"Blue Rhapsody" echoing in the forest
------Beijing Music Broadcasting once again successfully broadcast the Berlin Forest Concert (Text: Chen Xiaobin)
Chen Li, Chen Xiaobin and Pahud
Just like music-loving TV viewers who know the "Vienna New Year Concert", there are very few music-loving radio listeners in Beijing who don't know about the Berliner Woods Concert; last year, , the 2002 Berlin Wood Concert, the first live broadcast on Beijing Music Broadcasting, made millions of classical music fans know and love this lively, elegant and beautiful summer concert.
The Waldney Forest Theater is located in a dense natural forest on the outskirts of Berlin, the capital of Germany, near the Olympic Sports Center. It is an open-air performance venue that can accommodate 22,000 spectators. It is held here every summer. A large number of wonderful open-air concerts, and sometimes open-air movie screenings on weekends; each performance attracts a large number of audiences to watch, with an elegant environment integrated with nature, relaxed performance repertoire and casual and casual appreciation The atmosphere is very popular among the public, especially in the gentle summer breeze, listening to the chirping of birds in the forest, the whole family sitting together, tasting fine wine and delicacies, and listening to the fairy music of the world, it is naturally enjoyable; in the summer Among the music gatherings, the most popular one is of course the last relaxed concert held here every year by the world's top Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This is what we usually call the Forest Concert.
The Forest Concert has been held since 1984. Except for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which remains the same all year round, the conductors and artists participating in the performance change every year like a "revolving lantern" from the most famous performers from all over the world. Music masters take turns "ruling". Since every year's performance has a different theme, and with the participation of artists with different styles and characteristics, the performances of the Forest Concert are even more "splendid", and the number of tickets every year is also very high. Due to tight demand, tickets for performances scheduled for late June are often "sold out" in March and April; in order to allow Chinese music fans to experience this rare and wonderful music event simultaneously with the world, a live broadcast of the Sasha Music Festival was held Beijing Music Broadcasting, which has hosted major international music events such as the Ernstsburgh Music Festival, the Prague Spring Music Festival and the Grammy Awards Concert, through various efforts, sent a broadcast team for the first time in 2002 to live broadcast the grand event of the Forest Concert that year. There was a strong response among Chinese music fans. Many people wrote to us expressing their excitement after hearing the broadcast. They hope to hear such broadcast every year!
Chen Li and Chen Xiaobin are being broadcast
The theme of this year's forest concert is "Blue Rhapsody" night, and the works are all works by the American composer Gershwin; due to the famous The addition of conductor Seiji Ozawa and the "Marcus" Jazz Trio from the United States gave the performance more "spectacular points"; for this reason, Beijing Music Broadcasting began preparations for the broadcast of the concert in March this year. But since April, the sudden "SARS" epidemic has disrupted many of our scheduled work rhythms. Since many countries began to restrict the entry of Chinese people at that time, it is unclear whether the originally planned forest concert broadcast can be normal. The leaders of the music broadcasting and we also felt uncertain. With the idea of ??giving it a try, we sent a contact letter to the relevant departments of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the organizer of the Forest Concert. Unexpectedly: the orchestra They expressed their full support for the broadcast of the Forest Concert and did not waver at all because of SARS; at the same time, they also actively contacted RBB Berlin, the radio station that provided technical support for our broadcast last year. Mahler, the head of the radio station's technical department The husband immediately said to us humorously: We will continue to provide you with technical guarantees. You can come to Berlin with confidence and bring your equipment, as long as you don’t bring SARS! Germany’s strong cooperation has strengthened our confidence in broadcasting this year’s Forest Concert.
