Berliner Philharmonie

On.the.Road

Traveling might be influenced by various factors when deciding on a destination. One such place I visited without knowing anything about it was the Berliner Philharmonie, solely based on the architect's phrase that it's 'a place centered around music.' The venue, designed by Hans Scharoun, has been the home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, one of history's greatest conductors, the Austrian-born conductor Karajan, who acted as conductor for 35 years. The building itself is also a photogenic structure, reminding visitors of a circus tent from the front entrance, hence it was also called Karajan's circus. Currently, it is not operational due to renovation work, but the interior can be toured with a guide. The concert hall has a vineyard-style seating structure, reminiscing the amphitheaters from Greek and Roman times. In South Korea, the Lotte Concert Hall is structured in this way, but the Berlin Philharmonie was the first in the world to implement this design, intending to create a space where the audience and performers could breathe together. I had the chance to attend the 35th-anniversary concert of the Berlin Phil's 12 cellists ensemble here. Just by asking 'do you have any tickets?' I was able to purchase a 15 euro seat. The seat was at the very top of the auditorium, on a makeshift chair in the aisle, but being there was thrilling enough. The cello is an instrument capable of covering a wide range from low to high tones. Hence, when gathered, these instruments can substitute for the instruments of a string quartet. The ensemble of 12 members who handle such instruments started in 1972 and has continued its tradition until now. The most memorable part of that day's repertoire was Piazzolla's Tango. The ensemble, consisting of members who possess both soloist and orchestral skills, was truly magnificent, and the concert hall was a beautiful place. Above all, tears were unavoidable when the original members, the Papas, appeared on stage during the curtain call. Perhaps since that day, whenever I decide to travel, I look up what performances are available in that city. Unfortunately, Berlin has now become a city too far away, but given the chance to visit again, the first thing I would check is the Berlin Philharmonie's performance schedule.