Prom 68: Berlin Philharmonic & Kirill Petrenko (II) – 2.09.18

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

20:00
Royal Albert Hall

Richard Strauss: Don Juan
Richard Strauss: Death and Transfiguration
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 7 in A major

Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill Petrenko conductor


For their second concert, the Berliner Philharmoniker and its Music Director Designate Kirill Petrenko pair two of the 19th century’s greatest symphonic poems with Beethoven’s much-loved Seventh Symphony. If Don Juan celebrates the life of the body – energetic passions, desires and cynical ambitions – then the composer’s Death and Transfiguration, a vivid portrait of the last hours of a dying artist, explores ideas of the mind and spirit. These two colourful musical narratives are set against the dance-driven energy of Beethoven’s symphony.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well, maybe I would have preferred something more varied than back-to-back Strauss tone poems. But one to look forward to, nevertheless.

[Bryn]

Well, maybe I would have preferred something more varied than back-to-back Strauss tone poems. But one to look forward to, nevertheless.

Indeed, back-to-back Liszt symphonic poems would have been a much better option.

[BBMmk2]

Indeed, back-to-back Liszt symphonic poems would have been a much better option.

Just having this great orchestra, is enough!

[jayne lee wilson]

Email today from the DCH.....I think they liked it....

"Kirill Petrenko, who takes up office as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker next year, has now conducted the orchestra’s traditional season opening concert for the first time, with Richard Strauss’s Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony on the programme. The audience responded to this eagerly awaited concert with standing ovations. Petrenko developed Beethoven’s Seventh from its rhythmic pulse, with both the first and last two movements following on from each other without interruption. Strauss’s tone poems provided the conductor with ample opportunity to develop his sense of timbre and thematic structure: “This was Strauss delivered with a power, precision, punch, pathos and passion that you encounter once in a decade, if you’re lucky” (The Times)."

[bluestateprommer]

Email today from the DCH.....I think they liked it....

Alexander Cammann in Die Zeit rather liked this concert, it would seem (at least I think it's a good review):

https://www.zeit.de/2018/36/berliner-philharmonie-kirill-petrenko-chefdirigent-aera

[bluestateprommer]

Brilliantly cracking start to the "Kirill and the Berlin Phil show", Part 2, with all sections of the Berlin PO firing on all cylinders, excellently guided by KP. Sarah Willis used the phrase "big blow", I think, for this concert, given the workout for the horn section in all 3 works, in her pre-concert chit-chat with Martin Handley.

[jayne lee wilson]

Much cleaner HDs sound tonight in the Don Juan, Petrenko's emphasis on clarity of line and rhythm, lean-textured initially, but built up impressively into a magnificent final climax and ashen coda...

Some fairly awesome climaxes in Death and Transfig., if not the greatest reading I've heard. Old familiar Proms Relay problem of the visiting orchestra in the unfamiliar, recalcitrant acoustic (having developed their sound in a very different, purpose-designed one) still apparent to some degree.
But I failed to connect with the Strauss tonight, it wasn't quite what my ears or heart desired...
"...ecstasy viewed from the shores of boredom...." to adapt M.Barthes.

The Dance Apotheosis might give me a better idea of this partnership...or a visit to the DCH of course.

[bluestateprommer]

The Berliners' winning streak continues mightily with Tod und Verklärung just now, where pretty much my same evaluation for Don Juan can be replicated. Nice of Martin Handley to mention that this marks the 40th anniversary of Stefan de Leval Jezierski as a horn section player with the orchestra.

[edashtav]

The Berliners' winning streak continues mightily with Tod und Verklärung just now, where pretty much my same evaluation for Don Juan can be replicated. Nice of Martin Handley to mention that this marks the 40th anniversary of Stefan de Leval Jezierski as a horn section player with the orchestra.

Yes, a winning first half... so virile after Simon Rattle’s clockwork delicacy. Bags of punch but also lively detail from the subsidiary parts. Most refreshing interpretations that refreshed my dulled interest in Richard Strauss.

[edashtav]

Well, what do we make of the 7th? It was both hard driven, yet full of subtle detail. I was carried away and the finale was astounding as was fully recognised by those in the RAH. This was Beethoven at speed played by players seemingly ‘on Speed’. if there were questions whether Kirill was the choice of the majority of the BPO, this performance answered them... these players sweated blood and tears for ‘their’ Maestro.
Surely, the outstanding concert of this season?

(Dare I mention two caveats? In the snap,hustle and bustle, the “slow” movement needed to be a little slower to provide a contrast, and those lederhosen slapping moments in the last two movements needed more rustic thwack.)

I heard Sarah Willis’s growling second horn and thought, appreciatively, there goes a real peasant!

[jayne lee wilson]

Dear me, did that shorten any lives, in the arena, across the land, around the world...?
After a finale at white heat, with every single repeat...and after all that had gone before...

Did we ever hear a Beethoven 7th quite like that...?

I'm going out into the warm night air now, to look at the night sky and the shadowy, still benignity of the trees...

[makropulos]

I got in just in time for the Beethoven. Simply tremendous - glorious horn playing, crisp timpani, every wind solo spot on and a responsible speed for the second movement. The last movement I thought was utterly electrifying - not only was it very exciting rhythmically, but it had nuance and shape and phrasing. In other words, it thrilled but it didn't beat one over the head as some performances do. Crikey. What a wonderful performance. Now I need to listen "again" to the Strauss that I missed. Early days, but I'd say that Petrenko-Berlin is, on the evidence of the last two nights, an altogether remarkable partnership.

[bluestateprommer]

KP drove the finale of LvB 7 pretty hard indeed, perhaps a bit much for my own personal taste. He did allow a few moments to breathe more, in fairness. He also seemed a bit of a hurry to jump into the finale from the scherzo, IMHO. However, KP knew what he wanted and persuaded the orchestra to run with it, in all senses. It's interesting to try to square Sarah Willis' comments that KP didn't let the orchestra out early and worked everyone really hard, with Martin Handley's comment that KP speaks very quietly during rehearsal.

Maybe I have residual memories of Blomstedt's LvB 7 from 2 years ago, which was very fresh without driving as forcefully (even ignoring the factor of the 89-yo Blomstedt then to the 46-yo Petrenko now). My reservations don't detract from the fact that the Berlin PO played this LvB 7 extremely well, and that the RAH audience was clearly extremely happy with what they heard. Interesting times ahead for this partnership.

[Dave2002]

A splendid day of concert attending - and we even managed to overcome the problems with the trains, though the added edge of wondering if we might miss the last train was something I could have done without. In the end I felt that Beethoven eclipsed Mahler - on this occasion - and I really didn't expect that. The two Strauss pieces were a great start to the second Prom, but I really didn't anticipate being carried along to such an extent by Beethoven's symphony. There was some flexiblity in the performance, which enhanced the dance elements. The finale simply blazed away. Briliant.