Sir Simon Rattle announces the 2011/12 season of the Berliner Philharmoniker

[1963amw]

I must say that I find it sad that his little side jokes are not understood. He is so typically English with his irony and self deprecation - he really is lovely and thank you to berlinphil for giving us the chance to hear what the next season will bring

[mikabrains]

another exciting season- nice to see seasoned conductors- barenboim and bychkov take on English music. If only American orchestras could program like this. Also I dont understand why some Germans complain about the press conference being in English. The same problem bedeviled Kent Nagano in Munich; timeless music is after all, rather international;

[Y2H]

The english are MODEST?!!!!!!! Are you frickin’ kidding me?!!!

[MrPoupard]

Oh. Almost forgot to mention. At the press conference by remarkable coincidence Sir Simon mentions the name of Donald Runnicles, the PRESENT conductor of the very same BBC SSO!

[khi590]

I like to hear the program of Philharmonics in Youtube in English - would be interesting to know how many international listeners watch and listen via digital concert hall - music is international and communication on an international platform should be understandable to the majority (formerly it was Latin as international link)

[MrPoupard]

Ich bin Schotte und dann ich bin sehr zufrieden das Herr Rattle hat Englisch gesprochen (es tut mir leid ich spreche nur ein weniig Deutsche. Ein anderes Ding. Ich errinere mich ihn als "Assistant conductor" meines ortlichen Orchester im Alter von nur 20 jahre!

[khi590]

@MrPoupard Funny to hear that Sir Rattle was an *assistant* once - he is flying so high above mundane procedures meanwhile

[MrPoupard]

@khi590 Yes believe it or not he was only 19 or 20 years old I when appointed Assistant to Karl Anton Rickenbacher (yeh - who he?) of the BBC SSO based in Glasgow which was then an incredible achievment for such a young person. The orchestra used to play out of its skin for him. Somewhere in the BBC Scotland vaults is a live recording of Rite of Spring which he conducted with the SSO circa 1979 which tells everything about his relationship he acheived with that band even at such a tender age.

[khi590]

@MrPoupard Thanks for these interesting historical details-isn*t it good you and we must not miss him too much as we can listen to Philharmonics together via mdedia as e.g. internet (its rather hard to get tickets for the Philharmonia in Berlin itself)....

[MrPoupard]

@khi590 The power of the Internet!

[bloedohneleerzeilen]

Englisch ist die Sprache der Welt. Die Berliner Philharmoniker sind ein Orchester der Welt. Deswegen ist es gut, wenn Sir Simon Englisch spricht.

[cpthornman]

I wish more orchestras in America would have press conferences like this. Oh yeah that's right no one cares about that stuff here. On a less frustrating note...Wow! What a season he has planned!! I can't wait!!

[wienerfan]

The Berliner Philharmoniker is not just a German orchestra, it is an orchestra of the world, for the world. Since English is the international language, and possibly because it is the language that Sir Simon is most comfortable with, I think it is quite correct that the conference be in English. Subtitles in German would be welcome.

[dahlia05hotmail]

This press conference was held for an international audience, so what's wrong with him talking in English?

[derBeleuchter]

Nach so langer Zeit in Berlin wäre eine Pressekonferenz auf Deutsch doch langsam mal angebracht...

Kann mir vorstellen, dass viele Stammzuschauer kein Englisch beherrschen

[EdwardWhelanPiano]

@derBeleuchter, Englisch ist die Sprache des Geldes.

[Forellensolo]

Warum genau spricht er Englisch auf der Konferenz eines deutschen Orchesters?

[BerlinPhil]

@Forellensolo Wegen der Komplexität eines solchen Saisonüberblicks hat es sich als sinnvoll erwiesen, wenn Sir Simon diesen Teil der Pressekonferenz in seiner Muttersprache vorträgt – dies auch als Service an die anwesende internationale Presse. Fragen an ihn durften selbstverständlich auf Deutsch gestellt werden, und auch die übrigen Ausführungen des Intendanten und der Orchestervertreter waren in deutscher Sprache.

[ThePanpan7]

Wish I could live in Berlin.. Keep up the good work:)

[sebastianrc]

Beethoven 9th please!!!

[elgarian497]

A really excellent season, really looking forward to watching most of it at the Digital Concert Hall! Especially looking forward to all the Elgar, and Strauss Heldenleben and Wagner Walkure! And of course the finish of the Mahler cycle!