Klarinet Archive - Posting 000082.txt from 2003/05

From: "Anthony Wakefield" <tony-w@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Berlin Phil concert 5/4/03
Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 08:04:06 -0400

The only time I ever got to a Berlin Philharmonic concert was in London
during the 1960`s. Every member was male, which was not at all commented
upon in that era. With Karajan at the helm, they performed a Mozart
divertimento for strings, and *that* sound, possessing so much finesse,
precision, and emotion almost disabled my concentration for the following
item, the Rite of Spring. Being a Northern working class lad, I had never
seen such forces take command of a concert platform before, even tho` I`d
been to the Halle Orchestra summer proms in Manchester many times
previously. The moment *I* became flabbergasted was when Karajan started the
Rite not having a score in front of him - not even the score music stand was
there. Him and the podium, his wand, and of course his black tails. (It only
dawned on me at that moment that he`d done the Mozart also from memory).
Well, he got thru` it!! Upon looking at a miniature score afterwards - I
didn`t get an opportunity before hand, I noticed that there are indeed 15
time changes on the first page alone!!!
I realised that I had just a little way to go with my own
studies - - - - - -

And my punch line? - - - -

The nearest I ever got to conducting the Berlin Phil? Just a couple of
years later when my colleague photographed me leaning on Karajan`s car
parking sign marked "Dirigent" in the Berlin Philharmonic`s car park in
Berlin. I`ve still got the photo - well thumbed now, after perfecting my
well rehearsed anecdote, recited many times to would-be conductors.
Life is fun ain`t it!?
Tony W.

From: "Dan Leeson" <leeson0@-----.net>

> Tonight on PBS tv, I heard a concert by the Berlin Phil conducted by
> James Levine with tenor solosit Ben Hepner. It was a concert entirely
> of German music and it was so magnificently played that I don't remember
> hearing anything like it in the past.
>
> I do hope that some other members of this list heard it and are of the
> same opinion. I was left flabbergasted by the show.

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