Casual Concert: Igor Stravinsky – Leonard Bernstein

Psalms Between Synagogue and Church

Leonard Bernstein described his »Chichester Psalms« as »old-fashioned and sweet«, yet behind their luminous, immediately appealing sound lies an unusual encounter between Jewish liturgy and the traditions of Christian church music. The work brings these worlds together in music that shimmers with rhythmic drive and cantabile warmth.

From Lament to Praise

Igor Stravinsky’s »Symphony of Psalms« sets Latin psalm texts and traces a wide emotional arc: from plaintive prayer through a tense, hopeful waiting to a final blaze of praise. Its distinctive sound world, with its cool colours and stark grandeur, forms a striking contrast to Bernstein’s glowing idiom.

In the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin’s Casual Concert, Ingo Metzmacher – who launched this much-loved format 20 years ago – appears both as conductor and as host, guiding the audience through the evening. And the experience doesn’t end with the final chord: after this otherworldly concert, the night continues in the Philharmonie foyer with a live act and DJ, inviting you to linger, listen and unwind.