Berlin Musikfest 2013

[Stanfordian]

Daily Report: Berlin Musikfest 2013 - Philharmonie, Berlin - 2nd September 2013
Shostakovich: Prelude and Scherzo for string octet, Op. 11;
Britten: Phaedra dramatic cantata for mezzo soprano and small orchestra, Op. 93;
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14 in G Major for soprano, bass and chamber orchestra, Op. 135;
Angela Denoke (soprano), Petr Migunov (bass), Mahler Chamber Orchestra/Teodor Currentzis (conductor)

It’s been a long day as we were up at 2.30am for our flight to Berlin. It’s now 10.30pm German time and we have just returned from the above concert at the Philharmonie, Berlin. All the works tonight are rarely performed. The Prelude and Scherzo for string octet was very well received by the Berlin audience. It was first time I have heard the Britten cantata ‘Phaedra’ in concert and I hope it’s not the last. The Shostakovich Symphony No. 14 is a major work and I guess its Russian text concerning death, for its two soloists, is a drawback for concert programmers. Notwithstanding, it was a quite stunning performance and good to have the opportunity to see it played live.

[Stanfordian]

Daily Report: Berlin Musikfest 2013 - Philharmonie, Berlin - 3nd September 2013
Britten: Four sea interludes and Passacaglia from the opera Peter Grimes for orchestra op. 33a/b (1945)
Britten: Les Illuminations for high voice and string orchestra on texts by Arthur Rimbaud, Op. 18 (1939)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141 (1971)
Klaus Florian Vogt (tenor), Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin/Donald Runnicles (conductor)

Runnicles proved to be an excellent Shostakovich interpreter with a stunning performance of Symphony No. 15. I always enjoy hearing Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes.

[Beef Oven!]

Daily Report: Berlin Musikfest 2013 - Philharmonie, Berlin - 3nd September 2013
Britten: Four sea interludes and Passacaglia from the opera Peter Grimes for orchestra op. 33a/b (1945)
Britten: Les Illuminations for high voice and string orchestra on texts by Arthur Rimbaud, Op. 18 (1939)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141 (1971)
Klaus Florian Vogt (tenor), Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin/Donald Runnicles (conductor)

Runnicles proved to be an excellent Shostakovich interpreter with a stunning performance of Symphony No. 15. I always enjoy hearing Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes.

What a marvellous programme.

I tend to prefer Les Illuminations to the Serenade and the interludes always convince as stand-alones.

DSCH's 15th is a favourite of mine and I think it's odd that it is rarely considered with his greatest works.

Also, I would have loved to have experienced a performance of Britten's Phaedra.

Some excellent concert-going you're indulging in!!!

[Stanfordian]

Musikfest Berlin 2013
Lutosławski: Musique funèbre for orchestra
Bartók: Piano concerto No. 3
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet suite, Op. 64 b/c
Yefim Bronfman (piano), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Daniele Gatti
Wednesday 4th September, Philharmonie, Berlin

Just returned from the concert and can report exceptional playing from the Concertgebouw. The weight and power of sound this orchestra achieves is quite astonishing; especially in the Romeo and Juliet suite. The audience loved the performance of Yefim Bronfman in the Bartók and kept calling him back to the stage.

[Exonian]

Musikfest Berlin 2013
Lutosławski: Musique funèbre for orchestra
Bartók: Piano concerto No. 3
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet suite, Op. 64 b/c
Yefim Bronfman (piano), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Daniele Gatti
Wednesday 4th September, Philharmonie, Berlin

Just returned from the concert and can report exceptional playing from the Concertgebouw. The weight and power of sound this orchestra achieves is quite astonishing; especially in the Romeo and Juliet suite. The audience loved the performance of Yefim Bronfman in the Bartók and kept calling him back to the stage.

Sounds good Stan - this was the same concert and performers we saw at the Concertgebouw before the August Bank Holiday - they were terrific and I think fair to say Bronfman very proficient in the Bartok. glad you enjoyed it!

[Stanfordian]

Sounds good Stan - this was the same concert and performers we saw at the Concertgebouw before the August Bank Holiday - they were terrific and I think fair to say Bronfman very proficient in the Bartok. glad you enjoyed it!

