REVIEWS

“A special word about Bernhard Gueller. His role in this concert (Johan Botha and Friends Opera Gala August 13, 2016) went way beyond that of conductor of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra bringing as he always does that special ability to bring out the best in the musicians as apparent in the orchestra’s second half solo, the famous Intermezzo from the Cavalleria Rusticana. His podium was so close to the soloists that he was like a caring father at their elbows to guide and support. This was particularly so when Botha was obviously feeling the effects of a hectic schedule in Cape Town so soon after surgery and chemotherapy. Cape Times August 2016 “Bernhard Gueller’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 5th symphony left me speechless. Conducting from memory, he seemed to have every member of the orchestra under his direct control. The brass section’s playing was particularly impressive and precise. “

“The famous New York Times critic Harold Schonberg told me in a 1978 interview: “There are no bad orchestras, only bad conductors.’ In this instance, the orchestra’s performance was superlative, just as its superlative conductor Bernhard Gueller directed it.”

“Among the performance’s assets were a precise, robust string sound, idiomatic wind playing and, perhaps, more than anything, the vigour and intelligence of Gueller’s interpretation.”

“The touch and effect was remarkable, and was made possible by Gueller’s control over the orchestra. At their best, Gueller and the orchestra filled every nook and cranny of the hall just as Wagner’s spirit filled the performance.”

“Having already conducted Casablanca’s music so effectively, Gueller gave of his best in the second half with ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’… It was a noteworthy performance on the part of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, both in terms of brilliant sound from the full orchestra and in terms of individual playing. At the end, after the monumental Great Gate of Kiev, the audience rose to its feet in a standing ovation …”

“Bernhard Gueller led the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, playing as if unleashed, in a performance of Bruckner which in terms of urgency and artistic merit could hardly have been be surpassed. It is a long time since we have heard this orchestra play with such strength and unity. We can only hope that we will have the chance to experience Bernhard Gueller at the helm of this orchestra again …”

“Gueller was an utterly enthralling figure on the podium, unleashing prodigious power and dramatic urgency…The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra  responded in big measure, but seemed unaccustomed to direction as commanding as this. The answer is simple: invite him back …”

“Gueller brought all his musical skills to this music (Queen), creating nuances and balance and cooking the tempos on hot and high for an explosive series of performances.”

“The evening was crowned by Gueller’s awe-inspiring account of Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony, the ‘Little Russian’. Felicitous detail, with individually pointed phrasing and rhythm. Organically built climaxes added to the excitement.”

“Gueller has a fine conception of this symphony (Sibelius Symphony no 2). His relaxed tempo and pulsing rhythms spoke eloquently of frozen evergreen forests … (and led) to the overwhelming concluding climax, all well shaped and persuasively presented by Gueller and the orchestra.”

“(Contemporary Canadian composer Jacques) Hetu’s unfailing sense of drama and balance of events, perfectly understood by Gueller and communicated to the strings, winds, brass and timpani, proved a fascinating exercise for the ear.”

“Bernhard Gueller is welcomed back into the realm of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra with a connoisseur Mozart programme. Conductor Bernhard Gueller’s comeback to the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Linder’s stage has been long overdue. No other orchestral leader in the JPO’s history had such a constant positive influence on the orchestra’s wellbeing and artistic growth over a period of approximately twelve to thirteen years. “Making his re-entry with a programme dedicated to Mozart’s genius, was a brilliant idea and underlined once again the conductor’s natural inclination towards the Classical roots within the German-Austrian tradition. Gueller is a classicist of note with a great understanding of the close, minute examination this fascinating time in music history demands from its interpreters”.