Berliner Philharmoniker Reviews

“You have to continuously nourish it. And sometimes you must prune it.” As Maestro Rattle relates it, at the time he didn’t understand exactly what von Karajan meant, either. It is very interesting to see and hear how a great orchestra stays great by passing along its traditions to the next generation. Every orchestra needs to understand and communicate its unique culture and character. It helps that The Berlin Philharmonic is self-governed so that every player has a stake in its success. It’s not just a job, it’s a family.

Here in Washington DC, we have the National Orchestral Institute, 100 young players (under 30), chosen out of a thousand, who come together for three weeks to prepare three concerts under superb conductors and first-chair coaches. For those three weeks, they are one of the most exciting orchestras in the world.

Im watching this weeks live concert at 1pm in Florida on a Saturday afternoon. I am melting in happiness from the gorgeous music knowing that it’s coming from around the world while I’m in a comfy lounge chair in shorts and T-shirt. For 20 years I bought front row center at Symphony Hall in Boston for a series with various world class artists. The two that I enjoyed the most were Itzak Perlman and Yo Yo Ma. I saw them every year and actually was seated next to Ma on a flight. I recognized him and he was warm and delightful. The next time I saw him in person, he waved and smiled at me. Anyway, if this looks like an expensive app, I promise you that you’ll cherish the ability to be transported at the click of a button.

My first thought was, well, it’s just the Berlin, so maybe not. Besides, Herb never made the cut. Ha! How small minded of me.
50 years of archives. from countless directors. Ok, Mehta can take a hike too. Good musician, lousy human being. It means something.
Also I didn’t exactly get a sense of welcome, happy thoughts from the male violinists while Hillary Hahn was brilliantly shredding Shosties Op. 99, a jaw dropping violin concerto. Did she, then, turn ’em to stone in her Bach solo showcase encore?
But hey! Fresh concerts galore…
A 50 year archive, did I say that?
Pertinent interviews
Educational series
High Res Audio via cell or Wi-Fi
4k video
And Beethoven string quartets, all three periods, played as intuitively profound and pricelessly charming as any I’ve ever heard. And for 45 years, ‘dems been my precious musical babies.
So they got me. For as long as I can still hear. Keepin’ my fingers crossed.

Ya try it for a week. Then twenty bucks a month. So cool. The world may actually have a chance of making it, after all.

Thanks Berlin Boppers. Y’all are my new heroes. - Tommy Schmitz, Lexington KY US

I’m blown away by BerlinerPhilharmoniker. The richness of the repertoire, the phenomenal quality of sound and video recording, as well as the sleek and intuitive design. The performances are, of course, astonishing. It feels like being in a concert hall. Thank you!

UPDATE: still under the spell of one of the best apps I’ve ever had and one that additionally delivers countless hours of delight. I only wish there was a way to keep a list of entire concerts I would like to watch in the future (at the moment, it’s only possible to “star” an individual work within the concert). Thank you!

The sound quality, and obviously quality of orchestra and programs are excellent. I run it with an optical cable from the TV through my CD player and then amplifier. The only issue I have is the lack of option to be able to select a steady camera view. The camera changes are practically every two seconds, this undermines the aural experience, results in eye fatigue and becomes annoying (I now hang a black sheet over the TV 😊). The Wiener Staatsoper stream service has a one view option, I hope here they can add this too. Also, through Apple TV I have gotten the "Stream could not be found" error message, it seems to work more consistently on Roku.

Downloaded BerlinerPhilharmoniker and signed up for a year during COVID in 2020. Signed up for a second year. So many great concerts and conductors to choose from. When the music is played through good speakers, it’s almost like being there. The production and videography are outstanding, especially in the concerts from more recent years. The only drawback is that the Berliner Philharmoniker is filled with men. Where are the women musicians? I did some research and learned that this orchestra, along with some others in Europe, has indeed been quite limited to men. As a follower of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, I was shocked.

