Prom 64: Berlin Philharmonic, Sir Simon Rattle, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky

Rattle made his reputation as one of the outstanding creative maestros of his generation as conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and once he had rescued that orchestra from provincial obscurity and established it as a world-class ensemble, he was bound to secure one of the most prestigious orchestral posts. And the Berlin Philharmonic has for many years been considered to be simply the best orchestra in the world.

Since arriving in 2002, Rattle has massaged the Berlin Phil’s famously glistening sound, and refined its focus to a bleeding edge, by modernising both its repertoire, with a much wider range of contemporary and non-German music, and working methods, inviting women to play, and including many more younger musicians. This Russian programme marks a refreshing change from a Proms season heavy in German Romanticism, but the two pieces balance each other attractively. Rachmaninov’s lush  Symphonic Dances and Stravinsky’s miraculously pointed Firebird Suite are both alive with vibrant Russian folk melody, but whereas the Rachmaninov is still warm and lush with Romanticism, Stravinsky is in the process, with Firebird, of creating the sharp angles and dissonant textures of Modernism. 

Sir Simon and his Berlin band often sell out years in advance, so these are tickets to book the minute booking opens on 17th May.