Bamberg reviews are in!
Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg, Oct 8, 2026
Applause Like a Hurricane
The Bamberger Symphoniker thrilled audiences with conductor Alan Gilbert
and pianist Inon Barnatan at the Ladeshalle.
By Cora Uitting
The excitement surrounding the start of the new GVE subscription season was palpable as
classical music lovers flocked to the Ladeshalle for a symphony concert after months of
abstinence. The evening began with appropriately festive flair with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503. After the interval, the programme featured
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, a work whose themes feel
particularly close to our own time.
The GVE, the city’s oldest cultural association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
For these important gems of the musical repertoire, it had invited the Bamberger Symphoniker,
who brought along two brilliant musicians: guest conductor Alan Gilbert and pianist Inon
Barnatan. Their charisma won over the audience at first sight.
Inon Barnatan, who has lived in England for many years, may not be a household name to
everyone, but insiders such as the GVE’s organisers know these exquisite top performers, these
virtual “insider tips of the classical music scene”, who deliver moments of musical brilliance
through technical mastery and expressive power without being caught up in the constant star
hype surrounding Lang Lang and comparable artists.
Inon Barnatan is one such soloist and chamber musician, highly esteemed around the world.
Anyone who has experienced him performing Mozart’s magnificent, extraordinarily inspired
piano concerto will remember him for a long time.
Sometimes Martial, Sometimes Delightful
With finesse, he brings out the echoes of La Marseillaise—sometimes in a martial manner,
sometimes delightfully, and then again with a playful, almost athletic sense of humour. He lets
the playful runs stream past as though threaded onto a golden string, always maintaining close
eye contact with conductor Alan Gilbert or directly engaging in musical dialogue with the wind
players.
The result is precisely the musical intensity that is always sought but not always achieved.
Here, every musician is fully committed to delighting the listeners’ ears—and their own.
The Bamberger Symphoniker are in top form, displaying the highest precision alongside
extraordinary flexibility and empathy. Mozart’s Andante–Allegro positively sparkles with
youthful energy and exuberantly celebrates pianistic brilliance, interrupted only by the radiant
cadenza.
In response to the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Inon Barnatan offered an intimate encore:
“Sheep May Safely Graze” from Bach’s Hunting Cantata, BWV 208, which was nothing short
of a musical blessing.Alan Gilbert is a phenomenon. The American concert and opera conductor, currently chief
conductor at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, is
highly respected by musicians around the world not only for his expertise but also greatly
admired for his personality.
For Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, in which the composer processes his trauma from the
Stalin era that had just come to an end, two genuine powerhouses have come together.
Conductor and orchestra merge into a rare, energetic unity, with absolute clarity about every
goal and the interpretative path towards it.
Alan Gilbert demands fire, and the orchestra bursts into flames. He demands expression, and
souls bleed. He stands at the centre like a rock while conjuring up flexibility, rapid shifts in
mood and explosive outbursts. In the second movement, often interpreted as a portrait of Joseph
Stalin, these become so extreme—much to the musicians’ delight—that all restraint is
abandoned and the music veers into a glaringly grotesque realm.
Magnificent Colours of Sound
Never before have the countless compositional details been presented with such clarity. Alan
Gilbert reveals them all: Shostakovich’s wonderful colours of sound; the intricate strands of
melody, woven together in small fragments and swaying between the surging strings and the
prophetic-sounding winds; and the frantic sense of danger emanating from totalitarian state
power.
The audience has the Bamberger Symphoniker and their conductor Alan Gilbert to thank for
the fact that they were not crushed by the symphony’s horrifying subject matter. Instead, the
meticulous, irresistibly compelling interpretation inspired them to turn their applause into a
hurricane.
What an overwhelming start to the season!
Bamberg reviews are in!
Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg, Oct 8, 2026
Applause Like a Hurricane
The Bamberger Symphoniker thrilled audiences with conductor Alan Gilbert
and pianist Inon Barnatan at the Ladeshalle.
By Cora Uitting
The excitement surrounding the start of the new GVE subscription season was palpable as
classical music lovers flocked to the Ladeshalle for a symphony concert after months of
abstinence. The evening began with appropriately festive flair with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503. After the interval, the programme featured
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, a work whose themes feel
particularly close to our own time.
The GVE, the city’s oldest cultural association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
For these important gems of the musical repertoire, it had invited the Bamberger Symphoniker,
who brought along two brilliant musicians: guest conductor Alan Gilbert and pianist Inon
Barnatan. Their charisma won over the audience at first sight.
