Last Friday we made the five hour trip to Berlin to hear Barenboim and Boulez conduct the Staatskapelle Berlin in four Mahler symphonies: 5, 6, 7, and 8 plus the Rückertlieder and Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. The five hour trip actually took us over eight hours. There were monumental Staus (traffic jams) on the A5/A7 Autobahn north of Frankfurt. I should have anticipated that; it was the first day of the long Easter weekend. It seemed most Germans were on the road going to vacation destinations. We arrived at our hotel at 6:45 (located in Dalgow to the west of Berlin, directly on the B5, about a 35 minute drive to the Philharmonie). After checking in and changing clothes, we rushed into the city. Very stressful. We made it with 10 minutes to spare.
I'd never experienced Thomas Quasthoff live before. I was worried his physical appearance might detract. Once he started singing, though, that magnificent voice made you forget everything else. My god, what a force of nature. Here he is, two days later, receiving a thunderous standing ovation after the Wayfarer songs:
(http://photos.imageevent.com/sgtrock/new/Quasthoff.jpg)
I hadn't seen Boulez conduct since the 70s (when he was a frequent guest conductor with the Cleveland Orchestra). Now age 80 he seems two decades younger, remarkably spry! He didn't break a sweat. Barenboim did sweat! Buckets. But then he's a more physically active conductor than Boulez, and a lot of fun to watch. I found a similarity in their Mahler interpretations though. Neither man lingers; no exaggerated point making.
I don't believe I've ever heard the Seventh taken at such quick speeds. The Finale was a riot and almost chaotic. I really didn't approve (you all know my odd allegiance to Klemperer's Seventh and I stand by that; he makes more structural sense of that last movement). Still, Barenboim and the Berliners were undeniably thrilling and the crowd (far fewer blue-tinted and balding heads than at most classical concerts) went bonkers when the symphony ended. I'm used to the sedate, geriatric crowds in Mannheim who never raise their voices or get up out of their seats (except to leave). It was gratifying being among thousands of fans who really showed their appreciation...and at a sustained and deafening volume! The noise rose appreciably for the principal trombone and horn players. I do love the Staatskapelle's brass section.
Boulez's Symphony of a Thousand was on the fast side too. Part I about 23 minures long, the whole lasting approxiamtely 83 minutes including the pause between Parts I and II - 80 to 81 minutes of actual playing time, I'd guess; just a little slower than Solti. The choirs were sensational (from the Staatsoper and the Prague Philharmonic plus the Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw), creating the most noise I've ever heard in a concert hall. My ears were ringing like it was rock concert.
The symphony was gripping, especially Part II. When the Chorus Mysticus started, I was actually shocked we were already near the end. That last hour had whizzed by.
The Thousand (Boulez standing right behind the Tweedledee tenor):
(http://photos.imageevent.com/sgtrock/new/IMG_0138.jpg)
The soloists were sensational. I was especially impressed by Soile Isokoski and Adriane Queiroz who were breathtaking when their voices combined near the end of the symphony. Twyla Robinson's soprano soared beautifully but at the climactic moment at the end of the Part I her voice didn't cut through the thick texture of instruments and choirs. Disappointing. The young baritone Hanno Müller-Brachman is someone I'm going to watch for in the future; I was sorry his Pater Ecstaticus didn't have a larger role.
The Eight, from right to left: Twyla Robinson, Soile Isokoski, Adriane Queiroz, Simone Schröder, Michelle DeYoung, Hanno Müller-Brachman, Johan Botha, Robert Holl:
(http://photos.imageevent.com/sgtrock/new/IMG_0143.jpg)
And now I have a very painful confession. We didn't see the Sixth. I hadn't noticed that Saturday's concert started at four p.m. instead of eight like the other concerts in this cycle. I discovered my mistake shortly after four when I transferred the tickets from my suitcase to my wallet. We could have rushed into the city and perhaps caught the last movement, but I was so devastated the only thing I wanted to do was slit my wrists. Mrs. Rock prevented that (she was kind; she didn't chew me out for the blunder and did her best to comfort me). I'm still angry with myself but even angrier at the Staatskapelle. Who plays a symphony at four on a Saturday afternoon??? Unbelievable.
