A memorable program at the Pierre Boulez Saal

By Kurt Gottschalk, 13 July 2020

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“Pahud... not forgoing the emotional impetus, even volatility, of the score”

Reviewed at Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin on 11 July 2020

Boulez, Mémoriale

Manoury, Soubresaura, for solo flute (World premiere)

Neuwirth, coronAtion II: Naufraghi del mondo che hanno ancora un cuore (World premiere)

Attahir, Bayn Athnyn, for violin (or viola) and piano (World premiere)

Daniel Barenboim, Conductor, Piano

Emmanuel Pahud, Flute

Michael Barenboim, Violin, Viola

Jiyoon Lee, Violin

Matthias Glander, Clarinet

Sarah Jégou-Sageman, Violin

Petra Schwieger, Violin

Yulia Deyneka, Viola

Volker Sprenger, Viola

Katrin Spiegel, Viola

Astrig Siranossian, Cello

Igancio García Vidal, French horn

Sebastian Posch, French horn

Joy and hope from Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Chris Garlick, 4th November

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra are on fire with the joy of music-making to the delight of a very sympathetic and enthusiastic audience at London's Southbank Centre.

*****

Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan return to the BBC Proms

Asher Rubenstein, 11th August

Marking 25 years of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim returns to the Proms with violin legend Anne-Sophie Mutter.

***11

Clumsy Liszt, listless Berlioz from Barenboim and the Staatskapelle

Mark Pullinger, 7th March

Some conductors get better with age, ripening like fine wines, but age wearies others. Daniel Barenboim’s decline is difficult to bear.

Don Giovanni laughs off his own death at Staatsoper Berlin

Zenaida des Aubris, 10th April

Finishing up their Mozart-Da Ponte trilogy with Don Giovanni, Daniel Barenboim and Vincent Huguet rely on mild punchlines and dignified tempi

***11

West-Eastern Divan Orchestra shows its stars at the Salzburg Festival

Alexander Hall, 13th August

Daniel Barenboim offered an unusually Germanic take on César Franck, while section leaders Michael Barenboim and Kian Soltani pulled double duty as soloists in Brahms' Double Concerto.

****1

Daniel Barenboim steps in to conduct Brahms at Berlin Philharmonie

Edward Sava-Segal, 24th April

Replacing Mikko Franck at short notice, Barenboim joins Yefim Bronfman for a revised, all-Brahms programme.

****1

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Kurt Gottschalk

Kurt Gottschalk is a journalist and author based in New York City. His writings on contemporary and classical music, jazz and improvisation have been published in outlets throughout Europe and America and he has two volumes of short fiction to his name. He produced and hosted the Miniature Minotaurs radio programme on WFMU and currently hosts Afternoon New Music on WKCR.

Distance, intimacy and personality: a memorable program at the Pierre Boulez Saal