Inon Barnatan, who has lived in England for many years, may not be a household name to
everyone, but insiders such as the GVE’s organisers know these exquisite top performers, these
virtual “insider tips of the classical music scene”, who deliver moments of musical brilliance
through technical mastery and expressive power without being caught up in the constant star
hype surrounding Lang Lang and comparable artists.
Inon Barnatan is one such soloist and chamber musician, highly esteemed around the world.
Anyone who has experienced him performing Mozart’s magnificent, extraordinarily inspired
piano concerto will remember him for a long time.
Sometimes Martial, Sometimes Delightful
With finesse, he brings out the echoes of La Marseillaise—sometimes in a martial manner,
sometimes delightfully, and then again with a playful, almost athletic sense of humour. He lets
the playful runs stream past as though threaded onto a golden string, always maintaining close
eye contact with conductor Alan Gilbert or directly engaging in musical dialogue with the wind
players.
The result is precisely the musical intensity that is always sought but not always achieved.
Here, every musician is fully committed to delighting the listeners’ ears—and their own.
The Bamberger Symphoniker are in top form, displaying the highest precision alongside
extraordinary flexibility and empathy. Mozart’s Andante–Allegro positively sparkles with
youthful energy and exuberantly celebrates pianistic brilliance, interrupted only by the radiant
cadenza.
In response to the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Inon Barnatan offered an intimate encore:
“Sheep May Safely Graze” from Bach’s Hunting Cantata, BWV 208, which was nothing short
of a musical blessing.Alan Gilbert is a phenomenon. The American concert and opera conductor, currently chief
conductor at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, is
highly respected by musicians around the world not only for his expertise but also greatly
admired for his personality.
For Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, in which the composer processes his trauma from the
Stalin era that had just come to an end, two genuine powerhouses have come together.
Conductor and orchestra merge into a rare, energetic unity, with absolute clarity about every
goal and the interpretative path towards it.
Alan Gilbert demands fire, and the orchestra bursts into flames. He demands expression, and
souls bleed. He stands at the centre like a rock while conjuring up flexibility, rapid shifts in
mood and explosive outbursts. In the second movement, often interpreted as a portrait of Joseph
Stalin, these become so extreme—much to the musicians’ delight—that all restraint is
abandoned and the music veers into a glaringly grotesque realm.
Magnificent Colours of Sound
Never before have the countless compositional details been presented with such clarity. Alan
Gilbert reveals them all: Shostakovich’s wonderful colours of sound; the intricate strands of
melody, woven together in small fragments and swaying between the surging strings and the
prophetic-sounding winds; and the frantic sense of danger emanating from totalitarian state
power.
The audience has the Bamberger Symphoniker and their conductor Alan Gilbert to thank for
the fact that they were not crushed by the symphony’s horrifying subject matter. Instead, the
meticulous, irresistibly compelling interpretation inspired them to turn their applause into a
hurricane.
What an overwhelming start to the season!
Bamberg reviews are in!
Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg, Oct 8, 2026
Applause Like a Hurricane
The Bamberger Symphoniker thrilled audiences with conductor Alan Gilbert
and pianist Inon Barnatan at the Ladeshalle.
By Cora Uitting
The excitement surrounding the start of the new GVE subscription season was palpable as
classical music lovers flocked to the Ladeshalle for a symphony concert after months of
abstinence. The evening began with appropriately festive flair with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503. After the interval, the programme featured
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, a work whose themes feel
particularly close to our own time.
The GVE, the city’s oldest cultural association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
For these important gems of the musical repertoire, it had invited the Bamberger Symphoniker,
who brought along two brilliant musicians: guest conductor Alan Gilbert and pianist Inon
Barnatan. Their charisma won over the audience at first sight.
Inon Barnatan, who has lived in England for many years, may not be a household name to
everyone, but insiders such as the GVE’s organisers know these exquisite top performers, these
virtual “insider tips of the classical music scene”, who deliver moments of musical brilliance
through technical mastery and expressive power without being caught up in the constant star
hype surrounding Lang Lang and comparable artists.
Inon Barnatan is one such soloist and chamber musician, highly esteemed around the world.
Anyone who has experienced him performing Mozart’s magnificent, extraordinarily inspired
piano concerto will remember him for a long time.
