Thematic Focus

Do we live in the most controversial of all worlds? With our seasonal focus Controversial!, we reflect on the current culture of debate from a musical perspective. Because here, too, there have been centuries of debate over the best course. For example, Felix Mendelssohn said that you should wash your hands after reading a score by Hector Berlioz. Brahms thought that Bruckner’s works were “a hoax”. And what about Mozart and Salieri? Concerts with the Berliner Philharmoniker and their ensembles provide exciting juxtapositions of musical concepts and styles.

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A woman with long hair and wearing a colourful blouse sits in an armchair and holds a microphone in her hand into which she speaks. An audience sits in front of her.

Thu 13 November 2025, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall Upper Foyer

Discourse at the Philharmonie

Wed 03 December 2025, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Cornelia Gartemann violin
Allan Nilles viola
Ludwig Quandt cello
Hendrik Heilmann piano
Simon Rössler drums
Franz Schindlbeck drums
Jan Schlichte drums

Works by
Arnold Schoenberg and Dmitri Shostakovich

Arnold Schoenberg
String Trio, op. 45

Dmitri Shostakovich
Suite for variety orchestra (arr. for piano trio and percussion by Oriol Cruixent)

Interval

Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No. 15 in A major, op. 141 (arr. for piano trio and percussion by Victor Derevianko and Mark Petarsk)

The image shows four smiling musicians with their string instruments: two violins, a viola, and a cello. They sit or stand relaxed in a bright room, with a bust hanging on the wall behind them.

Thu 15 January 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Brahms Ensemble Berlin:
Rachel Schmidt violin
Raimar Orlovsky violin
Diyang Mei viola
Julia Gartemann viola
Uladzimir Sinkevich cello

Works by
Felix Mendelssohn, Anton Bruckner and Johannes Brahms

Felix Mendelssohn
String Quintet in B flat major, op. 87

Interval

Anton Bruckner
Intermezzo in D minor

Johannes Brahms
String Quintet No. 2 in G major, op. 111

Three musicians pose on a wooden stage. One holds a violin, another a cello, while the third stands beside them. In the background, a piano and empty seats can be seen, creating a relaxed concert atmosphere.

Mon 02 February 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Pangaea Trio Berlin:
Marlene Ito violin
Uladzimir Sinkevich cello
Yannick Rafalimanana piano

Angelo de Leo violin
Amihai Grosz viola

Works by
Dmitri Shostakovich, Maurice Ravel and Johannes Brahms

Dmitri Shostakovich
Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, op. 8

Maurice Ravel
Piano Trio in A minor

Interval

Johannes Brahms
Piano Quintet in F minor, op. 34

Angelo de Leo violin, Amihai Grosz viola

Presenter Christiane Florin sits in the foyer of the Philharmonie Berlin and speaks into a microphone.

Tue 10 February 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall Upper Foyer

Discourse at the Philharmonie

Wed 25 February 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Piano recital

Kirill Gerstein piano

Works by
Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms

Franz Liszt
Tre Sonetti del Petrarca

Franz Liszt
Après une lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata

Interval

Johannes Brahms
Scherzo es-Moll op. 4

Johannes Brahms
Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, op. 5

Wed 04 March 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Johanna Pichlmair violin
Eva Rabchevska violin
Tobias Reifland viola
Kyoungmin Park viola
Moritz Karl Huemer cello
László Gál french horn

Works by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K. 546

Antonio Salieri
Four Scherzi strumentali di stile fugato for string quartet

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Horn Quintet in E flat major, K. 407

Antonio Salieri
Fugue for String Quartet

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
String Quintet No. 3 in C major, K. 515

Thu 26 March 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall Upper Foyer

Discourse at the Philharmonie

Four male musicians stand in tails, some in white shirts on white pillars. They are holding their instruments, two violins, a viola and a cello.

Wed 15 April 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Varian Fry Quartett:
Philipp Bohnen violin
Christoph von der Nahmer violin
Martin von der Nahmer viola
Knut Weber cello

Anna Prohaska soprano

Works by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Dmitri Shostakovich and Arnold Schoenberg

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Fugues for four voices from Bach’s Well-tempered clavier, Part 2, K. 405

Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, op. 110

Interval

Arnold Schoenberg
String Quartet No. 2 in F sharp minor with solo soprano, op. 10

Anna Prohaska soprano

Thu 28 May 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall Upper Foyer

Discourse at the Philharmonie

Five men stand on a large tiled floor, each holding a different wind instrument. They wear dark shirts and jeans and look up at the camera.

Tue 02 June 2026, 20:00 Chamber Music Hall

Ensemble Wien-Berlin:
Karl-Heinz Schütz flute
Jonathan Kelly oboe
Gerald Pachinger clarinet
Richard Galler bassoon
Stefan Dohr french horn

Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Jelka Weber flute
Christoph Hartmann oboe
Andraž Golob clarinet
Václav Vonášek bassoon
Paula Ernesaks french horn

Works by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Luciano Berio, Vinko Globokar and Joachim Raff

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Serenade in C minor, K. 388 “Nacht Musique”

Luciano Berio
Opus Number Zoo (Version for Wind Quintet)

Interval

Vinko Globokar
Avgustin, dober je vin

Joachim Raff
Sinfonietta, op. 188

Controversial!Season focus 2025/26

Events with season focus