At the end of May, the "SARS" epidemic in Beijing was effectively controlled, and all work began to fully resume. The radio station leaders immediately thought of starting the important concert broadcast of our station as soon as possible, which is also dedicated to the fight against " The white warrior of SARS, the best music gift to millions of music lovers; at this time, preparations for the broadcast of the Forest Concert were officially launched. After "intensive" preparations, the Beijing Music Broadcasting 2003 Berlin Forest Concert broadcast team once again set foot on the stage. Got on the flight to Berlin; After arriving in Berlin, the broadcast team immediately rushed to the Waldtheater for routine line testing. The work of the German telecommunications department was as precise as last year, and our line testing went very smoothly;
The night before the performance, the broadcast team went to the Forest Theater as usual to watch the final rehearsal of the concert. When conductor Seiji Ozawa, members of the "Marcus" Jazz Trio and artists from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra took the stage , we finally heard the most innovative "Blue Rhapsody" for the first time; this Gershwin's most famous work was specially created by the composer for jazz piano and small orchestra. It is the composer himself. Therefore, Gershwin only briefly notated the piano part of the music, leaving a lot of room for the piano to improvise, just like the "cadenza" in the concerto. That's why there are always many differences in "Rhapsody in Blue" played by different pianists. The "Blue Rhapsody" in this year's forest concert is even more "different": the arranger handed over the piano part to a jazz band composed of piano, double bass and jazz drums. In this way, The "improvisation" element of the performance will be more prominent, and the orchestra will be a large-scale symphony orchestra. With such a lineup, it will definitely be a modern and lively "Blue Rhapsody". I am afraid this is also the case for this forest. Concerts can "create new" tricks. The other piece of the concert, "Piano Concerto in F major", was also produced in the same way. Such an innovative version made us feel "refreshing" when watching the rehearsal. In addition to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra that we are familiar with, the "Marcus" that we were exposed to for the first time "The jazz trio is impressive, especially the flexible and superb piano performance of blind pianist Marcus, which is even more "awe-inspiring". Master conductor Seiji Ozawa still uses his unique witty and humorous conducting style, making the atmosphere more lively; at the rehearsal site, the broadcast team happened to meet Pahud, the most outstanding contemporary flutist and current principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. When he heard that we were from the distant Beijing, he happily told us He expressed welcome and wished the broadcast a complete success. His easy-going and humility suddenly shortened the distance between us. We took photos with the stage as the background. We gained a lot from observing the rehearsal this night, and everyone was even more excited about the live broadcast the next day. Got it.
The author and Ozawa
June 29, local time, was the "official day" of the Forest Concert; after a short break at noon, the Beijing Music Broadcasting Team broadcast the event at 4 p.m. We arrived at the Forest Theater early and made final preparations before the broadcast according to our individual division of labor; this year our broadcast seats were located behind the auditorium in the theater, with lush trees above our heads and comfortable audiences all around, so we could clearly see what was happening in front of us. Panoramic view of the stage, next to colleagues from German RBB radio station, -------My role is slightly different from previous years: after completing the equipment debugging on the recording truck, Chen Li and I sat in front of the broadcast microphone , although we have hosted programs together for many years, this is the first time we have partnered in a live broadcast, and we can’t help but feel a little beat up in our hearts; but when we saw the wave of people created by the audience and the actors on stage before the performance, Infected by the warm and relaxed atmosphere, my mood began to relax; the broadcast started on time, and Chen Li and I's explanations also "got better". The performance on the stage and the atmosphere in the venue made us excited and excited. After the warm-up music of "An American in Paris", as the "Marcus" Jazz Trio took the stage, the melody of "Blue Rhapsody" echoed in the huge forest theater and floated among the surrounding dense trees. We were deeply intoxicated; thinking about the motherland thousands of miles away, so many music fans' ears were listening intently to the music from the forest, how eager they were to know what was going on at the scene! The two of us couldn't help but talk eloquently: We want to present everything we see, hear and feel here, together with the wonderful music, to the enthusiastic audience! Although we sometimes stumbled and were speechless in the excitement, the enthusiasm for "speaking" never faded. It was not until the enthusiastic applause and whistles at the end of the concert resounded over the forest that Chen Licai and I "awoke as if from a dream." "We looked at each other and smiled: Our broadcast was successful!
I photographed the masters in Berlin
------Remember to go to Germany to participate in the broadcast of the 2003 Berlin Forest Concert (text: Sun Kankan)
Master Ozawa signed a souvenir for the Beijing Music Station
The broadcast team was in the Waldney Theater
When Mr. Chen Xiaobin, the sound engineer of the Beijing Music Station, informed me that I would go to Germany as a member of the broadcast team When I attended the annual Berliner Wehrmacht concert in Berlin, I couldn't believe my ears. Although I am only responsible for on-site photography and real-time news reporting, I am still inexplicably excited to be able to attend such a famous concert in the world. After all, I am still a layman when it comes to classical music. It is not easy to listen to a movement honestly. But it was work after all, so while excited, I began to prepare relevant materials and information.
It was only then that I discovered that the Berlin Forest Concert was far more famous than I had imagined. It had a history of 19 years since its inception in 1984 and was the highlight of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual music season. The last performance took place at the Waldney Forest Theater in the suburbs of Berlin. Just imagine breathing the fresh air in a lush forest, accompanied by the sweet chirping of birds, and listening to famous movements performed by a first-class orchestra conducted by the world's top masters. Oh my gosh! I don’t know how many times in life there will be such a wonderful moment?