Sometimes Martial, Sometimes Delightful
With finesse, he brings out the echoes of La Marseillaise—sometimes in a martial manner,
sometimes delightfully, and then again with a playful, almost athletic sense of humour. He lets
the playful runs stream past as though threaded onto a golden string, always maintaining close
eye contact with conductor Alan Gilbert or directly engaging in musical dialogue with the wind
players.
The result is precisely the musical intensity that is always sought but not always achieved.
Here, every musician is fully committed to delighting the listeners’ ears—and their own.
The Bamberger Symphoniker are in top form, displaying the highest precision alongside
extraordinary flexibility and empathy. Mozart’s Andante–Allegro positively sparkles with
youthful energy and exuberantly celebrates pianistic brilliance, interrupted only by the radiant
cadenza.
In response to the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Inon Barnatan offered an intimate encore:
“Sheep May Safely Graze” from Bach’s Hunting Cantata, BWV 208, which was nothing short
of a musical blessing.Alan Gilbert is a phenomenon. The American concert and opera conductor, currently chief
conductor at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, is
highly respected by musicians around the world not only for his expertise but also greatly
admired for his personality.
For Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, in which the composer processes his trauma from the
Stalin era that had just come to an end, two genuine powerhouses have come together.
Conductor and orchestra merge into a rare, energetic unity, with absolute clarity about every
goal and the interpretative path towards it.
Alan Gilbert demands fire, and the orchestra bursts into flames. He demands expression, and
souls bleed. He stands at the centre like a rock while conjuring up flexibility, rapid shifts in
mood and explosive outbursts. In the second movement, often interpreted as a portrait of Joseph
Stalin, these become so extreme—much to the musicians’ delight—that all restraint is
abandoned and the music veers into a glaringly grotesque realm.
Magnificent Colours of Sound
Never before have the countless compositional details been presented with such clarity. Alan
Gilbert reveals them all: Shostakovich’s wonderful colours of sound; the intricate strands of
melody, woven together in small fragments and swaying between the surging strings and the
prophetic-sounding winds; and the frantic sense of danger emanating from totalitarian state
power.
The audience has the Bamberger Symphoniker and their conductor Alan Gilbert to thank for
the fact that they were not crushed by the symphony’s horrifying subject matter. Instead, the
meticulous, irresistibly compelling interpretation inspired them to turn their applause into a
hurricane.
What an overwhelming start to the season!
Bamberg reviews are in!
Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg, Oct 8, 2026
Applause Like a Hurricane
The Bamberger Symphoniker thrilled audiences with conductor Alan Gilbert
and pianist Inon Barnatan at the Ladeshalle.
By Cora Uitting
The excitement surrounding the start of the new GVE subscription season was palpable as
classical music lovers flocked to the Ladeshalle for a symphony concert after months of
abstinence. The evening began with appropriately festive flair with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503. After the interval, the programme featured
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, a work whose themes feel
particularly close to our own time.
The GVE, the city’s oldest cultural association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
For these important gems of the musical repertoire, it had invited the Bamberger Symphoniker,
who brought along two brilliant musicians: guest conductor Alan Gilbert and pianist Inon
Barnatan. Their charisma won over the audience at first sight.
Inon Barnatan, who has lived in England for many years, may not be a household name to
everyone, but insiders such as the GVE’s organisers know these exquisite top performers, these
virtual “insider tips of the classical music scene”, who deliver moments of musical brilliance
through technical mastery and expressive power without being caught up in the constant star
hype surrounding Lang Lang and comparable artists.
Inon Barnatan is one such soloist and chamber musician, highly esteemed around the world.
Anyone who has experienced him performing Mozart’s magnificent, extraordinarily inspired
piano concerto will remember him for a long time.
Sometimes Martial, Sometimes Delightful
With finesse, he brings out the echoes of La Marseillaise—sometimes in a martial manner,
sometimes delightfully, and then again with a playful, almost athletic sense of humour. He lets
the playful runs stream past as though threaded onto a golden string, always maintaining close
eye contact with conductor Alan Gilbert or directly engaging in musical dialogue with the wind
players.
The result is precisely the musical intensity that is always sought but not always achieved.
Here, every musician is fully committed to delighting the listeners’ ears—and their own.
The Bamberger Symphoniker are in top form, displaying the highest precision alongside
extraordinary flexibility and empathy. Mozart’s Andante–Allegro positively sparkles with
youthful energy and exuberantly celebrates pianistic brilliance, interrupted only by the radiant
cadenza.
