Berlin im Licht: Philharmonia sheds light on the cabaret scene

By Matthew Rye, 24 September 2019

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“a husky but warm voice over which every word made its mark”

Reviewed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 23 September 2019

Eisler, Songs (Mvt 1: Vorspiel)

Grosz, Baby in der Bar (Mvt 4: CHarleston)

Weill, Berlin im Licht

Eisler, Suite for Orchestra no. 3 "Kuhle Wampe", Op.26 (Mvt 4: Die Fabriken)

Eisler, Suite for Orchestra no. 3 "Kuhle Wampe", Op.26 (Mvt 2: Intermezzo)

Eisler, Der Graben

Schulhoff, Suite for Chamber Orchestra (Mvt 3: Tango)

Weill, Happy End: Ballade von der Höllen-Lili

Schulhoff, Suite for Chamber Orchestra (Mvt 6: Jazz)

Grosz, Baby in der Bar (Mvt 2: Tango)

Schulhoff, Sonata erotica, for female voice solo (Loré Lixenberg)

Weill, Suite panaméenne (Tempo di foxtrot)

Heymann, Irgendwo auf der Welt

Abraham, In meinen weißen Armen

Eisler, Suite für Orchester Nr. 2 „Niemandsland”, Op.24 (Mvt 3: Andante)

Abraham, Reich mir zum Abschied noch einmal die Hände

Holländer, Wenn ich mir was wünschen dürfte (When I presume to wish for something)

Heymann, An den Kanälen

Grosz, Baby in der Bar (End: Molto pesante)

Philharmonia Orchestra

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor

Dagmar Manzel, Soprano

Loré Lixenberg, Mezzo-soprano

Simon McBurney, Narrator

Benedetti ablaze with the Philharmonia

Christopher Woodley, 19th April

As gifts to the Philarmonia's 80th birthday season, Nicola Benedetti gives a barnstorming account of Elgar's Violin Concerto before Cristian Mӑcelaru gets emotionally drained by La Mer.

*****

A Resurrection for the ages: Kent Nagano conducts the Philharmonia

Eleanor Knight, 19th March

Any performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony is an event, but this mighty Philharmonia account at the Royal Festival Hall proves extra special.

*****

A brilliant UK premiere of John Adams’ After the Fall

David Karlin, 25th February

The Icelandic pianist and Finnish conductor make a superb case for John Adams' latest concerto; the Philharmonia play Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé strongly but don't convince completely.

****1

Renes replaces Runnicles in a remarkable Philharmonia Bruckner 8

Dominic Lowe, 19th February

Stepping in for Sir Donald Runnicles at very short notice, Lawrences Renes conducts the Philharmonia in a sleek and vivid reading of Bruckner's magisterial Eighth Symphony.

****1

Karpman’s opera Balls tells a great story, but overshoots the line

David Karlin, 20th November

An entertaining portrayal of the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is marred by ham-fisted amplification.

**111

Giltburg and Foster celebrate the Philharmonia’s 80th birthday

Nick Boston, 17th November

Boris Giltburg emphasising the expression in not one but two piano concertos, with commanding performances from Lawrence Foster and the Philharmonia.

****1

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Matthew Rye

Matthew read music at Oxford and worked in music journalism for 30 years as a writer, critic and editor. He wrote numerous programme and CD booklet notes, spent 13 years as a Daily Telegraph critic, worked at BBC Music Magazine and was reviews editor of The Strad. He also wrote for The Wagner Journal and Opera and blogged at ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk. He was general editor of 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die (Cassell Illustrated, 2007) and was the author of a new series of eBooks, Masterpieces of Music (Erudition).

Berlin im Licht: Philharmonia sheds light on Berlin’s 1920s cabaret scene