Anyway, the trip was more than worth it (even if I wasted 200 Euro on the Sixth). With three opera companies and four symphony orchestras, Berlin is a city I want to return to often. The coming attractions are mouth-watering.
About the Philharmonie: I'm interested in others opinions. The structure is quite ugly and dated. And I found the acoustics occasionally unpleasant, strident and shrill, especially in the balcony. Our front row seats on the floor were better but the percussion seemed muffled there. Compared to the Gewandhaus, for example, it's quite second-rate. And don't even get me started on the restrooms! ;D
Sarge
Thank you for your review and photos Sarge.
£150 on a concert you never attended!
Was that for the two of you?
Plus the cost of getting there.
When I'm rich I'm going to do that. A fast car, a German autobahn without any speed ristrictions, easy. Berlin, no problems. Paris, a second home. Brussels, Eurostar in the morning, easy.
Quote from: Hector on April 13, 2007, 05:36:39 AM
£150 on a concert you never attended!
Was that for the two of you?
Yeah, 99 Euro apiece actually...the most expensive bookmark I ever bought :D (I started Blair Tindall's
Mozart in the Jungle at the hotel and used our useless Mahler Six tickets to keep my place.)
Total cost of the eight tickets for the four concerts: 744 Euro (I like good, front row seats, whether the floor or balcony).
Quote from: Hector on April 13, 2007, 05:36:39 AM
When I'm rich I'm going to do that. A fast car, a German autobahn without any speed ristrictions, easy. Berlin, no problems. Paris, a second home. Brussels, Eurostar in the morning, easy.
Seriously, it is a great place to live for classical music, and I do have a fast car ;D Paris is four hours away; Amsterdam four; Leipzig four, Berlin five, Munich three (on a good day).
Sarge
Wow, what a marathon of a weekend. Thanks for the review, Sarge. That sucks about the 6th though.
Quote from: Novitiate on April 13, 2007, 06:06:16 AM
Wow, what a marathon of a weekend. Thanks for the review, Sarge. That sucks about the 6th though.
It sucks badly. Among his symphonies, the Sixth is my favorite, too. Missing that really hurts. I guess this proves the Farce really is with me ;D
Sarge
Sarge,
I am envious. My wife and I made Barenboim's Easter festival a regular excursion during our three years in Frankfurt.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
I'd never experienced Thomas Quasthoff live before. I was worried his physical appearance might detract. Once he started singing, though, that magnificent voice made you forget everything else. My god, what a force of nature.
My first experience with Quasthoff was similar but almots the opposite. I had never heard of him before when I first heard him do the Wunderhorn Songs with Colin Davis/NYPO, so I had no idea about his appearance. I wasn't at all paying attention to the soloists coming on stage and had my head in the program. Then he started singing and I just thought: "Dude! Where is this amazing voice coming from?"
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
Now age 80 he seems two decades younger, remarkably spry! He didn't break a sweat.
You should try to get a hold of the DVD of him conducting the Firebird with the CSO live in Cologne. It's another wonderful study in the economics of his gestures. But the beautiful human touch is towards the finale (from the horn solo onward), where he actually gets watery eyes because the orchestra is playing so beautifully.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
I don't believe I've ever heard the Seventh taken at such quick speeds. The Finale was a riot and almost chaotic. I really didn't approve (you all know my odd allegiance to Klemperer's Seventh and I stand by that; he makes more structural sense of that last movement).