For the past two years I went to a local retirement community to hear the Berlin Phil concerts. Saturdays at 1pm were sacrosanct. My heart dropped when the community went into lockdown and I was not able to visit. Imagine my delight when I found out my TV had your channel!! The virtual concerts have been outstanding, no worries during the summer break, we have plenty of time to go through the archives until the next season starts in whichever element. The highlight of my lockdown is knowing there’s always gorgeous music on Saturdays. Thank you for keeping the world sane. ❤️

If you are a fan of classical music, and have not looked at Digital Concert Hall, you are really missing out. It features hundreds (yes, hundreds) of past performances of the Berlin Philharmonic in high quality audio and video. Generally, current performances are available within a week or two of their live presentation. It is available on almost all desktop and mobile platforms. Yes it is subscription based, about $16 per month, but it is a treasure. I watch and listen to it almost every day. Give it a try. I dare you to be disappointed.

This is a wonderful opportunity to hear incredible music. BerlinerPhilharmoniker does require a good internet service. All the complaints of the other reviewers are the problems of the owners’ slow service, not BerlinerPhilharmoniker . These concerts are so valuable, it was well worth my increasing my internet service solely for this. The site is very easy to maneuver (phone, tv, and computer). The films and interviews are fascinating. Live concerts stream in perfectly, and there are no problems with the archives. I’m a goat farmer who lives in the middle of the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. To have this caliber of music is extremely valuable. Thank you.

What a thrill it was for me to come across the Berlin Philharmonic app – this legendary group of musicians! I have been watching it for three nights and enjoying it immensely. In addition to the wonderful performances I have been enjoying the camera work. For me, it’s wonderful to have a close-up of the section that is making an important musical statement. And what ensemble playing! The perfection of the horn section, just to name one, is truly amazing. I’m also enjoying the interviews with the conductors on the soloists. It’s wonderful to get to know the musicians in this kind of intimate setting.

I love Berlin App. The sound in magnificent, the orchestras are the best. I love it very much. Too bad I can’t keep it. Also I can’t delete your application. How do I do this? I can’t see it on my iPhone since I have so many apps. I have to do it another way through I Tunes, settings. Please let me know. Sad to not continue. I’m a Medical technologist in Microbiology but had to retire due to the COVID-19 situation. Love your app Berlin.

I enjoy BerlinerPhilharmoniker extremely much. The videos and music are streamed with high definition. All recent videos and most old ones have very good quality. Outstanding video production all around. I use BerlinerPhilharmoniker for my wind-down sessions before going to bed almost every day. If anything, I only wish the German language concert operas could have subtitles in order to avoid having a libretto on hand.

A little suggestion. As you provide high res audio for each concert, why not enable an album version of each performance. In this way, music can be played without video and selection and switching will be much more convenient. This function will be helpful for those who want to enjoy the music only, with their screen locked.

The Berliner app is truly a joy for those who desire to listen to high-quality symphonic, classical music. BerlinerPhilharmoniker is filled with a diverse range of orchestral and solo performances and everything in between.

I have not yet had the opportunity view any of the films or interviews that are included with BerlinerPhilharmoniker, but I greatly anticipate being able to view them.

I highly recommend BerlinerPhilharmoniker!

I am watching the live broadcast of Igor Levitt and on at least 4 occasions just in the first sonata, there is video but no audio for a period of 5 -20 seconds. As I have previously mentioned I have encountered a different issue when watching previously recorded concerts where I can watch one concert and when I try to watch any other concert I receive no video but only audio. If these problems get resolved it will be the best app I have ever seen for classical music. Thanks.

Thank you so very much for your Saturday night productions that provide for me a delightful late breakfast of classical music (10:00AM in LA). I make it a very special event, preparing a quiche or a soufflé, followed with champagne or mimosa. Lately, I have had comments from the neighbors to please increase the volume so that they can enjoy, too! (Usually they are asking to tone it down when practicing cello, piano or both.)

BerlinerPhilharmoniker has brought high quality video and audio streaming to my iPad / Bose QC II setup. The videography is extremely well done and brings an added dimension to classical music experience. The audio is very good. I’m spending hours revisiting old favorites and exploring new repertoire. I also got Medici, which offers additional variety, but lags in audio/video quality compared to Digital Concert Hall. Both have enriched my life..

