The Berlin Philharmonic (or Berliner Philharmoniker) is nothing short of an orchestral legend.  Berlin’s status as a musical city helping in this matter, the Philharmonic’s history includes a veritable “who’s who” of classical music–and we’re not just talking the composers whose music gets played.  Guest conductors have also been some of the most famous German (or Germanic) composers including Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Edvard Grieg and Johannes Brahms.  (The classical music label Naxos offers excellent biographies of these composer to which I have linked them.  But mention their name in a music school in Europe–especially in Germany–and you’ll be met with reverential sighs and awe.)  It has also seen some of the most famous contemporary conductors, both as principal conductors (in-house) and as guests.  Currently, Simon Rattle (who, in addition to being a famous conductor, is also famous for his scandalous relationship with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena) is the Principal Conductor, carrying on the legacy of such greats as Claudio Abbado and Herbert von Karajan

The Philharmonic is not without a bit of scandal itself (it’s more or less a rule when you reach a certain level of prestige), and given that it is located in what was the capital of the Third Reich, it’s not surprising that it was at one point submissive to the Nazis.  The Philharmonic itself, however, investigated its past and earlier in the year Misha Aster published the investigation as the book The Reich’s Orchestra.  (It’s interesting to note, as well, that some of the greatest composers/musicians in Europe at the time were Jewish.)

Now with its past firmly behind it, the orchestra is able to go full speed ahead with its future (true of many organizations and institutions in Germany, particularly Berlin).  This includes being one of the premiere orchestras in the world, and being a must on every culture vulture’s list.  The recent Carnegie Hall Festival “Berlin in Lights” is even more reason for those of you in Deutschland to say “hallo” to this god of music.  And if you happen to be a student (or can pass for a student), you can get a 50% discount on unsold seats the day of a concert from the box office.  Not a bad deal with the lowest regularly-priced seats at a mere 7 Euro and plenty of prices hovering between that and 40 Euro (divide that in half and that’s pretty wunderschoen).

This week is a good time to take them up on that offer with the Dvorak Requiem being played tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 pm.  And while they’re sold out on the 14th and 15th, tickets are still available on the 13th for violinist Sergei Khachaturian playing a program of Lyadov, Prokofiev, and Sibelius.  Later in the month (20, 21, and 22) will be an all-star Messiah led by rock-star conductor William Christie and a cast that’ll give you religion all over again.  While this is  sold out (those Berliners know good music when they see it), you may be able to get a ticket from someone selling outside the theatre.  It may not be the lowest budget thing you’ll ever do in Berlin, but it’ll be one of the most memorable.  Ditto that for their famous New Year’s Eve concert (under Sir Simon Rattle’s baton).


Thanks, eremi!

Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1
10785 Berlin
U-Bahn (U2 Line) to Potsdamer Platz or Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park
Tickets: (0049 30) 254 88 - 999
http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/en