Has anyone experienced the Elbphilharmonie hall yet?

[Musicophile]

I've only been to the open lobby, called Plaza. I just love the place. If you are in Hamburg, it is a must see.

 

The chances of anybody actually having attended a concert are very slim since the concerts started only 3 days ago (and tickets are sold out until summer).

 

I have tickets for end of March and am very much looking forward to that.

 

The very first recording ever made there was just released right now. It is the Elbphilharmonie orchestra (formerly know as NDR Sinfonieorchester) lead by the talented Thomas Hengelbrock, playing, very obviously the most famous local composer, Brahms 3 & 4. I just listened to it this afternoon on Qobuz. Quite a nice recording actually.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[Musicophile]

Here's an impressive video made with some drones:

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[Musicophile]

The reviews I've seen so far claim that the acoustics are excellent.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[Musicophile]

rodrigaj:

Thank you very much indeed for letting me to know such an impressive auditorium.

I've been watching and listening to the videos in YouTube. Although the sonic quality is limited in that medium (so no conclussions about hall acoustics), one thing is very evident for me: sadly the NDR Simphonieorchester plays now quite below the musical level it had when conducted by, for example, Günter Wand. A comparison with videos of the Berliner Philarmoniker conducted by various maestros (Karajan, Rattle, Levine, Janssons, etc) makes the NDR SO bite the dust, no matter if the concert hall is out of this world.

I'm affraid that quite a lot of an orchestra's performance relays in the misterious art of conducting.

 

VenturaRV

 

The NDR never was an orchestra that was at the same level than let's say the BPO, even in the Wand days. Wand just really worked his magic (and I've seen him live with this orchestra several times).

.

[Musicophile]

I agree with you.

So, let's compare the NDR SO with itself: now and before.

The result will be quite the same, as far as I can see and hear HOW the musicians play.

A clue: find out how many times they look to their scores and how frequently look to the conductor.

 

VenturaRV

You may be right. In the last 20 years, in the region Bremen under Paavo Järvi developed much better than the Hamburg orchestra.

[Musicophile]

So, I finally made it there. Here's my review of the concert I saw there last Sunday, including some pictures.

 

And yes, the acoustics are impressive.

 

https://wordpress.com/post/musicophilesblog.com/6224

[Musicophile]

1 hour ago, crenca said:

 

Musicophile, I think you meant to post the link like this:

 

https://musicophilesblog.com/2017/03/27/first-time-at-the-elbphilharmonie-finally-xavier-de-maistres-harp-spectacle/

Indeed thanks.