Classical Music
Hosting a visit from a jewel of an orchestra
Berlin Philharmonic brings its signature sound to Mahler
In recent years, as large-ensemble touring has gotten increasingly expensive, Boston has seen fewer visits from top-tier orchestras. But this fall the city will once again play host to the Berlin Philharmonic, one of the gleaming wonders of the orchestral world. The ensemble, which has not dropped by since 2001, will appear in Symphony Hall on Nov. 19, presented by the
Adding to the harvest, two excellent singers - the tenor Ben Heppner and the baritone Thomas Quasthoff - are slated to appear as soloists. The program will also include the Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag's riveting memorial work, "Stele," written in 1994 for the orchestra and its then-conductor Claudio Abbado.
As anyone who has spent time recently in Berlin knows, it's a city overflowing with culture. Reunification has unleashed paroxysms of creativity and if you walk the city's streets today, you might just stumble across a vibrant music festival, a gallery that's sprung up overnight, a pulsing dance club tucked into the basement of a communist-era office building, or a group of bohemian artists working away in a majestically graffitied courtyard. And there in the middle of it all, as both anchor and leader of the city's cultural scene, is the Berlin Philharmonic.
Founded in 1882 and sculpted through the decades by many illustrious batons, the orchestra is now entering its sixth season under Rattle. One occasionally hears some carping from the German press, but overall the ensemble seems to be maintaining its signature deep sound - clear yet gently edged, firm yet warmly rounded. Given the group's caliber and Rattle's status as a Mahler specialist, the concert on Nov. 19 will be keenly anticipated.
Some listeners may be hungry for more than one Berlin performance, and if that's the case, consider a quick trip to New York, where this fall Carnegie Hall has transformed the orchestra's annual visit into the centerpiece of a much larger 17-day, citywide festival called "Berlin in Lights" with more than 40 events. As part of the festival, the orchestra will perform three different programs at Carnegie, each one pairing a late-Mahler work with music by a living composer.
As tenor soloist, Heppner will be performing in both cities. Speaking from his home in Toronto, he said he was looking forward to the orchestra dates as a rare break from his opera commitments. "I get more direct contact with the audience because in a concert, you can sing straight to the people," he said. Although with Mahler in particular, Heppner added, "you're not singing way out in front, with the orchestra in the accompanying mode. Rather, I look upon it as my voice being an additional orchestral color."
He did also concede that "Das Lied von der Erde" is a tough ride for tenors because the other vocalist, in this case Quasthoff, gets to sing the luminous final movement, one of the all-time great musical farewells. "Whoever sings that comes away with the audience's memory," he said.
It promises to be a big month for Mahler fans, as the BSO will also be performing Mahler's First and Ninth Symphonies during that same stretch of time. And you can be sure the local orchestra will be on its toes, knowing there are some high-powered guests in the neighborhood. The healthy competition is a good thing, all the more so when it yields a Mahlerian windfall.
Nov. 19 at 8 p.m., 617-482-6661 or celebrityseries.org.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
