Beauty in Boulez and magic in Mahler

By Mark Valencia, 03 September 2016

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“the orchestra’s ‘plucked’ section... adding a squeeze of zest to prickle the sweetness”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 2 September 2016

Boulez, Éclat

Mahler, Symphony no. 7

Berliner Philharmoniker

Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor

Kirill Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker in Seoul

SangKwon Lee, 9th November

On their Asian tour, the Berliner Philharmoniker reaffirms its renown in a concert of Schumann and Brahms at the Seoul Arts Center.

*****

Pitch perfect: Petrenko conducts Dusapin, Zimmermann and Brahms

Elena Luporini, 17th September

At this year's Musikfest Berlin, Kirill Petrenko conducts his Berliner Philharmoniker in a devilishly intricate programme.

****1

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

Robertson conducts the German premiere of Srnka's Superorganisms

Elena Luporini, 13th February

At the Philharmonie, David Robertson steps in for Kirill Petrenko for a concert all about the wonders of nature, featuring Varèse, Srnka and Beethoven.

****1

Berlin Phil à la hongroise with Seong-Jin Cho

Elena Luporini, 9th December

The Berlin Phil celebrates Seong-Jin Cho's recently inaugurated residency with a Hungarian-themed chamber concert.

****1

Passion and precision from the Berlin Phil at Carnegie Hall

Cameron Kelsall, 17th November

Under the leadership of Chief Conductor Kirill Petrenko, the Berliners produced a deep, muscular and forward sound that invigorated familiar music.

****1

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.

Prom 64: Rattle and the BPO find beauty in Boulez and magic in Mahler