That friend has been to the Waldney Forest Theatre in Berlin. Please talk about the experience.

Rhapsody in blue reverberated in the forest.

-Beijing Radio Music once again successfully broadcast the Berlin Forest Concert (text: Chen)

Chen Li, Chen Xiaobin and Emmanuel Pahud.

Just as music-loving TV viewers don't know the Vienna New Year Concert, music-loving radio listeners in Beijing rarely don't know the Berlin Forest Concert. Last year, the first live broadcast of the Berlin Forest Concert in 2002 by Beijing Music Broadcasting made millions of classical fans understand and love this relaxed, lively, elegant and beautiful summer concert.

Waldney Forest Theater is located in the suburb of Berlin, Germany, in a dense natural forest near the Olympic Sports Center. It is an open-air performance venue and can accommodate 22,000 spectators. Every summer, a lot of wonderful open-air concerts are held here, and sometimes open-air movies are shown on weekends. Every performance attracts a large audience. The elegant environment, relaxed music and leisure appreciation atmosphere, which are integrated with nature, are deeply loved by the public, especially in the summer breeze, listening to the birds singing in the forest, the family sitting together, enjoying the wine and food, and listening to the Yue Xian on earth, which is naturally enjoyable; Of course, the most popular music party in summer is the last relaxing concert held here by the world's top Berlin Philharmonic in the annual music season, which is what we usually call the forest concert.

Forest concert will be held from 1984. In addition to the protagonist Berlin Philharmonic, the conductors and artists participating in the performance are "in power" by the most famous musicians all over the world every year. Because each year's performance has a different theme, coupled with the participation of these artists with different styles and characteristics, the performance of the forest concert is more "colorful" and the tickets are quite tight every year. In order to let China's fans feel this rare and wonderful music event synchronously with the world, the Beijing Music Broadcasting, which was used to broadcast major international music events such as Salzburg Music Festival, Prague Spring Music Festival and Grammy Awards Concert, was first broadcast live in 2002 after many efforts, which had a strong response among China fans. Many people wrote to us to express their excitement and excitement after hearing the radio. They hope to hear such a broadcast every year!

Chen Li and Chen Xiaobin are broadcasting.

The theme of this year's forest concert is "rhapsody in blue Night", and all the works are works by American composer Gershwin. Due to the joining of the famous conductor Seiji Ozawa and the jazz trio Marcus from the United States, the performance has more "highlights"; To this end, Beijing Music Broadcasting began to prepare for the broadcast of the concert in March this year; Since April, the sudden outbreak of SARS has disrupted many of our scheduled work rhythms. At that time, many countries began to restrict the entry of Chinese personnel, so the leaders of Lebo and we were not sure whether the scheduled forest concert broadcast could be carried out normally. With the idea of giving it a try, we sent a contact letter to the organizer of the forest concert, the relevant department of Berlin Philharmonic. Surprisingly, the orchestra expressed its full support for the broadcast of the forest concert and was not shaken by SARS at all. At the same time, they also actively contacted RBB Radio Berlin, which provided technical support for our broadcast last year. Mr. Mahler, the head of radio technology department, immediately told us humorously: We will continue to provide you with technical support. You can come to Berlin at will and bring your equipment, as long as you don't bring SARS! The strong cooperation from Germany has strengthened our confidence in broadcasting this year's forest concert.

At the end of May, the SARS epidemic in Beijing was effectively controlled and all work began to be fully restored. The radio leader immediately thought of starting the broadcast of our important concert as soon as possible, which is also the best musical gift for the white-clad soldiers fighting against SARS and Qian Qian music lovers. At this time, the preparations for the broadcast of the forest concert officially began. After "intensive" preparations, the broadcasting team of the Berlin Forest Concert of Beijing Music Broadcasting in 2003 once again set foot on the flight to Berlin; After arriving in Berlin, the relay team immediately rushed to the Forest Theater for routine line test. The work of the German telecommunications department is as accurate as last year, and our line test is very smooth.

