Berlin plays Wagner tunes for Barenboim’s 80th
NewsThe leitmotiv is bit odd but the interleaved themes are all Wagner, with a Beethoven finale.
The German president has sent personal greetings.
We wish Daniel many happy returns – and soon.
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Till Eulenspiegel added a mischievous twist: brilliant. The vocal finale was heartwarming. Happy birthday to the great musician.
I don’t really associate Barenboim with Strauss, except maybe for his Four Last Songs with…Netrebko.
Or did I miss something?
Quite simply, Till Eulenspiegel is one of his personal all-time favorites!
Sure, arguably Strauss is not a focal point in Barenboim’s career.
The insertion of a Till Eulenspiegel snippett (0:52-0:58) lightens up the mood. I hear it as a reference to the jubillee’s inner child: it’s not all pomp and circumstance.
That same recording also features his conducting Ein Heldenleben. He also recorded the Alpine Symphony with Chicago, and Berlin’s Digital Concert Hall has videos of him conducting Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan. I’m sure there are plenty of others I’m forgetting…
Not only some of the major tone poems with the Chicago Symphony (including a decent but not quite wonderful “Alpensinfonie”), there’s the “Elektra” with Deborah Polaski, Waltraud Meier, Assendro Marc, Johan Botha (fabulous!) and Falk Struckmann.
Yes Gustavo, you actually missed quite a lot.
Daniel Barenboim has been performing Richard Strauss time and again (this list is not exhaustive):
– Le bourgeois gentilhomme
– Oboe Concerto (Neil Black)
with the English Chamber Orchestra
– Don Juan
– Don Quixote (Sharp, Pikler)
– Till Eulenspiegel
– Ein Heldenleben
– Eine Alpensinfonie
– Die Frau ohne Schatten (Symphonische Fantasie)
– Wind Concertos (Clevenger, Combs, Klein, McGill)
– Elektra (Polaski, Marc, Priew, Struckmann, King, 1995)
with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
– Oboe Concerto (Cristina Gómez Godoy)
– Don Quixote (Manasherov, Soltani)
with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
– Burleske (piano Daniel Barenboim, conductor Zubin Mehta)
– Don Juan
– Till Eulenspiegel
with the Berliner Philharmoniker
– Ein Heldenleben
– Vier Letzte Lieder (Netrebko)
– Elektra (Polaski, Meier, Marc, Botha, Struckmann, Staatsopernchor, 1995)
– Elektra (Herlitzius, Pieczonka, Meier, Studer, Rügamer, Volle, Staatsopernchor, 2016; Patrice Chéreau’s last work for an opera house)
with the Staatskapelle Berlin
Cäcilie (Anna Netrebko, piano Daniel Barenboim)
Clever.
The Bavarian Richard is to be heard in there too.
Leidmotif
Leitmotif, no Leiden hopefully.
Yes I was about to post his beloved orchestra’s birthday greeting showing such love and respect for their unique and wonderful Maestro! Menahem Pressler and I are joining in wishing him good health and continued music making till 120
Definitely the top Happy Birthday rendition I’ve heard. So fun! Hoping Maestro Barenboim has a wonderful celebration.
Absolutely wonderful!!