After Fall 2015 dates with the Boston Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra, Maestro Christoph von Dohnányi returned to North America this month, leading the New York Philharmonic in the Brahms Requiem:
“Mr. Dohnanyi, looking hale at 85, almost seemed at times to be playing an organ, pulling this or that stop to shift colorations seamlessly and blend sonorities smoothly.
His pacing was everywhere persuasive, and it paid special dividends in the second movement, ‘Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras’ (‘For all flesh is as grass’). As Mr. Dohnanyi built to the two explosive climaxes — inexorably but without speeding up, everything in its own good time — the restraint was palpable, almost painful…The orchestra, obviously well rehearsed for a short program, responded superbly to Mr. Dohnanyi’s vigorous direction.
“This performance is indeed an occasion, and not to be missed.” – James R. Oestreich, The New York Times, March 4, 2016.
Looking forward, Dohnányi returns to the Chicago Symphony for two weeks of subscription concerts in June, in two all Mozart and Beethoven programs. He leads the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood in July, with a program of Ives, Strauss, and Tchaikovsky with Renée Fleming, and returns to lead the closing Beethoven 9 concert at the end of August.
Next season, Dohnányi’s US dates include subscription weeks with the Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Chicago symphony orchestras.
In the video below, Christoph von Dohnányi in conversation with Tom Service, celebrating the 70th Birthday of the Philharmonia Orchestra in December 2015, where Dohnányi is Honorary Conductor for Life.