New tricks for Zubin Mehta and the Berlin Philharmonic

By Sam Johnstone, 03 March 2019

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“Speaking Drums plays up to Grubinger’s mischievous and charismatic personality”

Reviewed at Philharmonie: Großer Saal, Berlin on 28 February 2019

Varèse, Intégrales

Eötvös, Speaking Drums

Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade, Op.35

Martin Grubinger, Percussion

Berliner Philharmoniker

Zubin Mehta, Conductor

Petrenko and Serebrennikov forge a new Ring in Salzburg

Phillip Richter, 1st April

The Berliner Philharmoniker’s much-anticipated return to Salzburg gets off to an impressive musical start. Kirill Serebrennikov’s staging raises numerous questions, but answers few of them.

****1

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

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Sam Johnstone

Sam Johnstone is a musician and writer based in Berlin. He has written on classical, contemporary and world music for Sinfini Music, The Cusp and World Music Network, and about the influence of the avant-garde on contemporary music in Germany and Japan whilst studying at Oxford University and SOAS, University of London. Sam blogs at www.spljohnstone.com and tweets at @spljohnstone