Barenboim's approach to the 7th has gone through many permutations. I heard an unconvincing version with the CSO a number of years ago. But his Staatskapelle recording is something else! By your description it's probably not as riotous as the performance you heard. When he's in the heat of the moment, Barenboim can get quite pumped in live performance.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
Still, Barenboim and the Berliners were undeniably thrilling and the crowd (far fewer blue-tinted and balding heads than at most classical concerts) went bonkers when the symphony ended. I'm used to the sedate, geriatric crowds in Mannheim who never raise their voices or get up out of their seats (except to leave). It was gratifying being among thousands of fans who really showed their appreciation...and at a sustained and deafening volume! The noise rose appreciably for the principal trombone and horn players. I do love the Staatskapelle's brass section.
You should have heard the rock-concert volume ovations Dudamel generated here in Chicago with his Mahler 1 last week!
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
I was especially impressed by Soile Isokoski
She is stunning! We heard her do Sibelius's Luonnantar with NYPO last year and were mesmerized. She's also on Barenboim's Beethoven 9th.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
The young baritone Hanno Müller-Brachmann is someone I'm going to watch for in the future; I was sorry his Pater Ecstaticus didn't have a larger role.
You can hear him do a wonderful Papageno on Abbado's recording of the Magic Flute.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
We didn't see the Sixth.
I feel for you. Who was supposed to conduct? Boulez or Barenboim? I don't think Barenboim has ever done the 6th before. He did only 1, 5, 7, 9 & DLvdE here in Chicago. Speaking of which, how was No.5?
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 05:03:24 AM
About the Philharmonie: I'm interested in others opinions. The structure is quite ugly and dated. And I found the acoustics occasionally unpleasant, strident and shrill, especially in the balcony. Our front row seats on the floor were better but the percussion seemed muffled there. Compared to the Gewandhaus, for example, it's quite second-rate. And don't even get me started on the restrooms! ;D
I can't say I share your opinion. Yes, the building is very 60s, but not nearly as dated as Avery Fisher or the Met Opera. I actually find it kinda groovy. Like a well kept time capsule. I have sat almost everywhere in the Philharmonie, except the main floor and the very rear of the auditorium. I don't recall a single seat that didn't give me a rich and balanced spectrum. I have never been to the Gewandhaus, though my ideal hall still remains the Concertgebouw.
Quote from: O Mensch on April 13, 2007, 06:45:56 AM
You can hear him do a wonderful Papageno on Abbado's recording of the Magic Flute.
Ah, another reason to acquire that Flute (I'd been thinking about it).
Quote from: O Mensch on April 13, 2007, 06:45:56 AM
I feel for you. Who was supposed to conduct? Boulez or Barenboim? I don't think Barenboim has ever done the 6th before. He did only 1, 5, 7, 9 & DLvdE here in Chicago. Speaking of which, how was No.5?
Boulez conducted the Sixth. I don't care much for his recording but thought I might respond more positively in that live environment. Barenboim's Fifth was similar to his Chicago recording except for the Finale which was, like the Finale of the Seventh, more hell-for-leather. Quite exciting.
Oh, I wanted to ask you: did Barenboim routinely divide his first and second violins in Chicago? I was surprised to see that arrangment (with the basses to the left)
Quote from: O Mensch on April 13, 2007, 06:45:56 AM
I can't say I share your opinion. Yes, the building is very 60s, but not nearly as dated as Avery Fisher or the Met Opera. I actually find it kinda groovy. Like a well kept time capsule. I have sat almost everywhere in the Philharmonie, except the main floor and the very rear of the auditorium. I don't recall a single seat that didn't give me a rich and balanced spectrum. I have never been to the Gewandhaus, though my ideal hall still remains the Concertgebouw.
I was fighting a cold and my head was stuffed up. Probably had a negative affect on my hearing, making me more sensitive. I'll hold off final judgment then until I can hear the acoustics in better health.
