Neeme Järvi conducts Berlin Philharmonic again

Days before his scheduled performance with the Berlin Philharmonic, Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi was asked at short notice to step in to replace young Russian star conductor Kirill Petrenko.

“As the proverb says, a friend in need is a friend indeed. In this sense, Neeme Järvi proves himself to be one of the Berliner Philharmoniker’s staunchest allies, stepping in at short notice for a colleague for the second time this year,” writes the Berlin Philharmonic’s website.

On December 9, 10 and 11, Neeme Järvi will conduct Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14, Richard Strauss’s “Don Juan” and Tchaikovsky’s “Francesca da Rimini.”

“The concert consists of a set of intense, richly coloured works, which explore the relationship between music and literature from different perspectives,” writes the website. “Just how well the orchestra and conductor understand each other could be heard in March, when after just one rehearsal, Järvi conducted a wonderful concert of works by Grieg, Brahms and Weber. Once again he takes over the reins.”

Järvi will continue with the Berlin Philharmonic on December 15 with his scheduled Russian music program featuring Rimski-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky and Taneyev.