Here at home in the USA the Berlin Philarmonic makes me feel closer to its hall and and to music. Music needs your love and concentration, the professionalism of the musicians and personnel facilitates this closeness. As long as I live I will try to keep this wonderful feeling. Congratulations to all and happy and healthy holiday season. Sincerely Leopoldo Labra
We keep enjoying your magnificent performances on our music night meetings.

I feel so fortunate to have access to the material of history's greatest orchestra, but I do believe it should be priced to be more affordable, and thus, provide greater access to most whom cannot afford (for any appreciable length of time) this service. The poor, not the wealthy, need greater access to classical music during these difficult times.

Other arts organizations should look to DCH to see how “it is done”. Every aspect shows attention to the user experience. Add to that the excellence and variety of the content, and a subscription is well worth the investment. Thank you to the musicians, management and technical team for giving those of us around the world such wonderful access!

We have been members for two years now and always look forward to the next concert. We also love to explore the wonderful library of music of great performances of the past. The Digital Concert Hall and the Berliner Philharmoniker is our quiet refuge from a sometimes noisy and distressing world because it brings to us the love and passion of the best of humanity.

Used to be one of my favorite apps. Now it will not continue playing longer than 5 minutes, even when it is the only app running on my iPhone. With either live or downloaded content, screen either on or off. Plus, media downloads take up much more space than they did a year or so ago, even on the lowest quality setting. Still works on the website, but tied to a laptop is not enough value for me. I've been a subscriber for years, but I guess I'll have to look elsewhere now. Too bad, Berlin is my favorite orchestra.

I have enjoyed the Digital Concert Hall for several years, and all involved in this effort are consummate professionals. I saw two names pass quickly by during the end credits, Maria and Peter, I think, who were responsible for the sound, and I want to thank them. Wow. Truly marvelous! The DCH is the best bargain in all of the Music World. Thanks to your entire team.

There is something extra special about seeing AND hearing a performance, as opposed to just hearing it. You feel more connected to the performance, and you gain a sense of understanding what you’re hearing. The Berlin Philharmonic sounds great, and while there is no substitute for a live in person performance, the Digital Concert Hall is the next best thing!

There is no comparison: the Digital Concert Hall is the gold standard of classical music streaming over the Web. I've subscribed for several years now, and the value is only slightly less remarkable than the robust streaming quality and high-definition sound and video. And the archives? Unmatched. The best bargain in music bar none.

This musical resource is really amazing. The large archive along with streamed live concerts and the ability to play any concert in the archive Atwill is extraordinary. The technical quality of sound and video is top notch. The many interviews with guest conductors and soloists adds another nice touch. This is highly recommended.

Live and past recorded concerts have an added intensity with clever audio-visual techniques. Teams prepare and assure focus of varying camera angles to make one feel as if floating between the orchestral aisles. In one instant and with sensitivity, we are given rare glimpses of the hand movements of various musicians. I’m caught off guard with my renewed interest with concerts.

I came across BerlinerPhilharmoniker by accident the other day. Wow! Not only does it sound fabulous and looks amazing on my mobile devices and at home, it even has a CarPlay app for the car! I’m so fortunate to be in every single concert on the first row now. A beautiful app. Well done, maestro!!! 👏👏

I love BerlinerPhilharmoniker. I've been listening to my favorite symphonic music constantly on my iPhone. You don't have to have BerlinerPhilharmoniker open either. You can listen while doing other online tasks or just with the screen off. I can even get it on Apple TV.

The Berlin Philharmonic is, of course, outstanding, but the audio/video transmission is also outstanding. There is also an extensive library of previous performances, as well as the opportunity to listen to live concerts.

One of the great joys of my life is watching the Digital Concert Hall, even if I have heard the performance live in Berlin. The technical quality of the broadcast, the highlighting of who is playing what part and the interviews are all supurb.