My opinion of the "architectural splendor" of the hall probably won't change though. ;) I think the building looks cheap and "plastic", especially from the side and rear (near the parking lot). I'm a child of the Sixties so I should appreciate it more, I guess. But this was built in the early Sixties; stylistically, it reminds me more of the Fifties (porthole windows!). I do like the inside; the seating arrangement is unusual ("theater in the round") but works well. Being able to watch simultaneously the orchestra and the audience across the hall made for a uniquely "communal" classical experience. The seats were comfortable with ample elbow and legroom, at least in our price category.
Sarge
Sarge, thanks so much for that great post -- and with photos, too! So happy you had a memorable Quasthoff experience: "a force of nature," indeed. I have seen him two or three times, and still find it difficult to reconcile the voice with the body from which it is emerging.
And what a vocal line-up for the Eighth! :o I would love to hear Boulez do this piece, and am praying that there might be a DVD in the works. And I won't add to your misery about the Sixth, other than to say, what a damn shame! :'(
Thanks again for "taking us there." Mouthwatering...
--Bruce
Quote from: bhodges on April 13, 2007, 08:51:34 AM
And what a vocal line-up for the Eighth! :o I would love to hear Boulez do this piece, and am praying that there might be a DVD in the works.
--Bruce
I didn't notice any cameras, Bruce. I'm wondering about a CD. The Eighth is all that's missing from his Mahler cycle. Will this be it?
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 09:19:18 AM
I didn't notice any cameras, Bruce. I'm wondering about a CD. The Eighth is all that's missing from his Mahler cycle. Will this be it?
Sarge
That was
exactly what I was thinking (and hoping). My only "question mark" is that this
Eighth isn't with any of the orchestras he's used in the rest of the cycle (just thinking "recording contracts" and all that).
--Bruce
Quote from: bhodges on April 13, 2007, 09:24:32 AM
That was exactly what I was thinking (and hoping). My only "question mark" is that this Eighth isn't with any of the orchestras he's used in the rest of the cycle (just thinking "recording contracts" and all that).
--Bruce
With recording companies failing and merging it's hard to keep up with who's who. Barenboim's Mahler has been coming out on Warner Classics. Boulez's on DG. Will Warner allow the Staatskapelle to appear on DG? I don't know. I wonder if anyone here knows if Boulez is going to do the 8th with any other orchestra in the near future.
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 08:43:52 AM
Oh, I wanted to ask you: did Barenboim routinely divide his first and second violins in Chicago? I was surprised to see that arrangment (with the basses to the left)
Yes, he did in Chicago as well as in Berlin, depending on repertoire, though not initially, I think. In the German repertoire he always used a slightly varied form of the old German seating order. IIRC, from L to R: 1st violins, violas, cellos, 2nd violins. Really, in the Austro-German repertoire antiphonal violins make much more sense than the more common seating order with both violin sections on the left. You can hear how this helps clarify the voicing and counterpoint very nicely on his Beethoven cycle. In non-Austro-German repertoire he used the more common seating order but often switched violas and cellos, so that the violas are on the outside. I think that's what he generally used to do in Chicago at the beinning of his tenure as well, but my memory is hazy.
Quote from: O Mensch on April 13, 2007, 09:57:57 AM
Yes, he did in Chicago as well as in Berlin, depending on repertoire, though not initially, I think. In the German repertoire he always used a slightly varied form of the old German seating order. IIRC, from L to R: 1st violins, violas, cellos, 2nd violins. Really, in the Austro-German repertoire antiphonal violins make much more sense than the more common seating order with both violin sections on the left. You can hear how this helps clarify the voicing and counterpoint very nicely on his Beethoven cycle. In non-Austro-German repertoire he used the more common seating order but often switched violas and cellos, so that the violas are on the outside. I think that's what he generally used to do in Chicago at the beinning of his tenure as well, but my memory is hazy.
Thanks for that, O. Yes, I'm aware of the advantages of separated violins and I approve. Klemperer always did it that way, and it's one more reason his recordings are among my favorites. In my concert going life, however, I've rarely seen it, hence my surprise last week in Berlin. (I recall Barenboim in Cleveland in the 70s using the more conventional layout.)
