Berliner Philharmoniker & Kirill Petrenko - Beethoven · Tchaikovsky · Schmidt · Stephan (2020) [Hi-Res]

In June 2015, the Berliner Philharmoniker elected Kirill Petrenko as their new chief conductor; he took up office a year ago. An exclusive edition now presents central recordings of this phase of anticipation and new beginnings. Performances of works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Franz Schmidt and Rudi Stephan reveal not only the first important programme directions, but also the exciting, intensive music-making in this partnership.

A “musical snapshot of the early collaboration between the Berliner Philharmoniker and myself, and at the same time the initial spark of our association”, as Kirill Petrenko describes the edition in the foreword. Three repertoire strands are outlined here which are also important for the future. First, there is the music of Russia, which Kirill Petrenko grew up with, and is represented here by Tchaikovsky’s Symphonies No. 5 and 6. These are performances in which not only the passion and power of these works unfold fully, but also their details and fine nuances.

Another of Kirill Petrenko’s interests is that of unjustly forgotten composers. As examples of this, the edition presents two composers on the cusp between late-Romanticism and Modernism: Rudi Stephan and Franz Schmidt. The latter’s Fourth Symphony is presented here: music full of sonority and pain and at the same time a favourite of Kirill Petrenko.

And then – as a cornerstone of the partnership – there is German-Austrian Classicism and Romanticism. The importance of this repertoire to Kirill Petrenko is demonstrated by the prominent place Ludwig van Beethoven occupied in his concerts to open the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, when the Seventh and Ninth Symphonies respectively were programmed. Both performances are also documented here.

The concert with Beethoven’s Ninth also marked the beginning of Kirill Petrenko’s tenure as chief conductor. The performance was not only a programmatic statement, but once again revealed the interpretative quality of this partnership. The Guardian wrote: “It was obvious why the orchestra wanted Petrenko. He has a gift for illuminating the innards of a score, […] his high-velocity Beethoven crackled with muscular rhythmic energy”.