I still remember when I casually mentioned to my friend in his car that I was going to broadcast the Berlin Forest Concert, he subconsciously stepped on the brakes and parked the car on the side of the road with a suspicious look. Looking at me: "What? Where are you going?" I repeated: "Go to Berlin to watch the Forest Concert"! He looked helpless: "How can you let someone like you who doesn't understand classical music go to 'worship' the master? Are you going to watch the World Cup as a fake fan?" I looked at him blankly, confused. He is a clarinet teacher at the Wind Department of the Central Conservatory of Music. I learned from him that he has always dreamed of attending the Berlin Wood Concert. For him and his colleagues and classmates in a music school, having the opportunity to go to Germany to watch a performance by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is like pilgrims going to a pilgrimage site. So, with excitement and doubts in my heart, I felt a little more reverence for the performance of the Forest Concert.
The 11-hour long flight took me to our destination - Berlin. When I walked out of Berlin International Airport, the first thing I did was drop my luggage, open my arms, and breathe deeply, as if embracing the breath of the masters.
Along the way, there were blue skies and white clouds, European-style buildings, and high-density green oxygen bars. The classical FM of Radio Berlin was always playing in the car. They were some brisk concertos, accompanied by relaxed and beautiful melodies. Looking at the people strolling leisurely outside the window, I couldn’t help but feel happy. Everyone jumps up, and it turns out that classical music can flow freely in our lives. I accidentally remembered the program "Classics and Popularity" by Gu Yue of Beijing Music Station, and a smile appeared on my face.
The crowd of spectators
***Congratulations
Arriving at the performance site for the first time was just in time for the last rehearsal before the concert. The broadcast team The main work is to conduct line testing and take on-site pictures. Before going to the theater, we first came to the place where the master Karajan once "worked and fought" - the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Its architectural shape is very irregular. It is said that Karajan participated in the design. The yellow and unique structure contrasts with the blue sky and white clouds, giving it a particularly elegant atmosphere. Many huge posters of musicians and rare records are displayed in the orchestra's exhibition hall. The strong atmosphere of music filling the air makes people can't help but stand in awe of the talented performers who have worked here. In the rehearsal hall, my lens followed Seiji Ozawa, the conductor of this year's concert. He was constantly communicating with the performers, especially the focus of the concert, the blind pianist Marcus. The rehearsal atmosphere was very lively. Offstage, Ozawa made people feel cold and aloof, but once he stood on the podium, his witty movements and humorous language often attracted bursts of laughter. , which makes the rehearsal process easy.
After leaving the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, we took a bus to the Waldney Forest Theater. The theater is located in a dense forest, and the entrance is very tightly guarded. We could not drive our own car in, but had to transfer to a special vehicle in the venue to go through the forest path before reaching our broadcast truck. The German colleagues who had been waiting there for a long time were kind and kind, and soon the test line work was successfully completed. When I had some free time, I picked up my camera again and captured the forest theater in front of me.
The Waldney Theater is surrounded by green forests in the center. The two conical ceilings above the stage are like white sails wandering in the green ocean. The blue sky and white clouds serve as the background. When the shutter is pressed, the moment , I couldn’t tell whether I was taking a photo or painting a watercolor painting. The auditorium is basin-shaped, with 186 steps, 88 rows of seats, and 22,000 seats. I shuttled around the auditorium with my camera, trying to capture the wonderful moments during the rehearsal. I accidentally discovered that no matter where I went, the sound quality of the stage in the theater was surprisingly consistent. I was so amazed that I had to admire the first-class stage performance of the German sound engineers. Audio control level. Later I learned that because of this, the ticket prices for the concerts were exactly the same, and the audience could choose their favorite angle to listen to the masters' performances. However, since there is only one performance of the Forest Concert every year, people who have no chance to buy tickets can only come to watch the rehearsal, but what they see in their fascinated expressions is more happiness than regret.
Master Charm
Ozawa is also taking a rest
At this time, Teacher Chen Li waved to me to come over. When I got there, he pointed to not far away. , a young and handsome man was chatting with relatives and friends in his seat. It is not difficult to tell from his attire that he should be a member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Teacher Chen Li told me that he is the famous flutist Pahud, who is now the principal performer of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. I walked up to him with my camera and notebook. I originally thought that these talented artists were all arrogant and eccentric, but I didn’t expect that he readily accepted my offer after hearing my intention. He enthusiastically took photos with us and signed autographs as souvenirs. It was my first time to face such a humble and courteous foreign artist, which made me respect him even more.
