on 10 January, the orchestra and its principal conductor Sir Simon Rattle gave a benefit concert for UNICEF on 18 February with all proceeds going to the children of Haiti. The evening’s soloist Mitsuko Uchida also donated her fee to this very good cause. Learn more about this very special occasion in our round-table discussion with Pamela Rosenberg, Sir Simon Rattle, Mitsuko Uchida, Sabine Christiansen and Emmanuel Pahud

Neeme Järvi in conversation

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:44:03 +0000

It has been a very long time since there was a complete change of programme at such short notice for the Berliner Philharmoniker. Just one day before the planned concert with Christoph von Dohnányi, the conductor had to cancel due to illness. As luck would have it, Neeme Järvi, a partner of the orchestra of many years, was able to stand in at the last moment, bringing with him several popular favourites from the German and Scandinavian Romantic era. In this intermission talk we learn more about Järvi tackled this demanding situation.

Mitsuko Uchida on performing Beethoven, Part 2

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:21:56 +0000

The performance of the complete piano concertos of Ludwig van Beethoven by Mitsuko Uchida, the Berliner Philharmoniker, and Sir Simon Rattle, was a highlight of the 2010-11 season - not least for the soloist of the project, who has had her her own piano brought to Berlin for this very special occasion. Learn more about this unique project in part 2 of our documentary with Mitsuko Uchida talking about her very special relationship with Beethoven.

Mitsuko Uchida on performing Beethoven, Part 1

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:18:19 +0000

It is one of the highest accolades the Berliner Philharmoniker can award: to invite a soloist to perform a complete cycle of works with the orchestra. In the case of Mitsuko Uchida, this is not wholly unexpected: as “Pianist in Residence” she regularly performed in the Philharmonie in the 2008–09 season. In February 2010, all five of Beethoven’s piano concertos were included in the orchestra’s programme with Mitsuko Uchida as soloist. Learn more about this amazing project in the first part of our documentary.

Ton Koopman

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:56:36 +0000

Ton Koopman is one of the outstanding musicians of the “Early Music” movement. He was one of the first who researched how Baroque and Classical music actually sounded when it was first performed. In January 2010 Ton Koopman conducted the Berliner Philharmoniker for the first time in a programme featuring works by Bach and Haydn. In this introducton Ton Koopman talks about his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker and the repertoire he performed on this occasion.

Christian Thielemann in conversation with Sarah Willis

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:25:46 +0000

In December 2009 Christian Thielemann performed several great choral works by Johannes Brahms with the Rundfunkchor Berlin and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Sarah Willis, horn player of the orchester, talks to Thielemann on this occasion about his long history with the Berliner Philharmoniker - which he first encountered as a harpsichordist and viola player! - and about his time as assistant of Herbert von Karajan.

Fergus McWilliam in conversation with Donald Runnicles

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:21:23 +0000

In December 2009 Donald Runnicles and the Berliner Philharmoniker performed Johannes Brahms’s “A German Requiem” in the Berlin Philharmonie. The performance was particularly appealing due to the participation of the Atlanta Symphony Chorus who has partnered the orchestra on several occasions in the past and has always impressed with its sophisticated sound. The evening began with another very special performance: the world premiere of a new harp concerto by Sebastian Currier. In this intermission interview Runnicles and his fellow scotsman Fergus McWilliam, horn player of the Berliner Philharmoniker, talk about this amazing programme and the collaboration between conductor and orchestra.

Walter Küssner in conversation with Leonidas Kavakos

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:22:00 +0000

In December 2009 the Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos made a guest appearance with the Berliner Philhamoniker playing Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto. Walter Küssner, viola player of the Berliner Philharmoniker, talks to him about the general character of the piece, it's "Classical" (rather than "Romantic") expression and the particuliar role of the solo instrument.

