A humanizing force: spellbinding Brahms

By Sacha Evans, 17 October 2016

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Reviewed at Cathedral Church of St John the Divine, New York City on 16 October 2016

Brahms, Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), Op.45 (arr. Phillip Moll)

Marlis Petersen, Soprano

Konrad Jarnot, Baritone

Angela Gassenhuber, Piano

Philip Mayers, Piano

Simon Halsey, Conductor

Rundfunkchor Berlin

Jochen Sandig, Director

Sasha Waltz, Choreography

A place to call our own: Marin Alsop in Berlin

Elena Luporini, 22nd February

For her debut at the head of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Marin Alsop reflects on what a ‘home’ is through works by Tarkiainen, Dean, Copland and Villa-Lobos.

****1

From Paris to Berlin: Juanjo Mena conducts Tailleferre and Ravel

Elena Luporini, 26th September

At the Philharmonie, an all-French programme conducted by Juanjo Mena takes the audience back to the vibrant Parisian scene of the 1910s and 20s.

****1

Bychkov's uneven Mahler 8 at the Elbphilharmonie

Alexander Hall, 11th April

Doing justice to the vast scale of Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand" is itself the mightiest of tasks. Semyon Bychkov and his NDR forces only partially succeed.

***11

A Finnish expedition with Mikko Franck and the Berliner Philharmoniker

Zenaida des Aubris, 18th May

A century of Finnish music from Sibelius to Salonen as Mikko Franck guest conducts at the Philharmonie.

****1

Death and what comes after: Alan Gilbert's Mahler 2 in Hamburg

Alexander Hall, 2nd September

Opening the new season, Alan Gilbert and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester send out a clear message in Mahler's Second Symphony, both lyrically shaped and dramatically inflected.

****1

DSO Berlin opens its 75th anniversary season

Zenaida des Aubris, 19th September

The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester performs works by Lang, Pärt, Stravinsky and Mahler under music director, Robin Ticciati.

****1

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Sacha Evans

Sacha Evans is an American critic with a focus on vocal music, particularly Baroque opera. She is a communications consultant by day, culture vulture by night. She currently resides in New York City and sings with the Manhattan Choral Ensemble. Learn more about her at: http://sachaevans.com

A humanizing force: Rundfunkchor Berlin’s spellbinding Brahms Requiem in New York