The official performance of the 2003 Berlin Forest Concert was at 8:15 pm local time. It gets dark late in Berlin in the summer, and night falls only around 10 o'clock. Before 7 o'clock that day, many audiences arrived at the venue one after another carrying bags and baskets. This was completely different from the scene in China where people dress up for concerts. All the spectators were dressed as if they were going on an outing, wearing comfortable and casual clothes. They also brought various snacks with them, such as pizza, cheese sauce, beer, and Germans’ favorite sausages, as well as small items such as umbrellas, candles, and small fireworks. Be prepared too. Find an ideal seat, pour a glass of wine, and enjoy delicious food while waiting for the concert to begin. Before the performance even started, the audience started to stir up waves of people, led by someone unknown.
The most interesting thing is that when the wave of people passed by the stage side of the amphitheater, the musicians of the Philharmonic Orchestra who had just taken their seats also responded naturally, so that the atmosphere before the entire performance began to become lively, and it also added to the warmth. breath. At this moment, I deeply realized that music can not only be naturally integrated into life, but also an indispensable element in life.
Our broadcast team works at the entrance of conductor Seiji Ozawa, so I focused the camera on everything about him: getting off the car, walking into the lounge, and chatting with his wife. It was my first time to be so close to a master. In addition to being excited, I also asked Seiji Ozawa to sign the album for us on the bandstand. He was always humble and calm. It is difficult to think of such a master. The kind old man is about to stand on the stage and use that short stick to conquer our ears and our hearts.
With the appearance of Master Seiji Ozawa, the 2003 Berlin Wood Concert officially began. The audience’s applause pushed Ozawa to the podium. The theme of this concert was "A Night of Rhapsody in Blue", and the performance was Gershwin's works. It was performed by a large orchestra and included impromptu performances by three black American jazz bands. The scene was relaxed, humorous and unprecedented. Ozawa deserves to be regarded as a first-class conductor of the contemporary era. With the dancing of his hands, the orchestra was completely integrated into the passion. At this time, I turned to the back of the stage to take pictures of the master's front. The numerous foreign reporters holding various professional photographic equipment were dazzling. With my reverence and love for music, I did not hesitate to use my lens again. Aimed at the master. His eyes were bright, his expressions were alternately happy and sad, his movements were exaggerated, and his fluffy gray-white hair was particularly eye-catching. With such a close contact, the music penetrated into my ears like an elf with legs, soaking into my bone marrow with magic, making every pore in my body breathe the notes. When I close my eyes, I feel like I am immersed in the blue ocean, stretching as far as the eye can see. The exciting melody flies through my mind like a bird. It turns out that music can really touch our hearts across time and space.
Go from behind the stage to the front row of the auditorium. I moved lightly, for fear of disturbing the audience who were immersed in it. Even if you don't hear the live music, you can feel the excitement and joy that the music brings to them from each of their faces. At the end of each movement, everyone will stand up and applaud enthusiastically. The applause accompanied by the music echoes over the Waldney Theater for a long time. This feeling cannot be experienced in any open-air concert in China. , the baptism of the soul makes the classic melody stay in my heart for a long time.
However, the good times are always short-lived. As the finale ended, the continuous applause came to mind again, followed by cheers. No one left the venue, looking forward to the encore. Sure enough, Master Ozawa lived up to expectations and put down the flowers in his hands and waved his magical hands again. When the music started playing, the hearts of everyone in the theater were boiling, and the excitement in their hearts was completely ignited by these music masters! The last song "Berlin Empty?" has a brisk melody, and Seiji Ozawa kept turning his head to Everyone signaled to whistle along with the beat, so some audience members began to dance to the music, and fireworks were set off in the auditorium. Along with the rhythm of the music, there were five parts: music, whistles, applause, cheers, and birdsong. Combined together, I think this is the last movement of this concert. At this moment, I feel that the camera in my hand can express too much. The truly exciting moment and inner meditation cannot be recorded so simply. What's more, I seem to understand the spirituality of nature in the music. The vastness and endless changes of colors make me willing to be immersed in it like never before.
This is how my trip to Berlin ended with the shock of perceiving music. Everything it has given me is difficult to summarize and express in just a few words. Although I captured the moment of the performance, I am afraid that everything that real music can bring to you is still there. I want you to feel it in the music. For me, after experiencing such a baptism of music, my heart is filled with the desire for music. That desire is no longer about simple melody, but something deeper. Connotation and spiritual communication in expectation. As a member of the Beijing Music Station, I will also have the opportunity to take photos of the master, but next time I will dedicate him and his music to you in the picture.