Rattle bows out at Berlin with Mahler, Merkel and standing ovations

After 16 years not just at the heart of Europe but also at the head of the continent’s most prestigious symphony orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle bowed out as the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic this week, in an emotional farewell concert in the German capital.

The Liverpool-born conductor, who in 2002 became the first Briton ever chosen for the Berlin job, was never the traditionalists’ choice to take charge of the jewel in Germany’s musical crown. But, in his last performance in Berlin’s Philharmonie Hall before returning to the UK to take over at the helm of the London Symphony Orchestra, all that was history. Rattle received the kind of loud cheering, standing ovation and bouquets of flowers from admirers that used to be reserved for opera divas.

The conductor’s final concert with the Berlin orchestra consisted of a single work, Gustav Mahler’s searing and fateful Sixth Symphony. Rattle had conducted this 80-minute work in his first engagement with the orchestra in 1987, at a time when, in his 30s, he was dragging British concert life into the modern age as chief conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

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There was no disputing the rapport between conductor and orchestra in this final performance together in their home hall. As the applause continued long into the hot Berlin night, a clearly moved Rattle made a short speech in German, addressed to “my wonderful orchestra” and “my dear Berlin public”, thanking them for their support. “Danke für alles,” he concluded.

Even Germany’s politically beleaguered chancellor, Angela Merkel, a keen concertgoer, took time out from trying to keep her coalition government afloat, to attend one of the many farewell events for Rattle. During the conductor’s long stay in Berlin, Rattle seems to have won over doubters with his enthusiasm, his emphasis on modern repertoire, his involvement in educational work and his encouragement of new programming.

After Rattle’s first concert in charge in 2002, the Guardian’s reviewer proudly concluded: “Our boy has well and truly arrived.” Sixteen years on, the Rattle era has not been without its ups and downs, but the 63-year-old conductor, now white-haired and balding, departs from Berlin garlanded with honours, affection and respect – not to mention regret. The political echoes are hard to miss. The Berlin Philharmonic’s house magazine contains a cartoon of a curly-haired man conducting from the stern of a ship named Britannia as it puts to sea with his orchestra on the quayside still following his baton. “Bye bye Sir Simon” says the caption.

Now another ship docks. From the autumn, the Berlin Philharmonic will be led by its first Russian-born chief conductor, Kirill Petrenko, currently the music director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. An outstanding musician, Petrenko’s opening concert as chief conductor in September is a striking contrast to Rattle’s Berlin opener 16 years ago. Back then, Rattle began with Asyla by British composer Thomas Adès, followed by Mahler’s Fifth. In September, Petrenko opens with a more familiar programme of Beethoven and Richard Strauss. Our boy will be missed.