EUROPAKONZERT 16

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto; Brustad: Veslefrikk;

Grieg: Evening in the Mountains Vilde Frang (violin); Berlin Philharmonic/ Sir Simon Rattle

Euroarts DVD: 2061488; Blu-ray: 2061484 93 mins

Every year the Berlin Philharmonic marks its birthday (1 May 1892) with a concert. In 2016 the worldrenowned orchestra headed to Norway for the occasion – to the town of Røros, where there’s a light, airy Baroque church whose interior, with its balcony tiers above the pews, is rather reminiscent of a small theatre. It’s an appealing backdrop on this rather strangely filmed DVD, which intercuts more traditional close-up and overhead shots of the musicians and orchestra with a roaming camera that stalks up and down the central aisle and zooms in on the performers in rather alarming fashion. But, that aside, this is a gorgeous programme, richly performed. Mendelssohn and Beethoven are at its core, but the Berlin Philharmonic makes a small nod to its Norwegian hosts in the form of Grieg’s Evening in the Mountains (from his Lyric Pieces).

This technically impeccable and radiant performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto was actually Vilde Frang’s debut with the orchestra, and she seems right at home. Every interesting detail is drawn out of the score, her freshness