# Daniel Barenboim Concert for people from the GDR 1989



## Templeton (Dec 20, 2014)

I only recently learned of this concert, the details of which are outlined below (Taken from Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall)

_It was Sunday, 12 November 1989, and the whole of Berlin was celebrating: Following the 9th of November when Günter Schabowski, then spokesperson of the SED Central Committee, misread the new travel regulations for GDR citizens at a press conference and the border crossings subsequently opened that midnight, there was no holding back the people in both the East and West of the city. Three West Berlin cultural institutions spontaneously decided to give a special welcome to their neighbours from the East that Sunday: A rock concert was held in the Deutschlandhalle, Deutsche Oper quickly organised an additional performance of the Magic Flute, and the Berliner Philharmoniker, together with the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim who had just recorded Mozart's Così fan tutte with the orchestra, decided to give a free special concert for the visitors from the GDR.

A symbolic concert

News about this concert spread like wildfire. A long queue formed outside the Philharmonie. Many people had spent the night in their cars and waited for hours for the box office to open. Right up to the last standing places, the coveted tickets were all taken in a very short time. The programme included two works by Ludwig van Beethoven: the First Piano Concerto and the Seventh Symphony. "Beethoven's music, in any case more enhancing and fitting for the historic occasion than any other, gained new significance. Its elemental power, which includes the political, was experienced anew by musicians and audience alike," wrote the critic Hans-Jörg von Jena. Everyone was moved to tears by the concert. Even today, the musicians remember the overwhelming emotions that made their playing so special, touching and exciting. For many, it remains "the concert" of their careers. Big changes were coming, not only politically, but also artistically: after the death of Herbert von Karajan, an era had come to an end, and the new chief conductor, Claudio Abbado was already chosen, but had not yet taken up his post. So there were new beginnings on several levels.
_​
I can vividly recall the Leonard Bernstein performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the following month but don't recall this at all. Do others on the forum recall it and what were their impressions and memories of the occasion?

I recently ordered the DVD and CD recordings of the occasion and based upon the edited highlights on the BPO's Digital Concert Hall, it looks to have been a stunning performance. Can't wait to receive the full versions. Here's a link to the preview on the BPO site:

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/22093


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## Templeton (Dec 20, 2014)

Actually, I have just realised, after watching further footage, that I did see parts of this concert, at the time, possibly as a news item. One of my iconic memories of the time is of a young woman, in tears, as she listened to a concert performance. I had always assumed that it was the Bernstein performance that I recalled but, in fact it was definitely this one. I am so happy to have rediscovered it and doubly happy that it was Beethoven's 7th, my favourite piece of all. Back then, my knowledge of classical was very limited, hence the false memory syndrome.

Looks like I am not the only one, however, to have little knowledge of the occasion. What a pity. Hopefully this post will give others similar pleasure to that, which I have experienced at uncovering this iconic performance. Together, with the Bernstein and Rafael Kubelik performance of Ma Vlast, in Prague, in 1990, I cannot imagine a more uplifting and moving way to recall such a momentous period in history.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I remember that the saying about the DDR people who came over that week was: "They came, they saw, they did a little shopping."
25 years on, it is nice to see that German Integration has largely been successful and hasn't stressed the International Political Order. At the time, some feared it, seeing as how the previous track record of a Unified Germany was a little suspect
after the Franco-Prussian War and WWi and II.


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