– Daniel Barenboim conducts the Berlin Staatskapelle – Sept. 4, 2015 – RBB Berlin –
Daniel Barenboim this week. The iconic Pianist-Conductor, who has been a household name for decades leads the Berlin Staatskapelle orchestra in music of Arnold Schoenberg and Sir Edward Elgar.
There are only two works in this 80+ minute concert, recorded in Bonn on September 4th of 2015, by RBB Radio Berlin.
Coming to worldwide prominence as a virtuoso pianist in the late 1950s, Barenboim started his career at the age of 7 with a concert in his hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 19th 1950. In 1952 the family moved to Israel and shortly after that, in 1954, the young Barenboim was taken to Salzburg Austria where he met and played for the great Wilhelm Furtwaengler. He gave his International Piano debut in 1952, and shortly after that, began his recording career.
In 1966, Barenboim made his debut as a Conductor, leading the English Chamber Orchestra. Ever since, he’s been dividing his time between Conducting and playing Piano.
Shortly after his recording debut, he met and married the cellist Jacqueline DuPrè in 1967, and embarked on a series of memorable concerts, not only with her, but with Pinchas Zuckerman and Itzhak Perlman, which also resulted in a series of milestone recordings for EMI.
In 1992, Barenboim became music director of the Berlin State Opera and the Staatskapelle Berlin, succeeding in maintaining the independent status of the State Opera. He has tried to maintain the orchestra’s traditional sound and style. In autumn 2000 he was made conductor for life of the Staatskapelle Berlin.
This concert features Daniel Barenboim leading a varied program, beginning with the Variations for Orchestra by Arnold Schoenberg and the Symphony Number 1 by Sir Edward Elgar. The concert was recorded in the Beethoven Festival hall in Bonn.
Certainly qualifies as Mid-Week Anti-Road Rage music featuring an orchestra I haven’t run in several years.
Good band – good music – good times. Crank it up and relax.
