Sir Simon Rattle on Haydn’s “Creation” (10 min.)

As Haydn’s oratorio The Creation has been a favourite of Simon Rattle since his youth, it was no surprise that he programmed the work for the opening concert of his final season as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker. In this short introduction, which also welcomes the audience to the new season, the conductor talks about the history of the work, Haydn’s inventiveness, and the moments in which the composition looks ahead to the music of the 19th century. Other topics covered include the evening’s vocal soloists and the short piece by Georg Friedrich Haas which was premiered at the beginning of the concert as part of the orchestra’s “Tapas” series.