For classical music lovers

[Skybird]

The Berlin Philharmonics are not the first to do it, but now that they have embarked on the idea, nobody does it as big as they plan to do. Since the time of Karajan, it is the only symphonic orchestra in germany that is fully self-governed by the musicians, which gives them unique legal options in negotiating business contracts with stage companies and record companies. And now they jump onto the internet waggon, and do so with force and determination. From now on, almost all of their concerts can be booked for live streaming onto the registered user's PC. It is possible to visit the concert hall of the famous (and accoustically spectacular good) Berlin Philharmonia and follow the concert live while it is performed, or to access the archive and "visit" any concert of the past that was recorded in the new technological standard, with six digital cameras from seats inside the hall, amongst the places of the audience. The price per concert is around 10 Euros, I think, and an abonnement for the whole season and unlimited access to the archive for that year (being able to run a concert more than once) is around 150 euros. Except those special concerts which already are legally owned by german TV (special concerts given at special holidays like New Year's Eves for example), all regular season concerts from now on should be available to the internet listener this way.


http://dch.berliner-philharmoniker.de/#/en/tour/
http://dch.berliner-philharmoniker.de/#/en/

German:
http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/
http://www.welt.de/kultur/article289...html?print=yes

Run the stream test here at the highest transfer rate possible on your system to get an impression. Switch to full screen mode.

Since they just have started, do not expect the archive to be full already.

Needless to say their record company partners are not happy. But as I said, their special legal status gives this orchestra possibilities other orchestras do not have.

The Berlin Philharmonics are not a bad orchestra, in no way they are, but they are not as good anymore as they were under Karajan. Consider them to be amongst the international top group, but not being the top anymore. Their current chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle imo is in parts responsible for this, being more clever in selling himself and doing publicity-drunk experiments than being a really great conductor (which he isn't at all). However, you have a very good, solid and competent orchestra here. If the program is to your liking, this internet offer might be of interest to you. I will certainly try it once an interesting program is on schedule.

P.S. If you like music events and ever are in Berlin, don't miss to visit the Philharmonia. As said, it's accoustics are spectacular, and the architecture is fascinating. You probably will not easily see a concert hall of that size again where people can get in and out as quickly as here. It's a great building for doing music, really. - Do NOT get tickets for the first rows, though, sit somewhere in the middle, and centred, if possible. The sound tends to become the better the more away you are from the frontal rows.