John Carewe introduces Schoenberg's monodrama “Erwartung”

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:06:55 +0000

John Carewe - composer, conductor and former teacher at the Royal Academy of Music - tells the story of one of the most amazing dramatic works from the beginning of the 20th century: the monodrama “Erwartung”, composed by Arnold Schoenberg in 1909. This podacast was produced on the occasion of a performance with soprano Evelyn Herlitzius and the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle.

Iván Fischer in conversation with Emmanuel Pahud

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:10:18 +0000

In October 2009 Iván Fischer conducted the Berliner Philharmoniker in a "Ungarian Night" featuring works by Haydn, Bartók, Kodály, Brahms and Liszt. On this occasion Emmanual Pahud, internationally acclaimed soloist and principal flute of the Berliner Philharmoniker, led this insightful conversation with the Hungarian conductor.

Sir Simon Rattle in conversation with Claus Spahn

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:35:00 +0000

In an interview given on the occasion of the opening of the Berliner Philharmoniker's 2009-10 season Principal conductor Sir Simon Rattle talks to Claus Spahn, music critic of the German publication "Die Zeit". Main topics of the interview are the orchestra's Digital Concert Hall, an innovative video platform opened in January 2009, and the repertoire of the new season.

Daniel Harding and Janine Jansen in conversation with Sarah Willis (horn)

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:17:26 +0000

In October 2009 violinist Janine Jansen made her debut in a philharmonic concert in Berlin with Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto and Daniel Harding conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker. In this intermission interview Sarah Willis, horn player of the Berliner Philharmoniker, introduces the artists to the orchestra's online audience.

Semyon Bychkov and Guy Braunstein in conversation with Stanley Dodds

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:06:33 +0000

Guy Braunstein, 1st Konzertmeister of the Berliner Philharmoniker since 2000, was soloist in a performance of Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Semyon Bychkov conducting. In this intermission interview Stanley Dodds, violinist of the orchestra, talks to Bychkov and Braunstein about this concert which also included Stravinsky's Symphony of Wind Instruments and Schoenberg's "Verklärte Nacht".

Daniel Barenboim and Asher Fisch in conversation

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:13:00 +0000

Daniel Barenboim and conductor Asher Fisch talk with Stanley Dodds, violinist of the Berliner Philharmoniker, on the occasion of a "Polish Evening" of the orchestra including Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 with Barenboim as soloist. The concert is available as a video stream from the Berliner Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall at http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de

Simon Halsey about Haydn's oratorio "Die Jahreszeiten"

Sun, 24 May 2009 17:36:00 +0000

Simon Halsey, chief conductor of the Berliner Rundfunkchor, gives an introduction to Haydn's oratorio "Die Jahreszeiten" (The Seasons) which was performed in September 2009 by the Rundfunkchor and the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. The concert is available as a video stream from the Berliner Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall at http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de

Simon Halsey on Joseph Haydn's "The Seasons"

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Simon Halsey, chorus master and chief conductor of the Berliner Rundfunkchor, introduces Joseph Haydn's oratorio "The Seasons", its history and musical characteristics. The Rundfunkchor performed the work with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle in September 2009. A recording is available from the orchestra's Digital Concert Hall at www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/dch

Kiril Petrenko

Sun, 10 May 2009 17:58:00 +0000

Pierre Boulez and Pierre-Laurent Aimard in converstion

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:54:00 +0000

In June 2009 conductor Pierre Boulez and pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard performed Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand with the Berliner Philharmoniker. In an interview with Christoph Franke they talk about this amazing collaboration. The concert also included works by Bartók and Boulez himself and is available as a video stream from the Berliner Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall at www.berliner-philharmoniker.de.

Seiji Ozawa

Sun, 17 May 2009 17:26:00 +0000

Alan Gilbert

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:09:00 +0000

Michael Boder

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Gustavo Dudamel

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:59:00 +0000

John Adams (Komponist)

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:43:00 +0000

Magie, Moral und Mozart - Pamela Rosenberg im Gespräch mit John Adams anlässlich der Wiener Uraufführung seines musikalischen Märchens "A Flowering Tree", das am 21. und 22. Dezember 2006 auch in Berlin zu hören ist.