Violins for German orchestra as English repertoire falls flat
AN ORCHESTRA in Germany specialising in “an English sound” has collapsed without playing a single concert because locals disliked the music.
The British German Philharmonic Orchestra, based in the spa town of Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, and launched with the support of Homburg City Hall, was forced to cancel its forthcoming performances due to a lack of appeal “because the Germans are not interested in British music”.
The group was created by Marius Beckmann, 24, with the aim of enriching the German orchestra landscape with a young, dynamic orchestra through an “English” ensemble.
However, the group was forced to announce its dissolution after being unable to find musicians.
Mr Beckmann said: “The orchestra does no longer exist, because the Germans are not interested in British music. Especially the musicians.
“In my personal opinion, English music is very hardgoing in Germany. There are musicians who are not interested in learning new music and play just what their teacher taught them.
“They do not know that good modern music exists. The Germans are thinking only ‘how much of money I get for this concert’.
“In Germany, the government leads the music culture, I think we need new, interesting music. Music must be a free economy.”
The orchestra was created in October and got off to a promising start with the support of the local cultural office, which said the venture “offered the audience something new.”
However, its first concert
‘There are musicians who play just what their teacher taught them’
did not take place in February as planned, after only three first and second violins appeared for rehearsals out of 16.
Tobias Zysk, the BGPO manager, confirmed that they had been left with no choice but to cancel. He said: “The BGPO isn‘t present anymore. We had many musicians quitting the orchestra and the audience for film music and British epic music in Germany was too small.”
Mr Beckmann added that he now plans to work with an English orchestra which he knows will enjoy the music and “thinks more like me”.