In response to the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Inon Barnatan offered an intimate encore:
“Sheep May Safely Graze” from Bach’s Hunting Cantata, BWV 208, which was nothing short
of a musical blessing.Alan Gilbert is a phenomenon. The American concert and opera conductor, currently chief
conductor at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, is
highly respected by musicians around the world not only for his expertise but also greatly
admired for his personality.
For Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, in which the composer processes his trauma from the
Stalin era that had just come to an end, two genuine powerhouses have come together.
Conductor and orchestra merge into a rare, energetic unity, with absolute clarity about every
goal and the interpretative path towards it.
Alan Gilbert demands fire, and the orchestra bursts into flames. He demands expression, and
souls bleed. He stands at the centre like a rock while conjuring up flexibility, rapid shifts in
mood and explosive outbursts. In the second movement, often interpreted as a portrait of Joseph
Stalin, these become so extreme—much to the musicians’ delight—that all restraint is
abandoned and the music veers into a glaringly grotesque realm.
Magnificent Colours of Sound
Never before have the countless compositional details been presented with such clarity. Alan
Gilbert reveals them all: Shostakovich’s wonderful colours of sound; the intricate strands of
melody, woven together in small fragments and swaying between the surging strings and the
prophetic-sounding winds; and the frantic sense of danger emanating from totalitarian state
power.
The audience has the Bamberger Symphoniker and their conductor Alan Gilbert to thank for
the fact that they were not crushed by the symphony’s horrifying subject matter. Instead, the
meticulous, irresistibly compelling interpretation inspired them to turn their applause into a
hurricane.
What an overwhelming start to the season!
Bamberg reviews are in!
Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg, Oct 8, 2026
Applause Like a Hurricane
The Bamberger Symphoniker thrilled audiences with conductor Alan Gilbert
and pianist Inon Barnatan at the Ladeshalle.
By Cora Uitting
The excitement surrounding the start of the new GVE subscription season was palpable as
classical music lovers flocked to the Ladeshalle for a symphony concert after months of
abstinence. The evening began with appropriately festive flair with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503. After the interval, the programme featured
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, a work whose themes feel
particularly close to our own time.
The GVE, the city’s oldest cultural association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
For these important gems of the musical repertoire, it had invited the Bamberger Symphoniker,
who brought along two brilliant musicians: guest conductor Alan Gilbert and pianist Inon
Barnatan. Their charisma won over the audience at first sight.
Inon Barnatan, who has lived in England for many years, may not be a household name to
everyone, but insiders such as the GVE’s organisers know these exquisite top performers, these
virtual “insider tips of the classical music scene”, who deliver moments of musical brilliance
through technical mastery and expressive power without being caught up in the constant star
hype surrounding Lang Lang and comparable artists.
Inon Barnatan is one such soloist and chamber musician, highly esteemed around the world.
Anyone who has experienced him performing Mozart’s magnificent, extraordinarily inspired
piano concerto will remember him for a long time.
Sometimes Martial, Sometimes Delightful
With finesse, he brings out the echoes of La Marseillaise—sometimes in a martial manner,
sometimes delightfully, and then again with a playful, almost athletic sense of humour. He lets
the playful runs stream past as though threaded onto a golden string, always maintaining close
eye contact with conductor Alan Gilbert or directly engaging in musical dialogue with the wind
players.
The result is precisely the musical intensity that is always sought but not always achieved.
Here, every musician is fully committed to delighting the listeners’ ears—and their own.
The Bamberger Symphoniker are in top form, displaying the highest precision alongside
extraordinary flexibility and empathy. Mozart’s Andante–Allegro positively sparkles with
youthful energy and exuberantly celebrates pianistic brilliance, interrupted only by the radiant
cadenza.
In response to the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Inon Barnatan offered an intimate encore:
“Sheep May Safely Graze” from Bach’s Hunting Cantata, BWV 208, which was nothing short
of a musical blessing.Alan Gilbert is a phenomenon. The American concert and opera conductor, currently chief
conductor at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, is
highly respected by musicians around the world not only for his expertise but also greatly
admired for his personality.
For Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, in which the composer processes his trauma from the
Stalin era that had just come to an end, two genuine powerhouses have come together.
Conductor and orchestra merge into a rare, energetic unity, with absolute clarity about every
goal and the interpretative path towards it.
Alan Gilbert demands fire, and the orchestra bursts into flames. He demands expression, and
souls bleed. He stands at the centre like a rock while conjuring up flexibility, rapid shifts in
mood and explosive outbursts. In the second movement, often interpreted as a portrait of Joseph
Stalin, these become so extreme—much to the musicians’ delight—that all restraint is
abandoned and the music veers into a glaringly grotesque realm.