Hiya Exonian, Yes I did enjoy the concert as I have reported in more detail elsewhere. What I would have given to have heard Bronfman play the Rachmaninov Third Concerto but Bartok is one of the featured composers at this year's Berlin festivals!

[Stanfordian]

Daily Report - Musikfest Berlin 2013,
Bartók: Four pieces for orchestra, Op. 12 (1912/21)
Hartmann: Concerto funèbre for solo violin and string orchestra (1939)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 ‘Babi Yar’ B minor for bass, male choir and orchestra, Op. 113 (1962)

Isabelle Faust (violin), Günther Groesbeck (bass), Estnische Nationale Männerchor, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin/Marek Janowski

Just returned from the concert at the Philharmonie, Berlin. The Shostakovich Symphony No. 13 ‘Babi Yar’ as stunningly played and sung. It was good to hear the Bartók Four pieces for orchestra, Op. 12. This is early Bartok and it is easy to hear the influences of Debussy and Ravel.

[Stanfordian]

Daily Report - Musikfest Berlin 2013

Lutosławski: Concerto for orchestra (1954)
Bartók: Concerto for orchestra (1941/43)
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Mariss Jansons,
Philharmonie, Berlin.

Tonight the Bavarian RSO under Mariss Jansons has provided the finest performances that I have heard this week and for some time. I heard them back in March in Munich and twice back in 2012 and they were excellent then too. I have been especially looking forward to hearing Lutosławski's Concerto for Orchestra; its one of my favourite orchestral works. I was not disappointed as it was stunningly performed.

Tomorrow evening its the Berliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle in Lutosławski, Mahler and Janacek.

[amateur51]

Many thanks for posting your reports, Stan - appreciated

[DublinJimbo]

[ ... ] I have been especially looking forward to hearing Lutosławski's Concerto for Orchestra; its one of my favourite orchestral works. I was not disappointed as it was stunningly performed.

I agree completely about the Lutosławski. Indeed, I prefer it to the Bartók.

[BBMmk2]

Hi Stan! What a fest of music, in deed! Thank you ever so for these postings.

[Stanfordian]

Daily Report: Musikfest Berlin 2013, Saturday 7th September 2013

Lutosławski: Symphony No. 2,
Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer), arranged by Arnold Schoenberg for voice and chamber orchestra
Janáček: Glagolitic Mass for soloists, mixed choir, organ and orchestra,
Luba Orgonášová (soprano), Mihoko Fujimura (mezzo-soprano), Stuart Skelton (tenor), Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Christian Schmitt (organ),
Tschechische Philharmonische Chor Brno,
Berliner Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle,
Philharmonie, Berlin

The Lutosławski was hard going and it's not his finest offering; in my view. Baritone Christian Gerhaher in the Mahler songs was stunning, singing with such tenderness and expressive humility. Janáček's Glagolitic Mass was given a memorable performance of significant energy and sacred fervour. Tenor Stuart Skelton dressed in concert formal wear revealed a pair of comedy socks that looked like a discarded Christmas present from the 1980s in the days of when Ben Elton and Rik Mayall were never off the tv screens. The mezzo Mihoko Fujimura must have one of the shortest contributions ever.

Tomorrow I'm having a change from orchestral concerts at the Musikfest and we are off to see the premiere of a new production of Nabucco at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

[BBMmk2]

Oh! Mouth watering I am sure the Ve3rdi will be Stan. perhaps the orchestra did not give enough rehearsal time for the Lutoslawski?

[Stanfordian]

Oh! Mouth watering I am sure the Ve3rdi will be Stan. perhaps the orchestra did not give enough rehearsal time for the Lutoslawski?

Maybe Maestro, but I think it is about the music not the playing of it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Lutosławski was hard going and it's not his finest offering; in my view.

It's certainly the thorniest of Lutoslawski's four Symphonies, Stan (and the work of his that took longest to lodge itself in my affections) - but well worth persevering with: it's a great work.

Many thanks, by the way, for these concert reviews - I think that the originality and ingeniousness of the programming alone would make these concerts unmissable. Add the standard of performances and they become real "Events".