The night before the performance, the broadcasting group went to the Forest Theater to watch the final rehearsal of the concert as usual. When conductor Seiji Ozawa, members of the "Marcus" jazz trio and artists from Berlin Philharmonic took to the stage, we finally heard the most creative rhapsody in blue for the first time. Gershwin's most famous works were written by a composer for jazz piano and small orchestra. Because the pianist who premiered the music was the composer himself, Gershwin simply marked the score of the piano part of the music, leaving a lot of room for improvisation for the piano, just like the "colorful movement" in the concerto, which is why there are always many differences in rhapsody in blue played by different pianists. However, this year's Forest Concert's rhapsody in blue is even more "different": the arrangement gives the piano performance to a jazz band composed of piano, double bass and jazz drums, so the improvisation will be more prominent, and the band is a large symphony orchestra. Performing with such a lineup is definitely a modern and lively rhapsody in blue. The same is true of another piano concerto in F major at the concert. This innovative version makes us feel "refreshed" when watching the rehearsal. Apart from the familiar Berlin Philharmonic, I was deeply impressed when I first came into contact with the "Marcus" jazz trio, especially the flexible and superb piano performance of the blind pianist Marcus. Conductor Seiji Ozawa still uses his unique humorous conducting style. At the rehearsal site, the broadcasting group happened to meet Emmanuel Pahud, the most outstanding flute player in the contemporary era and the current chief flute player of Berlin Philharmonic. When he heard that we were from far away Beijing, he happily welcomed us and wished the broadcast a complete success. His easygoing humility suddenly narrowed the distance between us, and everyone took pictures with the stage as the background. After watching the rehearsal tonight, I gained a lot, and everyone was more sure of the live broadcast the next day.

The author and Ozawa

June 29, local time, is the "positive day" of the forest concert; After a short break at noon, the Beijing Music Broadcasting Group arrived at the Forest Theater at 4: 00 in the afternoon to make final preparations before the broadcast. This year, our radio seats are located at the back of the theater auditorium, with lush trees overhead and a happy audience around. We can clearly see the panoramic view of the stage in front of us, next to our colleagues from Radio RBB in Germany. My role is slightly different from previous years: after debugging the equipment on the recording car, Chen Li and I sat in front of the broadcast microphone together. Although we have hosted the program together for many years, it is the first time to be partners in the live broadcast. However, when we saw the crowds of audience and actors on the stage before the performance, we began to relax in a warm and relaxed atmosphere. On time, Chen Li and I explained that it was "getting better and better". The performance on the stage and the atmosphere in the venue excited us. After the warm-up music of An American in Paris, with the appearance of the jazz trio Marcus, the melody of rhapsody in blue echoed in the huge forest theater and floated in the dense trees around, and we were deeply intoxicated. Thinking of the motherland thousands of miles away, so many fans are listening to music from the forest, how eager they are to know the situation on the spot! We can't help but say: we should dedicate everything we see, hear and feel here, together with wonderful music, to the enthusiastic audience! Although excited, we sometimes stumble and sometimes are speechless, but the enthusiasm for "talking" never fades. Until the end of the concert, warm applause and whistles resounded through the forest, and Chen and I smiled at each other: our broadcast was successful!

I filmed the master in Berlin.

-Going to Germany to participate in the broadcast of the Berlin Forest Concert in 2003 (article: A bird's eye view of Sun)

Master Ozawa signed a souvenir for the music station.

The relay team is at the Waldney Theatre.

When Mr. Chen, the recording engineer of Beijing Music Station, informed me that I would attend the annual Berlin Forest Concert in Berlin, Germany as a member of the broadcasting group, I couldn't believe my ears. Although I am only responsible for live photography and instant news gathering, I am inexplicably excited to attend such a world-famous concert. After all, I am still a layman in classical music. It is not easy to listen to a piece of music honestly, but it is work after all, so I began to prepare relevant materials and information in excitement.

Only then did I realize that the Berlin Forest Concert was far more famous than I expected. Since 1984, it has a history of 19 years. It is the last performance of Berlin Philharmonic's annual music season at the Waldney Forest Theatre on the outskirts of Berlin. Imagine breathing the fresh air in the gloomy forest, listening to the famous songs played by the world's top masters and first-class orchestras, accompanied by sweet bird songs. God, how many times will there be such a wonderful moment in life?

