Berlin Philharmonic Wobblers

June 18, 2005

 

Though it is rare among orchestras, the Berlin Philharmonic encourages its members to move when they play – by that is meant swaying around in their chairs.  It is rumored that you can’t pass your trial period there if you don’t wobble enough.  They stress that it is important for the members to show enthusiasm.  New members are judged by whether or not they are “Begeisterungsfähig” which roughly translates as “capable of being enthused.”  In Germany the orchestra is sometimes nicknamed “The Wobblers.”   Catch a video of them sometime.  You will likely see what I am talking about.

 

William Osborne