Simon Rattle in rehearsal with Berlin school students

Free full-length video at http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/concert/57

The Berliner Philharmoniker have been holding School Orchestra Extravaganzas in the Philharmonie for more than ten years. In September 2008, young musicians from ten Berlin schools rehearsed works by Berlioz and Elgar with members of the orchestra. First of all, the different sections rehearse separately before coming together for a full orchestral rehearsal and performance conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

Hector Berlioz: Marche au supplice (March to the scaffold) from Symphonie fantastique / Edward Elgar: Variation IX (Adagio) »Nimrod« from Enigma Variations / Recorded in the Berlin Philharmonie, 27 September 2008.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Classical
• Rehearsal
• Simon Rattle
• Berlioz
• Symphonie fantastique
• Elgar
• Enigma Variations
• Nimrod
• Berliner Philharmoniker
• Berlin Philharmonic
• Berlin Phil
• BPO
• Orchestra
• Orchester

[TheKevinV08]

I'm pretty surprised. I thought Rattle was devoted to Berlin and music, but going all the way to learning German, and speaking it fluently, goes a long way in the world of music. Guess he has to speak it to communicate with the members of the Berlin Phil during rehearsals?!

[BerlinPhil]

@TheKevinV08 His rehearsals with the Berliner Philharmoniker are mostly held in English (also in the full-length version of this video he returns to his native language at some points).

[bassoonguy240]

were the bassoons playing?

[BerlinPhil]

@bassoonguy240 Yes, you can see them in the full-length video.

[imsleepyanddead]

11th notes? i should try that sometime ;)

[wwalker79]

As an instrumental music educator graduating this May in the U.S., I must say that Rattle is one of my greatest influences. I learn so much by just watching him !! He has given me much joy - hopefully one day I could enjoy a live performance !

[sebastianquilt]

@TheKevinV08 It's a condition of holding this great position. Granted, he was told 2 years before getting it, in 2002, and had to work at it for that time.

[MaxxUS08]

wow! Does the Berlin Phil allow the public to attend their normal rehearsals or was this a special occasion for the young orchestra? Price? Any chance the BPO rehearsals are available on the digital concert hall, complete with subtitles? One could learn quite a bit watching with some of these prominent conductors during a rehearsal!

[dahlia05hotmail]

I watched him work with schoolkids years ago, it was so inspiring.

[georgebutler3rd]

@TheKevinV08 I don't know about Maestro Rattle's language skills pre-Berlin, but it's not uncommon for conducting students--like singers--to learn German, Italian, and French; maybe even a little Russian. As for communicating with an orchestra (or a business team), at least attempting to use the local language goes a long way in making a connection, and making a connection is what good teaching is about. (If they don't like you, they are not going to listen to you.)

[carlos10571]

Awesome stuff!

[xaviqaz]

@changjiang001 I think Abbado is fluent in german

[misi1979]

I want to be an orchestra member,with a conductor,like sir Simon Rattle.....respect!

[changjiang001]

@BerlinPhil How is Abbado's German? Does he always use German in rehearsals?