Maestro Rattle brings sweeping changes to Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

By Do Je-hae

Sir Simon Rattle heads into his 10th anniversary as musical director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) in 2012. His tenure with the world-class orchestra has brought sweeping changes in its culture and repertoire as well as the onset of unprecedented projects such as the “Digital Concert Hall” in 2009.

Local classical music fans had a rare opportunity last week to witness how the British maestro’s unique leadership, combined with the outstanding musicality of the orchestra members, has firmly placed the 129-year-old institution at the forefront of orchestral innovation.

Rattle is clearly beloved by the musicians of the BPO, who was voted in 2008 to extend his tenure until 2018. It was evident during his visit in Seoul last week that the conductor enjoyed the respect and affection of the members.

Rattle moved to Berlin in 2002 to take over one of the most powerful positions in classical music that has been occupied by legendary conductors such as Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954) and Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989).

The press conference, rehearsal and concerts last week showed not just Rattle the musician, but also a leader in complete charge of his work and organization.

The orchestra performed Mahler’s 9th symphony in D major at Seoul Arts Center on Nov. 15 and the 9th symphony in D minor by Bruckner on Nov. 16 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

Communication

Rattle, above all, is a leader who emphasizes open communication with the audience and the musicians, a quality that seemed lacking in previous BPO leaders like Karajan, who reigned for more than 30 years.

“When you play on stage, I don’t think the audience realizes how much they are part of a performance,” Rattle said during a press conference in Seoul last week. “We feel how the audience breathes, we feel what they notice. At its best, there is a kind of symbiotic relationship between the orchestra and the audience where we become one.”

When Rattle first arrived in Berlin, he told the BPO musicians to call him “Simon,” rather than “maestro” or “Sir Rattle,” as is the custom for orchestra’s musical directors.

Nowhere is the 56-year-old’s focus on communication more apparent than the “Digital Concert Hall” project, which streams live concerts from the Philharmonie, the home of the BPO, through the Internet. The Financial Times has called it “classical music’s most advanced response to the digital age.”

The “Digital Concert Hall” was initiated by the orchestra’s wish to play to a wider audience and facilitate accessibility to world-class orchestral music.

“When the idea of the ‘Digital Concert Hall’ occurred to us, I was immediately certain that this is the way of the future. I believe it is a marvelous thing for both the orchestra and the public,” Rattle said. “And it is a wonderful feeling to be able to welcome far more people to the Philharmonie than before.”

In the last three years, the “Digital Concert Hall” has accumulated an impressive archive of more than 100 performances and this continues to grow. There are two options when exploring the digital concerts. People can watch concerts via live stream Webcast or access from an on-demand archive of past performances.

The BPO has set up a team to run the project and plans to produce exclusive digital content, particularly artist interviews and background reports, like a rehearsal video of the BPO under former music director Claudio Abbado of Beethoven’s 6th symphony.

As of September this year, the “Digital Concert Hall” is also available as an app on all new Samsung smart TVs and blue ray players.

As he repeatedly emphasized during a press conference in Seoul, Rattle is a firm believer in music’s power to change people’s lives.

That is why he continues to hold open rehearsals when in foreign countries, so that more people can have access to the concerts.

For the first times in four years, Rattle held a 40-minute autograph session after the Nov. 16 concert to meet fans.

As a good example of music’s influence on people, Rattle mentioned one of his double bass players who entered the BPO after initial training with the “El Sistema” system for providing musical education for underprivileged youths in Venezuela. Edicson Ruiz was one of two 17-year-olds to ever join the orchestra.

The BPO under Rattle’s leadership, with the support of Deutsche Bank, has placed importance on strengthening its education programs.

Cultural transformation

The BPO may be based in the German capital, but it is now an international organization, with more than 20 nationalities among its members.

It has been forthcoming in accepting young talent from outside Germany, regardless of race or gender.

It was under Rattle’s leadership that the orchestra admitted British horn player Sarah Willis, the first female brass player in the orchestra’s history.

Many young musicians have joined the orchestra since Rattle’s 2002 appointment, giving the orchestra a youthful look. This is also a departure from other top European orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic or the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Two of the four concertmasters of the BPO are in their 30s and one of them is Japanese violinist Daishin Kashimoto. The BPO’s principal viola chair is occupied by Japanese violist Naoko Shimizu.

Focus on new music

Past concerts of the BPO in Seoul were more about showing off its tradition, with music by composers like Strauss and Brahms.

This time, the program, particularly on Nov. 16, combined the past, present and future of the orchestra’s musical direction.

The concert at the Sejong Arts Center for Performing Arts started with a 9-minute rhythmic Spanish tune by French composer Maurice Ravel called “Alborada del Gracioso.”

“It’s a bit like starting the meal with a sorbet,” said Rattle.

Before the Bruckner symphony, a centerpiece in the philharmonic’s repertoire under Rattle, the orchestra presented a new concerto commissioned for its principal horn player Stefan Dohr by Hiroshima-born composer Toshio Hosokawa.

Rattle’s predecessor Abbado added distinction and variety to the BPO sound, by including more opera in its activities. But Rattle has focused more on introducing modern works to the repertoire, such as premiering a trumpet concerto composed by Wynton Marsalis.

Rattle called Korea a nation of music lovers, which has produced “an outpouring of talent.” He said he has been close with conductor Chung Myung-whun since the beginning of his career. He expressed hope to work with more Korean musicians. “We have one of your greatest composers — Unsuk Chin — living in Berlin,” Rattle said.

A BPO concert in February next year will be available on the “Digital Concert Hall” website, featuring the Korean bass singer Yeon Gwang-chul.