The Argentinian-Israeli pianist, conductor, current director of Berlin’s State Opera and the first person in the world to hold both Israeli and Palestinian passports, brings his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and Beethoven to Waldbuhne. Not to be missed.
[audio:Jacqueline du Pre_Daniel Barenboim – Cello Sonata No1 in F i Adagio.mp3]Founded in 1999 by Barenboim and the late Palestinian-America Academic Edward Said, the West Eastern Divan Orchestra is comprised of players from the Middle East, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanese, Palestine Syrian and Spanish and is named after an anthology of poems by Goethe.
Despite the obvious geo-political implications of the ensemble, Barenboim insists rather that the Divan was conceived as ‘a project against ignorance. A project against the fact that it is absolutely essential for people to get to know the other, to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it… a platform where two sides can disagree and not resort to knives.’ One musician called it a ‘human laboratory that can express to the whole world how to cope with each other.’
Barenboim on the West-Eastern Divan
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=8VsNJ6ITE64&feature=youtu.be
But lets not forget about the music. Under Barenboim’s baton, the Divan will be performing the terrifically loud and exhilarating final two Symphonies of Beethoven. Reffered to by by the composr as ‘my little symphony in F’, the 8th is in fact relatively lighthearted for Beethoven but certainly not lightweight!
The 9th is largely considered to be his masterpiece, indeed it the Ode to Joy chorus is one of the most well known melodies in musical history! Heavyweight stuff! The performance will be held outside in Waldbuhne’s special amphitheater. Dont miss it!
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Daniel Barenboim | West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
Sunday, 21 August 2011 | CET 19:00
Waldbühne | Glockenturmstraße 1 | 14053 Berlin/Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Daniel Barenboim | Waldbühne | West Eastern Divan
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