Berlin Phil is ancient, pioneering
By: Janos Gereben
Special to The Examiner
November 20, 2009
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| On view: Berlin Philharmonic conductor Simon Rattle can be seen on the orchestra’s new Digital Concert Hall. (Courtesy photo) |
The Berlin Philharmonic, performing in San Francisco’s Davies Hall today and Saturday, is one of the world’s oldest and most famous orchestras. Governed by musicians themselves, the orchestra also happens to be on the cutting edge when it comes to the use of electronic media.
Founded in 1882 and playing under the baton of giants such as Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms and Edvard Grieg, the Philharmonic — now directed by Sir Simon Rattle — also is responsible for the creation of the Digital Concert Hall (www.dch.berliner-philharmoniker.de).
The Web-based, high-quality video service, which telecasts live concerts from the orchestra’s famed hall in Berlin, offers past programs from a large, growing archive.
Conceived four years ago — when webcasts were in their infancy — and debuting in January 2009, DCH is the responsibility of principal cellist Olaf Maninger. Preparing for the U.S. tour (and anticipating his return to “breathtakingly beautiful San Francisco and the luckiest people on the planet to have the Ghirardelli chocolate factory”), Maninger spoke from Berlin about the genesis of the Digital Concert Hall.
“I was continuously thinking about how we could better connect with our worldwide audience,” Maninger said. “Transmitting concerts online seemed like a very good step — transmitting them live seemed even more promising.”
“Our concert in Taipei in 2005 was a crucial moment,” he said. “The concert was transmitted on a big screen in front of the concert hall and more than 30,000 people came to watch us — it was overwhelming. I just thought there must be a way of connecting with our worldwide fans more regularly.”
Rattle, a big supporter of the Digital Concert Hall, said, “When the players first started talking about the idea, it was to me just completely obvious that this was going to be the future. We’ve all been thinking over these last years, ‘How will people want to receive art in their own houses?’ And we more and more thought that it was people just expecting this to be there — like water.”
IF YOU GO
Berlin Philharmonic
Presented by S.F. Symphony
Where: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
When: 8 p.m. today-Saturday
Tickets: $15 to $275
Contact: (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org
