Boulez and Barenboim conduct the Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in Schoenberg, Webern, Boulez, Wagner and Beethoven
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim, Conductor
Carnegie Hall, January 15, 2010
Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"
Wagner, Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Schoenberg, Variations for Orchestra, Op. 31
Encore: J. Strauss Jr., Unter Donner und Blitz, Op. 324
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, Conductor
Daniel Barenboim, Piano
Carnegie Hall, January 16, 2010
Schoenberg, Chamber Symphony No. 2, Op. 38
Schoenberg, Piano Concerto, Op. 42
Webern, Six Pieces, Op. 6
Mahler, Adagio from Symphony No. 10 in F-sharp Major
Encore (after piano concerto): Schubert, Impromptu in A-flat Major, D. 935, No. 2
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim, Conductor
Carnegie Hall, January 17, 2010
Schoenberg, Five Pieces for Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, Notations I, II, III, IV and VII
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5
Schoenberg and his two most famous pupils, Webern and Berg, appear to be everywhere this season, receiving the most polished performances by the most distinguished musicians and ensembles. This is a somewhat absurd understatement when one speaks of the likes of Sir Simon Rattle, Peter Serkin, Alan Gilbert, John Harbison, David Hoose, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, and, soon, James Levine, but polish and musicianly mastery are the bare minimum for this uncompromising music, which is difficult for the players and, at least by reputation, for the audience. It is important to realize, however, that once performances are as plentiful and as excellent as they have been in New York and Boston over the past few months, the difficulty for the listener seems miraculously diminished. I'm sure all of these conductors have given serious thought to making this body of great works accessible and appealing to concert-goers, and all of these performances have been eminently accessible, with no trace the smoothing-over or dumbing-down.

