Best of the Web This Week

The season opening concert by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra  at the Philharmonie in Berlin was superb in every  way.  My listening experience via the Digital Concert Hall was equally superb.  The DHC virtually puts you on stage with the orchestra, and you become intimately involved with the performers and their performance.  The principle conductor of the BPO is Sir Simon Rattle, and he was at his animated best.  Unlike many composers, he does not use a podium, nor does he simply count the musical time.  He stands within the semicircle of the orchestra and literally draws the performance from the musicians and their instruments.  His facial expressions alone are worth the price of admission.  I enjoyed the concert immensely and would recommend attendance at any of their concerts via the DHC to any and everyone that has even just a remote interest in classical music or is a die hard fan such as I. 

I collected just over a thousand photographs this week and from that number have sifted, sorted and selected 80 of the finest examples of art in the male form for your inspection and admiration on a slow scroll down the screen.  For your Saturday Musical Moment, I could not bring you footage of yesterday's performance from Berlin (although it will be available in the Archives of the DHC later this week).  Rather instead, I have recreated the all Mozart Program of the 2013-14 Season Opening Concert by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with these three classic performances. The first is this 1944 performance of Symphony Number 39 in E Flat Major with Wilhelm Furtwangler at the podium. Next is my favorite by Mozart, Symphony Number 40 in G Minor in a live 1957 performance recorded in Salzburg with George Szell conducting. The finale is this 1956 performance of Symphony Number 41 in C Major, "Jupiter" with Herbert von Karajan conducting.  Thanks for sharing a part of your weekend with me here at Nichevo, see you again come Monday.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!