New Year’s Eve in Berlin

Three years ago the Abbadiani congregated in Berlin to attend the New Year’s Eve concert and slip into 2000 with Claudio Abbado, who conducted a concert called „Lauter Finali“. It comprised the last movements of various famous pieces and well known Berlin tunes.

We decided to return this year so as to see for ourselves how Sir Simon Rattle conceives this traditional concert. But our presence in Berlin was above all a tribute to the orchestra as well as a sign of our loyalty and friendship. Needless to say we cannot deny a certain melancolic and nostalgic feeling to be in Berlin without hearing the orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado, but - as the saying goes – “prima la musica”!!

The Berlin “Silvesterkonzert” did not disappoint us: on the contrary – it was important to attend! Sir Simon Rattle conducted a programme composed of songs and extracts from musicals by Kurt Weill, George Gershwin and in particular Leonard Bernstein. The latter was the true protagonist of an evening dedicated largely to extracts from his musical “Wonderful Town” (1953). This tells the tale of two American girls from Ohio who have set out to conquer New York.

As mentioned, Sir Simon conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, who were joined by experts in this field: Wayne Marshall (piano), Ian Wood (trumpet), the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet and Andreas van Zoelen (saxophone), the choir “European Voices” (founded by Sir Simon) as well as specialists like Audra McDonald, Kim Criswell, Brent Barrett, Timothy Robinson and of course Thomas Hampson, whom we need not present. He is equally at ease in opera, Lied and musical alike. All the special effects well known to Broadway were put to use – neon tube, multicoloured spots, smoke devices... The choreography was by Candace Allen.

The attentive spectator took note of several changes since his last visit: a new design for the programmes, another one for the new magazine which offers interviews and orchestra news (and takes the place of the Philharmonische Blätter), the bookshop, newly decorated and tucked away in a corner, projections on the wall... a new boss heralds a new time...!!

The intention behind the programme seems clear: a big celebration was to be offered. At the same time the two main roots of the musical were to be demonstrated: on the one hand the American one (Gershwin), on the other hand the Berlin one (Weill). In Bernstein these two strains converge. He not only composed the best known musical (“West Side Story”), but also was one of the fathers of the Gustav Mahler renaissance. At the same time he contributed so much to peace, worked with young musicians in the States (Tanglewood) as well as in Germany ( Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival) and last but not least conducted a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth on the ruins of the Berlin wall, just 400 m. from the Philharmonie. On top of all that a title like “Wonderful Town” justly reminds everyone of Berlin, a town which admidst a thousand difficulties is transforming itself and becoming once again the open and tolerant city it always was.

The Berlin Philharmonic now add their contribution in including a musical in their repertoire. On the occasion of the “Silvesterkonzert”, which is always in the limelight, they point to one of the fundamental roots of Berlin – just as the waltz is inevitably played by the Vienna Philharmonic in their traditional New Year’s Concert. The close connection between light music and the big classical repertoire is thus shown here. Weill, Gershwin and Bernstein are all composers of transition and as such open to all - to the world, the audience and the future. What a lovely idea to offer these composers to the inhabitants of Berlin and (in the case of Gershwin) to the Salzburg Easter Festival in two years time.

The concert started with Bernstein’s “Candide” overture. Candide who travels through a chaotic world and manages to find his own paradise at the end. An extraordinary piece of music, full of dynanism, acrobatic precision and rhythm. All Bernstein is there: the melody, the rhythm, the inclusion of classical elements, the fullness of the sound, the very differentiated use of the brass and wind instruments... Right from the start Sir Simon Rattle demonstrated that he is at home in this repertoire. With his gestures, his whole body language, his way of following each musician, his smile, which reminds one so much of Leonard Bernstein, he carries away both the musicians and the audience.

This was followed by Kurt Weill songs, not from his Berlin period, but from his American one. Thomas Hampson began with “Dirge for Two Veterans” (from the “Four Walt Whitman Songs”): warm, rich voice, the high notes a bit sharp on December 30th , but all the more brillant on December 31st. After that two extracts from “Street Scene” – a lyrical song sung very elegantly by Timothy Robinson and the crazy “Ice Cream Sextet”, which allowed the presentation of all the solists of the evening and enabled the audience to join in the fun.

After that came three Gershwin songs, sung by Audra McDonald with a warm voice and perfect technique. “My Man’s Gone Now” (from “Porgy and Bess”) made us decide on the spot to spend Easter 2005 in Salzburg for the performance of that work there. After “Ask Me Again” the famous “Fascinating Rhythm” prepared the hall for the extraordinary “Wonderful Town” that followed.

“Wonderful Town” – one hour and ten minutes of chorus, songs and dances. And all that at a diabolic speed imposed by Sir Simon on the orchestra and by Kim Criswell on the choir and the solists. Sir Simon Rattle knows this work well and has already recorded it for EMI with roughly the same cast.

The Philharmonie is decorated as for a Broadway show and the performance is a semi-staged one, habit introduced by Claudio Abbado. Here we are witness of a show which is partly hilarious (as in “One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man” or in “Conga”, both led by the irresistible Kim Criswell), partly lyrical (“Ohio” or “My Darlin’ Eileen”) , partly romantical (“A Little Bit in Love” or “It’s Love”, which the incomparable Thomas Hampson sings with the big voice of a crooner).

The tension never lapsed during the whole succession of songs and dances, produced very efficiently on a small stage due to an exceptional chorus and to Kim Criswell, who carried away everybody. It hardly need be mentioned that in a repertoire that we are not accustomed to hear from them the Berlin Philharmonic demonstrated not only their professionalism and their legendary precision. No, they also showed a real and juvenile pleasure, as seen for example in the passionate commitment of the brass or the wonderful clarinet which could be admired in the “Ballet at the Village Vortex”. Sir Simon conducted with his eternal smile, his usual exuberance and with a diabolic precision where nothing ever goes unnoticed.

The end is completely unexpected: Sir Simon, after having presented his best wishes, invites everybody (i.e. 2000 people) to dance the “Conga”. He requests the whole hall to cry “Conga” with the orchestra at his demand. The encore starts, the singers and the choir descend into the audience and invite everybody to follow them in a terrific polonaise, which runs through all the levels of the Philharmonie. Sir Simon dances whilst conducting, covered in garlands, the orchestra plays standing and dances too – thus this concert ends in joy, frenzy and the absolute triumph of all the artists.

Such an evening, completely unexpected, would never have been possible without the evolution of an entirely rejuvenated orchestra. This development was instigated by Claudio Abbado during his twelve years in Berlin and the results are due to him. Never such an evening would have been possible beforehand. Claudio Abbado opened the doors and handed over to Sir Simon Rattle an orchestra ready for many new experiments. Since last autumn such experiments have started in primary schools in particular (for instance with a Le Sacre du Printemps given in the Berlin suburbs and danced by 200 pupils). Thus the evolution initiated by Claudio Abbado is confirmed: on the one hand Vienna with its great classical tradition, on the other hand Berlin with its enterprising tradition of modernism. Both extremes are necessary for the survival of music.

After the concert we went backstage to greet the conductor and the orchestra. All were very pleased to see the Abbadiani had come to this festive occasion. Sir Simon, very warm-hearted, remembered his encounter with a group of Abbadiani in Vienna and the photo which had been taken. He repeatedly expressed his wish to see the CAI often in Berlin. All the orchestra members we talked to were happy to see us and remembered with us the good time spent with Claudio Abbado. Our thoughts and his best wishes go to him, combined with the incredible impatience with which we all expect his next concerts in the same festive spirit which reigned in Berlin at this year’s end.