Berliner Philharmoniker: No replacement for Simon Rattle – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Hours of discussions behind closed doors – and then no result: The Berliner Philharmoniker can not agree in finding a new chief conductor. To 22 clock announces orchestra chairman Peter Riegelbauer on Monday the surprising failure of the election. Now the orchestra wants to try again within a year and find a successor for Simon Rattle, who has extended his contract not be renewed on the 2018.

Although emphasizes Riegelbauer at the end of the nearly twelve-hour long orchestral meeting, the discussions did not produce results in “friendly, collegial atmosphere”. But much will also: There are deep differences of opinion and a factional dispute among the 124 musicians. This can also hinted Riegelbauer when he speaks of “fundamentally different positions.” You’ve also talked about names, he says. “Of course we had a number of candidates that have been drawn in the tight election – and will continue to be discussed,” says the bassist.

Where the crack runs exactly, can only be guessed. After more than ten years, a part of the elite ensemble wants a new vision for the Philharmonic. Programs for cultural distant youth, a “Digital Concert Hall” for streaming music, the orchestra live in the cinema – the publicly funded Philharmonic are indeed arrived in the 21st century, but some are missing a clear artistic profile

<. b> a jack or a Maestro in honor

Again and again, there was internal criticism of Rattle’s programs, which are wide-ranging indeed, but the characteristic symphonic music of the 19th century and for the Philharmonic neglect sound

Whether you are young or a bit set, energetic or deliberately, a jack or a Maestro in honor -. In recent weeks, all possible candidates for the most coveted job in the classical world had come into play.

From Gustavo Dudamel, the young star from Venezuela, via Christian Thielemann, the former Karajan Wizard and current orchestra conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden, Andris Nelsons, the Latvian whiz with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, to Daniel Barenboim from the Berlin State Opera – whose name is fixed at the end of the position, which will also provide information about how the elite orchestra will continue to develop.

Klopp, Weselsky or James load to make it

That’s why is so interesting for traditionalists Thielemann. A strong flow favors the native Berliner. The former Karajan Wizard is considered a conservative with a strong penchant for late-romantic German repertoire and composers such as Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss. In contrast, many see Thielemann’s repertoire to be too limited, do not like his political stance, which he expressed as in recent interviews and newspaper articles to Pegida.

The 36-year-old Nelson, who was also repeatedly mentioned as a favorite, is considered to experiment innovator. But are too diffuse to date his musical ideas. One dilemma is that while there is a whole team of young conductors are, however, candidates are few and far between in the middle vintages. These include Riccardo Chailly (62), head of the Leipzig Gewandhaus and at La Scala.

On Twitter was #berlinerphilharmoniker on Monday to a top trend. Many were amused by the long wait and brought the name of football coach Jürgen Klopp about GDL boss Claus Weselsky to bandleader James Last into play. “Karajan, come down!” Tweeted a user.