I love having this subscription! I love the live concerts as well as the archives! I haven’t figured out how to down load concerts to listen off line yet (it’s only been a couple of years). I consider myself a “SuperUser” with computers and the like but for-the-most-part do not find this interface all that smooth or intuitive. I think it would be nice to have 24/7 chat support even it it were contracted out. The subscription has been “hounding me to re-up for almost a year and my subscription goes through to June ‘23. Asking me every time I sign on is no way to buy my loyalty. I HATE the nagging. I wanted to purchase a gift subscription for a friend, usually these are very plain to see, there is a special if you renew, you get something off on a gift subscription…but I could not find even a mention of gift subscriptions even with searches???? It just seems like you have to work way too hard to find information for the basics. Gift subscriptions should be right at the top during the holidays if any time for birthdays, etc. I can’t find it or instructions anywhere.

I discovered the digital concert hall several years ago, and now I would not be without it. My home town orchestra is the Cleveland, which I attend when possible. With the digital concert hall I am able to access a concert in the comfort of my living room whenever I wish, and now I am as familiar with the Berliners as I am with the Clevelanders. Comparisons are odious, so I will refrain from doing so. Of course recorded sound cannot compare with live presentations, but the sound of the digital concert hall is excellent, and all that one can reasonably hope for. I really appreciate the archived material, which provides an extensive catalog of classical music. If the there were one suggestion I would offer it would be to make it easier to find a specific work. Presently one must scroll through the various concerts to find the work they are looking for. (a minor issue). Thank you for offering the service, and I am especially pleased to see that you continue to add more items to the archives.

Before I start to say stuff I want to say that for any classical lover or any musician this is a MUST have. Berlin Philharmonic is one of the best in the world, so being able to access that kind of music on your phone for such a low price is a steal. Camera’s in all the recordings are also great too, as whoever is leading it knows who or what is soloing and what the most interesting part is at the time of the shot, and it’s fantastic! Camerawork captures all the emotion and technique of all the players beautifully, whether it be the conductor or musicians.Although this app is great, there are still minor drawbacks that stick out to me.- Whenever you try to rewind to a certain point in the concert (apart from the start of movements), it always seems to jump forward or backward about 30 seconds from where you want it.- Roku app is extremely clunky. Can’t search specific concerts. ALSO, whenever you want to rewind or fast forward to a certain point it always cuts to the next movement with no way of undoing it.Again, fantastic app with fantastic songs and a must have, and fixing these bugs and clunkiness will make it perfect.

“You have to continuously nourish it. And sometimes you must prune it.” As Maestro Rattle relates it, at the time he didn’t understand exactly what von Karajan meant, either. It is very interesting to see and hear how a great orchestra stays great by passing along its traditions to the next generation. Every orchestra needs to understand and communicate its unique culture and character. It helps that The Berlin Philharmonic is self-governed so that every player has a stake in its success. It’s not just a job, it’s a family.Here in Washington DC, we have the National Orchestral Institute, 100 young players (under 30), chosen out of a thousand, who come together for three weeks to prepare three concerts under superb conductors and first-chair coaches. For those three weeks, they are one of the most exciting orchestras in the world.