A death in the Berlin Philharmonic

A death in the Berlin Philharmonic

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norman lebrecht

August 01, 2019

The orchestra has posted notice of the death, ‘after a severe illness, of Christian Stadelmann, leader of the second violins. He was 60 years old.

A Berliner by birth, student of the former concertmaster Thomas Brandis, Christian joined the Berlin Phil under Herbert von Karajan in 1985 and was made leader of his section two years later. He taught in the Karajan Academy from 2002. An active chamber musician, he founded the Philharmonia Quartet and the Vincent Trio. From 1991 he was a member of the orchestra’s advisory Council of Five.

Our condolences to his family and friends.


Photo: Sebastian Hänel

Comments

  • Bernard Caplan says:

    How sad to read this & far too young. I watched him doing a masterclass of the first violin part of Strauss’s Don Juan (bearing in mind he was principal second in the BPO).
    This left a lasting impression & I came away with the feeling that he could just as well have been the Konzertmeister, so brilliant was his playing by way of demonstration.
    May his soul Rest In Peace.

  • Axl says:

    This news was made me very sad! For me he was one of “The Faces of the Berlin Philharmonic”. RIP Christian Stadelmann and thank you for all these years!

  • MacroV says:

    How sad. I’ve been watching him for years on the DCH and Berlin Phil videos. He just seemed to embody the greatness and spirit of the orchestra.

  • Chris says:

    This is indeed sad news. I too have seen this gentleman many times, mostly in DCH performances. I played principal 2nd violin (at a considerably lower level than that of the BPO) and know what it takes to sit in that chair. And to pass away so young. RIP

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