I still remember when I casually mentioned to my friend in his car that I was going to broadcast the Berlin forest concert, he subconsciously stepped on the brakes and stopped at the side of the road. He looked at me suspiciously: "What? Where to go? " I repeat: "Go to Berlin to see the forest concert"! He looked helpless: "How can a person who doesn't know classical music like you worship a master? Isn't this a fake fan watching the World Cup? " I looked at him blankly, not knowing what to say. He is a clarinet teacher in the wind department of the Central Conservatory of Music. I learned from him that he has always dreamed of going to the Berlin Forest Concert. For him, his colleagues and classmates in the Conservatory of Music, it's like a pilgrim going to a pilgrimage site to see Berlin Philharmonic's performance. So excited and confused, I admire the performance of the forest concert a little more.

1 1 hour long flight took me to our destination-Berlin. When I walked out of Berlin International Airport, the first thing I did was to put down my luggage, open my arms and take a deep breath, as if embracing the breath of the masters. Along the way, blue sky and white clouds, European-style buildings, high-density green oxygen bars, and the classical FM of Radio Berlin have been playing on the car. They are all light concertos, accompanied by relaxed and beautiful melodies, and people who walk leisurely outside the window can't help jumping up. It turns out that classical music can also flow freely in our lives. Inadvertently remembered the program "Classic Pop" by Gu Yue of Beijing Music Station, and a smile appeared on his face.

Audience group

* * * Congratulations.

The first time I went to the performance site, I was just catching up with the last rehearsal before the concert. The relay team's job is mainly to test the line and take photos on the spot. Before going to the theater, we first came to the Berlin Philharmonic, where the master karajan once "worked and fought". Its architectural shape is very irregular. It is said that karajan once participated in the design, and the yellow and unique buildings are particularly elegant against the blue sky and white clouds. Huge posters and precious records of many musicians are displayed in the exhibition hall of the orchestra, and the strong musical atmosphere in the air makes people respect the talented performers who have worked here. In the rehearsal hall, my lens directly caught up with Seiji Ozawa, the conductor of this year's concert. He kept communicating with performers, especially the blind pianist Marcus, the focus of the concert. The atmosphere of the rehearsal was very lively. Ozawa felt very cold under the stage, and he felt quite shut out. However, when he stood on the podium, his humorous actions and humorous language often caused bursts of laughter, which made the rehearsal process very easy.

After leaving Berlin Philharmonic, we drove to Waldney Forest Theatre. The theater is located in a dense forest, and the security measures at the entrance are very strict. We can't drive our own car, but change to a special bus at the meeting place and cross the forest path to get to our relay bus. German colleagues who had been waiting there were kind and friendly, and the test line was successfully completed soon. When you are free, you start to pick up the camera and capture the forest theater in front of you.

The Waldney Theatre is surrounded by the central green forest. The two conical ceilings above the stage are like white sails wandering in the green ocean, with blue sky and white clouds as the bottom. When I press the shutter, I can't tell whether I am taking a picture or drawing a watercolor painting. The auditorium is basin-shaped, with 186 steps, 88 rows of seats and 22,000 seats. I shuttled through the audience with my camera, trying to capture the wonderful moments in the rehearsal. Inadvertently found that no matter where you go, the sound quality of the stage displayed by the theater is surprisingly consistent. I am amazed and have to admire the first-class stage voice control level of German sound recording engineers. Later, I learned that because of this, the ticket price of the concert is exactly the same, and the audience can choose their favorite angle to listen to the masters' performances. However, because there is only one performance in the forest concert every year, people who can't buy tickets can only come to rehearsal, but what they see from their eager expressions is more happiness than regret.

Charming master

Ozawa also rested.

At this moment, Mr. Chen Li waved to me and invited me over. When he got there, he pointed not far away. A handsome young man is chatting with relatives and friends in his seat. It is not difficult to see from his clothes that he should be a member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Teacher Chen Li told me that he is the famous flute player Emmanuel Pahud, and now he is the principal player in Berlin Philharmonic. I walked up to him with my camera and notebook. I thought these talented artists were arrogant and eccentric, but I didn't expect him to take a photo with us enthusiastically after listening to my heart. The first time I met such a modest and polite foreign artist, I paid him a little more respect.

