Berlin Philharmonic performs Beethoven

Not since 1965 has the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic graced Ann Arbor with its presence. After 34 years, a stunning performance as part of their four-stop US tour compensated for their long absence.

Conductor Claudio Abbado led the orchestra by memory in Beethoven's "Symphony Number 4 in B-Flat Major, Opus 60," and Schoenberg's "Pelleas and Melisande Symphonic Poem for Orchestra, Opus 5." Excellent performers combined with a world class director created an evening full of incredible music, illustrating that producing quailty music does not necessitate the use of a conductor's score.

The ensemble's teamwork showed in the sound produced. As the first notes of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony filled the quiet auditorium, a sense of awe could almost be felt in the audience.

The music cut through the silence with a sound the composer must have desired long ago in his composition of the piece.

Abbado had both perfect conducting technique, but along with that had much emotion in his conducting style. Both pieces performed were rhythmically perfect, but not lacking in emotion or depth, mainly due to Abbado's excellent mix of technique and style.

The entire orchestra illustrated why it is one of the best in the world. The orchestra achieved a perfect balance of loud and soft that only a highly rated ensemble could achieve perfectly.

The only part of the concert that proved to be disappointing was the program selection. The Beethoven was an excellent way to open the concert, a beautiful and classic piece.

The Schoenberg, however, did not flow as well as a composer of another era. Compared to the Beethoven the piece lacked form and was too modern. Hearing the orchestra perform something along the lines of Tchaikovsky or Verdi would have completed a near perfect evening.

The Schoenberg, while performed flawlessly, lacked the form and perhaps some of the emotion from the previous piece. Another disappointment from the concert was that there was no encore performed. The orchestra is only in the country for four performances this year, and hearing only two pieces perhaps left listeners wanting more.

When the Berlin Philharmonic travels to the United States, taking the advantage of the opportunity to hear them play is definitely worth while.

10-22-99