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A beautiful document of the outstanding contribution Sir Simon Rattle has made to the music world in his work with one of the greatest orchestras, the Berliner Philharmoniker. A perfect choice of programme: The best-known symphonic works of Borodin and Mussorgsky with immediate visceral impact on the audience. The wonderful encore, Shostakovich´s Polka from The Golden Age is announced by Sir Simon Rattle as crazy it represents the prolonging of the process of modernization set in motion by Borodin and Mussorgsky. A feast for music lovers.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
This is a recording of a concert given in the Philharmonie on 31 December 2007. There is also a CD version available, minus Khovanshchina and the encore, which led me to purchase this splendid Blu Ray.
The video is in 1080i not 1080P and is a slight improvement upon the standard definition DVD. You can either opt for a PCM soundtrack or the much more weighty DTS 5.1. A subwoofer is de rigeur to appreciate the massive dynamic range on offer here.
The first item on the menu is by Borodin - his Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. Rattle and the BPO give a rousing, colourful performance of this lovely piece. After the starter we get the main course - the same composer's 2nd Symphony. Can one imagine a first subject more Russian-sounding than that of the opening movement? The lower strings here make me think of Suk's Azrael Symphony. Throughout, Rattle and the Berliners are on top form. But there is more. Much more.
It turns out that we are to savour yet another starter - Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina. What a delicate and airy texture this morsel possesses with such feathery string playing in the gorgeous pianissimos. Ravishing stuff.
Now we really do get a second main course - and what a main course. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition in the orchestration by Ravel. As orchestral showpieces go, it can't get any better.
Having heard many famous recordings on CD, and having a fondness for the Muti version with the Philadelphia Orchestra, this Rattle version ranks with the best. You just need to sit back and savour the fabulous flute-playing of Emmanuel Pahud, or the amazingly beautiful solos of clarinetist Wenzel Fuchs or trumpeter Tamas Velenczei to realise you are listening to musicians at the very top of their game. Rattle is clearly in his element here, even doing a little chicken wing-flap during the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks.
The camera work is generally very good: only once did I feel it was lacking when a tam-tam cue was missed. The Great Gate of Kiev climaxes with a panoply of percussion instruments, including a wonderfully resonant bell. During the thunderous applause look out for the woman in the front row who is clearly moved to tears.
Since this is a concert given at the end of the year, Rattle makes a little address to the audience in German, wishing them a happy New Year and also hoping for a year filled with music - "Lieber mit uns" - preferably with us!
Finally, he introduces the sweet course - something "short, fast and crazy" namely Shostakovich's Dance from the Age of Gold. Ah, thought I, you little tinker. Using the same encore piece that you used to play in Birmingham during the 1980s. For, dear reader, I was there in those far off days with my student season ticket and telling anyone that would listen that Simon would eventually be conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker. Noch etwas bitte!
The video is in 1080i not 1080P and is a slight improvement upon the standard definition DVD. You can either opt for a PCM soundtrack or the much more weighty DTS 5.1. A subwoofer is de rigeur to appreciate the massive dynamic range on offer here.
The first item on the menu is by Borodin - his Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. Rattle and the BPO give a rousing, colourful performance of this lovely piece. After the starter we get the main course - the same composer's 2nd Symphony. Can one imagine a first subject more Russian-sounding than that of the opening movement? The lower strings here make me think of Suk's Azrael Symphony. Throughout, Rattle and the Berliners are on top form. But there is more. Much more.
It turns out that we are to savour yet another starter - Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina. What a delicate and airy texture this morsel possesses with such feathery string playing in the gorgeous pianissimos. Ravishing stuff.
Now we really do get a second main course - and what a main course. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition in the orchestration by Ravel. As orchestral showpieces go, it can't get any better.
Having heard many famous recordings on CD, and having a fondness for the Muti version with the Philadelphia Orchestra, this Rattle version ranks with the best. You just need to sit back and savour the fabulous flute-playing of Emmanuel Pahud, or the amazingly beautiful solos of clarinetist Wenzel Fuchs or trumpeter Tamas Velenczei to realise you are listening to musicians at the very top of their game. Rattle is clearly in his element here, even doing a little chicken wing-flap during the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks.
The camera work is generally very good: only once did I feel it was lacking when a tam-tam cue was missed. The Great Gate of Kiev climaxes with a panoply of percussion instruments, including a wonderfully resonant bell. During the thunderous applause look out for the woman in the front row who is clearly moved to tears.
Since this is a concert given at the end of the year, Rattle makes a little address to the audience in German, wishing them a happy New Year and also hoping for a year filled with music - "Lieber mit uns" - preferably with us!
Finally, he introduces the sweet course - something "short, fast and crazy" namely Shostakovich's Dance from the Age of Gold. Ah, thought I, you little tinker. Using the same encore piece that you used to play in Birmingham during the 1980s. For, dear reader, I was there in those far off days with my student season ticket and telling anyone that would listen that Simon would eventually be conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker. Noch etwas bitte!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
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This is one of the best 'Pictures' I have seen/heard and will rival many of the famous historic alternatives on disc. The Borodin is also fine but not quite in the same class to my ears. The Martinon version on CD has an altogether greater sheer animal drive. That comes as part of a well-filled and well-recorded audio only disc and hardly betrays its considerable age. However there is no doubting the advances in recording techniques and in this case we can also see the concert.
The concert is in good surround sound and has the benefit of sympathetic camera work. Most enjoyable and highly recommended.
The concert is in good surround sound and has the benefit of sympathetic camera work. Most enjoyable and highly recommended.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
I BOUGHT THIS FOR THE BORODIN SYMPHONY- A RARITY ON CD NEVER MIND DVD. THIS GETS A GOOD READING WITH SOME WONDERFUL PLAYING BY THE BPO BUT NOT IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS THE OLD JEAN MARTINON LSO RECORDING, AND THE SENSE OF MAGIC HE BRINGS. THE POLOVTSIAN DANCES ARE ALSO GOOD BUT LACKING THAT FINAL BITE AND MANIC QUALITY THAT SOMEONE LIKE TJEKNAVARIAN OR BEECHAM PRODUCES. THE MUSSORGSKY ITEMS ARE BOTH VERY GOOD WITH SOME BEAUTIFUL PLAYING IN THE KHOVANSHCHINA PRELUDE.
RATTLE HAS CERTAINLY CHANGED THE TONAL PICTURE OF THE BPO AND IT IS CLEARER OVERALL COMPARED TO THE GENERAL LUSTRE OF THE KARAJAN YEARS.
PICTURE AND SOUND QUALITY ARE BOTH EXCELLENT, AND IN GENERAL THE PROGRAMME IS MOST ENJOYABLE AND IN FAIRNESS I HAVE BEEN MAKING COMPARISONS WITH SOME VERY FINE PERFORMANCES.
RATTLE HAS CERTAINLY CHANGED THE TONAL PICTURE OF THE BPO AND IT IS CLEARER OVERALL COMPARED TO THE GENERAL LUSTRE OF THE KARAJAN YEARS.
PICTURE AND SOUND QUALITY ARE BOTH EXCELLENT, AND IN GENERAL THE PROGRAMME IS MOST ENJOYABLE AND IN FAIRNESS I HAVE BEEN MAKING COMPARISONS WITH SOME VERY FINE PERFORMANCES.
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