The official performance of the Berlin Forest Concert in 2003 was at 8: 00 pm local time, and it was dark in Berlin in summer, probably around 65: 438+00 pm ... Less than 7: 00 that day, many spectators arrived at the scene with bags and baskets on their backs, which was quite different from the scene of dressing up in domestic concerts. All the audience dressed comfortably and casually, as if they were going for an outing. They also brought all kinds of snacks with them, such as pizza, cheese sauce, beer and sausages, which are all German favorites. They also prepared umbrellas, candles, small fireworks and other small items. Find an ideal seat, pour wine, taste delicious food and wait for the concert. The performance has not started yet, and I don't know who is driving the audience to set off a wave of people, one after another. The most interesting thing is that when people waved across the stage of the amphitheater, the musicians of the Philharmonic Orchestra who had just sat down naturally responded, which made the atmosphere before the performance lively and added a warm atmosphere. At this moment, I deeply realized that music can not only be naturally integrated into life, but also be an indispensable element in life.

Our broadcasting team works at the entrance of conductor Seiji Ozawa, so I aimed the camera at everything about him: getting off the bus, walking into the lounge and chatting with his wife. It's the first time I've been so close to the master. Besides being excited, I also asked Seiji Ozawa to sign for us at the music station. He is always modest and calm. It is hard to imagine that such a kind old man is about to stand on the stage and conquer our ears and hearts with that short stick.

With the appearance of Seiji Ozawa, the Berlin Forest Concert officially started in 2003, and the applause of the audience pushed Ozawa onto the podium. The theme of this concert is "Night of Blue Fantasy", and Gershwin's works are played by large bands, and three American black jazz bands improvise. The scene is relaxed and humorous, unprecedented. Ozawa deserves to be a contemporary first-class conductor. With the dancing of his hands, the band was completely immersed in passion. At this time, I turned to the back of the stage to shoot in front of the master. Many foreign journalists were dazzled by various professional photographic equipment. With reverence and love for music, I did not hesitate to aim the camera at the master again. I saw his eyes bright, his expression happy and sad, his movements exaggerated, and his fluffy gray hair was particularly eye-catching. With such close contact, music got into my ears like an elf with feet, soaked my bone marrow with magic, and let my pores breathe notes. Close your eyes as if you were immersed in the blue ocean, and endless and gripping melodies shuttled through your mind like birds. It turns out that music can really cross time and space and touch your heart and mine.

Go around from the back of the stage to the front of the audience. I was careful not to disturb the intoxicated audience. Even if you don't hear the live music, you can feel the excitement and happiness brought by music from each of their faces. At the end of each movement, everyone will stand up and applaud warmly. Applause accompanied by music echoed over the Waldney Theatre for a long time, which is a feeling that no open-air concert in China can experience. The baptism of the soul makes the classic melody stay in my heart for a long time.

However, good times are always short-lived. With the end of the finale, the continuous applause was remembered again, followed by cheers. No one left the scene, expecting the track to return. Sure enough, Master Ozawa put down his flowers and waved his magical hands again. When the music started, everyone's heart in the theater was boiling, and the excitement in their hearts was completely ignited by these musicians! The last song "Berlin sky? Quot The tune was brisk, and Seiji Ozawa kept turning around to signal everyone to whistle with the beat, so some spectators began to ichalky, and fireworks were lit in the audience. With the rhythm of music, the sound of music, whistle, applause, cheers and birdsong are combined. I think this is the last movement of the concert. At this moment, I think what the camera can express is really limited. The truly exciting moments and inner meditation can't be recorded so easily, let alone the true meaning of the music of the masters. In music, I seem to experience a kind of nature's spirituality, and the boundless colors make me willing to indulge in it as never before, until forever.

This is how the trip to Berlin ended in the shock of perceiving music. Everything it has given me is hard to simply summarize and express in a few words. Although I captured the moment of performance, I'm afraid you have to feel everything that real music can bring you. For me, after such a musical baptism, my heart is full of longing for music, which is no longer a simple melody, but a deeper connotation and expected spiritual exchange. As a member of Beijing Music Station, I will have the opportunity to take pictures of the master, but next time I will dedicate him and his music to you in the picture.