Sarge
Sarge, I notice that you are not reporting on the BP (under Rattle), but rather are going to the SK Berlin concerts under Boulez and Barenboim. Is there any reason for that?
Quote from: Bunny on April 14, 2007, 06:32:03 AM
Sarge, I notice that you are not reporting on the BP (under Rattle), but rather are going to the SK Berlin concerts under Boulez and Barenboim. Is there any reason for that?
Because I love Barenboim and Boulez and can't stand Rattle ;D
No, that's not really the reason. It's simply because the Mahler cycle (all nine symphonies plus Das Lied plus the songs) was performed wholly by the Staatskapelle; they took over the Philharmonie for ten days. The Berlin Phil was absent during that time, on vacation maybe or more likely on tour somewhere.
I do prefer the Staatskapelle to their western brothers though. I like the sound of their brass, and I definitely prefer Barenboim to either Abbado or Rattle. I wouldn't give up a chance to hear the Philharmonic though...it just wasn't possible this trip.
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 14, 2007, 12:05:36 PM
Because I love Barenboim and Boulez and can't stand Rattle ;D
No, that's not really the reason. It's simply because the Mahler cycle (all nine symphonies plus Das Lied plus the songs) was performed wholly by the Staatskapelle; they took over the Philharmonie for ten days. The Berlin Phil was absent during that time, on vacation maybe or more likely on tour somewhere.
I do prefer the Staatskapelle to their western brothers though. I like the sound of their brass, and I definitely prefer Barenboim to either Abbado or Rattle. I wouldn't give up a chance to hear the Philharmonic though...it just wasn't possible this trip.
Sarge
Ah, a man after my own heart. :-*
Quote from: Bunny on April 14, 2007, 06:32:03 AM
Sarge, I notice that you are not reporting on the BP (under Rattle), but rather are going to the SK Berlin concerts under Boulez and Barenboim. Is there any reason for that?
There is also the quite simple reason that Sarge went to Berlin during Easter and ever since Karajan was in charge of Salzburg Festival, the BPO has been resident in Salzburg during Easter every year, so you won't find them in Berlin during that time. With the Philharmonie being available during that time, Barenboim thus started the Easter "Festtage" in Berlin a few years ago which involve generally a series of orchestral performances in the Philharmonie and a few operas (inevitably including "Parisfal") at the Staatsoper. Sometimes there are a few recitals thrown in for good measure as well. As long as he was music director in Chicago, the CSO usually played three concerts in Berlin as part of the Festtage.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 13, 2007, 09:52:31 AM
With recording companies failing and merging it's hard to keep up with who's who. Barenboim's Mahler has been coming out on Warner Classics. Boulez's on DG. Will Warner allow the Staatskapelle to appear on DG? I don't know. I wonder if anyone here knows if Boulez is going to do the 8th with any other orchestra in the near future.
Sarge
Meanwhile, Christophe Huss (ClassicsToday France) has just reviewed Barenboim's live recording (Nov. 2006) of the Mahler 9th with the SK Berlin and given it the 10/10. My French is a bit rusty, but it seemed to me that Huss was falling all over himself to praise the recording. The
sound clips (http://www.warnerclassics.com/release.php?release=4698) at the Warner Classics website sound very, very good; I don't doubt that the Hurwitzer's review will be coming soon as well. ;)
(http://www.warnerclassics.com/assets/catalogue/images/082564/6431625.jpg)
Quote from: Bunny on April 17, 2007, 10:47:37 AM
Meanwhile, Christophe Huss (ClassicsToday France) has just reviewed Barenboim's live recording (Nov. 2006) of the Mahler 9th with the SK Berlin and given it the 10/10. My French is a bit rusty, but it seemed to me that Huss was falling all over himself to praise the recording.
Thanks for pointing this out, Bunny.
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 17, 2007, 02:08:28 PM
Thanks for pointing this out, Bunny.
