Backstage with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Save

Season 1
4 episodes

Music

Summary

Behind the scenes with each of the sections in the lead-up to the opening night of the orchestra's 2023/2024 season, including strings, woodwind and brass.

Episode 1: Strings

Summary

Behind the scenes with the various sections in the lead-up to the opening night of the orchestra's 2023/2024 season, beginning with the string players. The programme examines the roles of the double bass, viola and violins as they prepares for a performance Gustav Mahler's monumental Second Symphony

Review

John Aizlewood

It’s the beginning of a new season for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and they’re opening with the tricky customer that is Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No 2: Resurrection. In the first of four episodes looking at various sections of the orchestra, this behind-the-scenes documentary focuses on superkeen principal conductor Edward Gardner (“I wave a white stick around”) and a host of similarly enthused string players on their first day of rehearsals.

There’s nothing to be had on internal political squabbles, rampant egos or rehearsal tantrums; the musicians relate drama-free backstories. ” The LPO feels like a family,” says first violin Alice Ivy-Pemberton, while there’s romantic sweetness to violinist Minn Majoe and her viola-playing husband Martin Wray (“From my position I can see Minn in my eyeline: I try not to let it distract me”).

Obviously the players would not be part of the LPO were they not especially gifted, so there’s little prospect of a mishap, but watching these talents pooling their brilliance to bring out the best in Mahler is magical.

Details

Languages

Formats

Colour

All episodes

Episode 4

The Performance: Mahler's Second Symphony

Loading
Episode 3

Brass

Loading
Episode 2

Woodwind and Percussion

Loading
Episode 1

Strings

Summary

Behind the scenes with the various sections in the lead-up to the opening night of the orchestra's 2023/2024 season, beginning with the string players. The programme examines the roles of the double bass, viola and violins as they prepares for a performance Gustav Mahler's monumental Second Symphony

Review

John Aizlewood

It’s the beginning of a new season for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and they’re opening with the tricky customer that is Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No 2: Resurrection. In the first of four episodes looking at various sections of the orchestra, this behind-the-scenes documentary focuses on superkeen principal conductor Edward Gardner (“I wave a white stick around”) and a host of similarly enthused string players on their first day of rehearsals.

There’s nothing to be had on internal political squabbles, rampant egos or rehearsal tantrums; the musicians relate drama-free backstories. ” The LPO feels like a family,” says first violin Alice Ivy-Pemberton, while there’s romantic sweetness to violinist Minn Majoe and her viola-playing husband Martin Wray (“From my position I can see Minn in my eyeline: I try not to let it distract me”).

Obviously the players would not be part of the LPO were they not especially gifted, so there’s little prospect of a mishap, but watching these talents pooling their brilliance to bring out the best in Mahler is magical.

Details

Languages

Formats

Colour

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

Streaming

NOW