We're spending a week in Berlin, seeing the current Ring Cycle at the Staatsoper. An interesting production, with some very fine singing - but probably the best feature for me is the playing of the Staatskapelle: absolutely outstanding in every department.
But one thing occurred to me, as I take a day off music today (after Rheingold on Wednesday and Walküre last night, and with Siegfried and Götterdämmerung to follow tomorrow and Monday). There’s no rest for at least some of the orchestra: as if an entire Ring Cycle in under a week wasn’t a sufficient workout, tonight in the Philharmonie they’re playing, of all light pieces, Bruckner 8!! I know German orchestras tend to have a larger range of personnel than a British orchestra, but there are bound to be a fair few who are doing all the performances. Chapeau, as they say over the border…
But one thing occurred to me, as I take a day off music today (after Rheingold on Wednesday and Walküre last night, and with Siegfried and Götterdämmerung to follow tomorrow and Monday). There’s no rest for at least some of the orchestra: as if an entire Ring Cycle in under a week wasn’t a sufficient workout, tonight in the Philharmonie they’re playing, of all light pieces, Bruckner 8!! I know German orchestras tend to have a larger range of personnel than a British orchestra, but there are bound to be a fair few who are doing all the performances. Chapeau, as they say over the border…
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