Home of the Berlin Philharmonic catches fire

[Joe Brausam 215]

Story.

BERLIN — Firefighters brought a fire at the famed home of the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra under control on Tuesday, but the full extent of the damage to one of the world’s great concert halls remained unclear.

The fire commander at the scene said that more some 1,600 square meters of the roof had been destroyed, both from the fire and from rescue efforts.

The police said there were no injuries in the fire, which took hold just before a rehearsal that was open to the public. The authorities said many of the orchestra’s musical instruments had been saved, but there was some doubt about the condition of some heavy pieces, including as concert grand pianos. The fire brigade said efforts to extinguish the blaze could themselves have caused extensive water damage.

Musicians described a frantic evacuation. Sarah Willis, the 2nd horn player, said she had been in the warm-up room when she “smelled something like lunch was burning.”

“A few minutes later, someone burst in and said we have to get out now,” she said, speaking on her cellphone as she watched smoke billowing from the building. “Double basses were on stage and many valuable violins and cellos were in lockers. The stagehands were allowed to take them out.”

“The orchestra hands were absolute heroes,” she said. “People were panicking about their instruments, as you can imagine. Once everybody was out and safe, they were worried about their instruments.”

They were moved to a chamber music hall next to the main building. As she watched the firefighters drill through the roof to get at the fire, she said, “Aw, it’s really painful to see. They’re breaking up the roof!”

“It’s really sad,” she said. “It’s the best acoustic in the world. We just don’t know what it’s going to look like.”

The news of the fire reverberated through the classical music world. The distinctive, ocher-colored building, completed in 1963 and designed with some controversy by Hans Scharoun, lies near the old dividing line of Berlin — the wall — in what was once the western sector. It is known especially for the high quality of its acoustics. Many of the world’s leading musicians have performed there.

The cause of the blaze — and the extent of the damage — remained uncertain. Germany’s DPA news agency said the blaze was probably caused by welding works in the roof area without citing the source of the information.

The building was opened with much fanfare in 1963 with a performance of Beethoven’s 9th symphony conducted by Herbert von Karajan, whose name was closely associated with the Philharmonic. The orchestra, which has a total of about 100 musicians, including its children’s choir, was founded around 120 years ago and its principal conductor is Simon Rattle of Britain.

A spokesman for the orchestra, Peter Riegelbauer, told the DPA news agency that the former musical director of the orchestra, Claudio Abbado, was in the building when the fire started. Mr. Abbado, whose appearances have grown fewer because of health problems, was to conduct the piece the orchestra intended to rehearse: Berlioz’s “Te Deum.” Performances had been scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Another eminent Italian musician, Maurizio Pollini, was to play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Ms. Willis said there was discussion of moving the performances to the Waldbühme, the orchestra’s outdoor stage in Berlin.

[Josh500 1,615]

It's sad, but what does that have to do with anything?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

yeah definately other topics material.

[MissPadmé 17]

It's sad, but what does that have to do with anything?

this forum is called

GENERAL DISCUSSION

JOHN WILLIAMS, Film Music, Movies, Music...

and this has definetely to do with music! ... very sad indeed

[Joe Brausam 215]

Well, to tell you the truth, I meant to put this in "other topics".

[Josh500 1,615]

It's sad, but what does that have to do with anything?

this forum is called

GENERAL DISCUSSION

JOHN WILLIAMS, Film Music, Movies, Music...

and this has definetely to do with music! ... very sad indeed

This is a John Williams forum in case you missed that, so GENERAL DISCUSSION refers to anything JW related! <_<

[QMM 4]

There have been threads posted in GD that have been way more off topic than this

Sad news though

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

As long as the Concertgebouw here is still standing...

[Henry B 50]

This is a John Williams forum in case you missed that, so GENERAL DISCUSSION refers to anything JW related! <_<

... No.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Wow. <_<

And this definitely belongs into GD - just read the definitions.

[fommes 153]

Sad news.

[Vaderbait1 1]

I wonder if they'll blame the Communists and set up a totalitarian musical regime led by John Williams now?

::end obscure historical reference::

[Maglorfin 196]

That's too bad. <_< I hope they can bring it back to the way it was in time ...

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I'm thinking of a Johnny Cash song now.

"And it burned, burned, burned...."

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I wonder if they'll blame the Communists and set up a totalitarian musical regime led by John Williams now?

::end obscure historical reference::

Obscure? There's even a gag about it in The Producers.

[scissorhands 16]

It's sad, but what does that have to do with anything?

this forum is called

GENERAL DISCUSSION

JOHN WILLIAMS, Film Music, Movies, Music...

and this has definetely to do with music! ... very sad indeed

This is a John Williams forum in case you missed that, so GENERAL DISCUSSION refers to anything JW related!

We should stop talking about films and TV in general, if so.

Really sad news, I was appalled yesterday watching the burning on TV. I've long admired the design of that hall and wanted it to be my first stop when visiting Berling. I hope they restore it quickly.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I wonder if they'll blame the Communists and set up a totalitarian musical regime led by John Williams now?

::end obscure historical reference::

Ze Reichstag der musikal!

[Vaderbait1 1]

I wonder if they'll blame the Communists and set up a totalitarian musical regime led by John Williams now?

::end obscure historical reference::

Obscure? There's even a gag about it in The Producers.

I know, I love the Producers. I said it was obscure because I bet 80% of people nowadays don't know anything about it. I know some people entering high school who didn't know who Hitler was because it wasn't thought politically correct to teach it yet.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I topped my high school Modern History class on Hitler and Nazi Germany. When I got sick of that, I started reading about the Soviet Union.

EDIT: Sorry, Godwin's Law.

[Hitch 57]

Hence your fascination with all things RED. Now I get the whollllllllle picture in big, flaming red VistaVision.