Silence After the Finale: Tillemann and the Vienna Philharmonic's Rapturous Bruckner
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
On Nov. 20 at Seoul Arts Center, Christian Tillemann conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5, producing an unusually profound performance that elicited over 20 seconds of silence after the final, majestic chorale. Tillemann—known as a “Bruckner specialist”—shaped the work with confident beats, nuanced thematic shaping, and bold tempo choices (including downplaying the composer’s typical general pause), creating intense musical and possibly spiritual exhilaration. The orchestra’s signature “golden sound,” standout horn and oboe solos, and the lyrical cantabile of the second movement all contributed to an exceptional concert. Despite minor technical slips, the collaboration of Tillemann’s seasoned interpretation and the Vienna Philharmonic’s artistry delivered one of their most memorable Seoul appearances.