Sarge
I've had such great experiences hearing Barenboim conduct Mahler that this purchase is a no-brainer for me. ;D
Quote from: Bunny on April 17, 2007, 06:19:08 PM
I've had such great experiences hearing Barenboim conduct Mahler that this purchase is a no-brainer for me. ;D
Prompted by your post, I just listened to Barenboim's M9 again. What a wonderful way to end the day. I keep marveling at how much character the Sk Berlin's woodwinds have. This recording is a real gem.
Sarge,
You'll be delighted to know that I just discovered that recordings of the broadcasts of the Boulez Mahler 8 and Barenboim/Quasthoff Rückert Lieder and Mahler 7 that you heard live have been uploaded on operashare.
Quote from: O Mensch on April 17, 2007, 07:57:49 PM
Prompted by your post, I just listened to Barenboim's M9 again. What a wonderful way to end the day. I keep marveling at how much character the Sk Berlin's woodwinds have. This recording is a real gem.
I keep hearing such wonderful things about this, that I am just consumed with antipation waiting for the cd to arrive. I didn't order through Caiman or Amazon, so I really don't understand quite what's keeping it. >:(
I've been told that Barenboim didn't split the violins for this, but apparently it hasn't interfered with the way people are enjoying it.
Quote from: O Mensch on April 17, 2007, 07:57:49 PM
Prompted by your post, I just listened to Barenboim's M9 again. What a wonderful way to end the day. I keep marveling at how much character the Sk Berlin's woodwinds have. This recording is a real gem.
Indeed, the SK Berlin has a very distinct sound under Barenboim and the sonority of the strings during the last movement is quite special. Though I do wonder if there wasn't an error made at the end of the first movement. One note sticks out like a sore thumb.
Here's a nice piece on the Mahler Eighth performance by Anne Ozorio on MusicWeb.
Boulez conducts Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2007/Jan-Jun07/berlin0904.htm)
--Bruce
Quote from: O Mensch on April 20, 2007, 06:40:04 AM
Sarge,
You'll be delighted to know that I just discovered that recordings of the broadcasts of the Boulez Mahler 8 and Barenboim/Quasthoff Rückert Lieder and Mahler 7 that you heard live have been uploaded on operashare.
Thanks, O.
Edit: Joined the group, found the 8th....downloading now.
Sarge
Quote from: bhodges on April 20, 2007, 10:08:18 AM
Here's a nice piece on the Mahler Eighth performance by Anne Ozorio on MusicWeb.
Boulez conducts Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2007/Jan-Jun07/berlin0904.htm)
--Bruce
Great find, Bruce. I searched for reviews last week but couldn't find any. I'm looking forward to reading this.
Sarge
Bringing this back to report that the Mahler 8 you attended was indeed preparation for a studio recording. From the DG website:
Artists:
Sopranos: Twyla Robinson · Erin Wall · Adriane Queiroz
Altos: Michelle DeYoung · Simone Schröder
Tenor: Johan Botha
Baritone: Hanno Müller-Brachmann
Bass: Robert Holl
Choirs: Chor der Staatsoper Berlin · Rundfunkchor Berlin · Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw
Chorus masters: Eberhard Friedrich · Johannes Sorg
Orchestra: Staatskapelle Berlin
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Repertoire:
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Symphonie Nr. 8 in zwei Sätzen für großes Orchester, acht Solisten, zwei gemischte Chöre und Knabenchor
Recording Information:
Recording: Berlin (Jesus-Christus-Kirche), 04/2007
Executive Producers: Valérie Gross & Ute Fesquet
Project Coordinator: Matthias Spindler
Producer: Christian Gansch
Recording Engineers (Tonmeister): Ulrich Vette & Hans-Ulrich Bastin
Assistant Engineer: Wolf-Dieter Karwatky
Quote from: edward on April 28, 2007, 07:21:54 AM
Bringing this back to report that the Mahler 8 you attended was indeed preparation for a studio recording. From the DG website:
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Edward.
Sarge