Magnificent Colours of Sound
Never before have the countless compositional details been presented with such clarity. Alan
Gilbert reveals them all: Shostakovich’s wonderful colours of sound; the intricate strands of
melody, woven together in small fragments and swaying between the surging strings and the
prophetic-sounding winds; and the frantic sense of danger emanating from totalitarian state
power.
The audience has the Bamberger Symphoniker and their conductor Alan Gilbert to thank for
the fact that they were not crushed by the symphony’s horrifying subject matter. Instead, the
meticulous, irresistibly compelling interpretation inspired them to turn their applause into a
hurricane.
What an overwhelming start to the season!
Bamberg reviews are in!
Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg, Oct 8, 2026
Applause Like a Hurricane
The Bamberger Symphoniker thrilled audiences with conductor Alan Gilbert
and pianist Inon Barnatan at the Ladeshalle.
By Cora Uitting
The excitement surrounding the start of the new GVE subscription season was palpable as
classical music lovers flocked to the Ladeshalle for a symphony concert after months of
abstinence. The evening began with appropriately festive flair with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503. After the interval, the programme featured
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93, a work whose themes feel
particularly close to our own time.
The GVE, the city’s oldest cultural association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
For these important gems of the musical repertoire, it had invited the Bamberger Symphoniker,
who brought along two brilliant musicians: guest conductor Alan Gilbert and pianist Inon
Barnatan. Their charisma won over the audience at first sight.
Inon Barnatan, who has lived in England for many years, may not be a household name to
everyone, but insiders such as the GVE’s organisers know these exquisite top performers, these
virtual “insider tips of the classical music scene”, who deliver moments of musical brilliance
through technical mastery and expressive power without being caught up in the constant star
hype surrounding Lang Lang and comparable artists.
Inon Barnatan is one such soloist and chamber musician, highly esteemed around the world.
Anyone who has experienced him performing Mozart’s magnificent, extraordinarily inspired
piano concerto will remember him for a long time.
Sometimes Martial, Sometimes Delightful
With finesse, he brings out the echoes of La Marseillaise—sometimes in a martial manner,
sometimes delightfully, and then again with a playful, almost athletic sense of humour. He lets
the playful runs stream past as though threaded onto a golden string, always maintaining close
eye contact with conductor Alan Gilbert or directly engaging in musical dialogue with the wind
players.
The result is precisely the musical intensity that is always sought but not always achieved.
Here, every musician is fully committed to delighting the listeners’ ears—and their own.
The Bamberger Symphoniker are in top form, displaying the highest precision alongside
extraordinary flexibility and empathy. Mozart’s Andante–Allegro positively sparkles with
youthful energy and exuberantly celebrates pianistic brilliance, interrupted only by the radiant
cadenza.
In response to the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Inon Barnatan offered an intimate encore:
“Sheep May Safely Graze” from Bach’s Hunting Cantata, BWV 208, which was nothing short
of a musical blessing.Alan Gilbert is a phenomenon. The American concert and opera conductor, currently chief
conductor at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, is
highly respected by musicians around the world not only for his expertise but also greatly
admired for his personality.
For Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, in which the composer processes his trauma from the
Stalin era that had just come to an end, two genuine powerhouses have come together.
Conductor and orchestra merge into a rare, energetic unity, with absolute clarity about every
goal and the interpretative path towards it.
Alan Gilbert demands fire, and the orchestra bursts into flames. He demands expression, and
souls bleed. He stands at the centre like a rock while conjuring up flexibility, rapid shifts in
mood and explosive outbursts. In the second movement, often interpreted as a portrait of Joseph
Stalin, these become so extreme—much to the musicians’ delight—that all restraint is
abandoned and the music veers into a glaringly grotesque realm.
Magnificent Colours of Sound
Never before have the countless compositional details been presented with such clarity. Alan
Gilbert reveals them all: Shostakovich’s wonderful colours of sound; the intricate strands of
melody, woven together in small fragments and swaying between the surging strings and the
prophetic-sounding winds; and the frantic sense of danger emanating from totalitarian state
power.
The audience has the Bamberger Symphoniker and their conductor Alan Gilbert to thank for
the fact that they were not crushed by the symphony’s horrifying subject matter. Instead, the
meticulous, irresistibly compelling interpretation inspired them to turn their applause into a
hurricane.
What an overwhelming start to the season!
