In this evening's live-streamed concert by Berliner Phil at the Philharmonie Berlin, I was delighted to see a bold new stage seating plan I've never seen or heard of before (see pic attached). Just looking at it instantly made sense, and then the Tonmeister produced a superb live mix. Sound-wise, it works.
The big new changes are: Contrabasses in one line abreast extending both sides of the centre line (immediately behind two lines of woodwinds); Celli all grouped to the left of centre (adjoining Violins 1 in their usual Karajan position); and 'loud' brass (not horns) in a detached front-back line at the far right side (now not blasting straight into the ears of long-suffering woodwind players!).
At next week's concert I guess we'll find out if it was just a one-time change organised by the guest conductor, Iván Fischer, only for this evening's concert of works by Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler (1st Symphony). I don't believe any of these works really necessitated the new seating plan; so perhaps it was just an additional consideration - which I hope will carry on.
I've just applied these new positions to one of my test pieces for strings, and I love it.
[P.S. Erm ... what's up with the view count here? Over 1000 views in 12 hours?? Way too weird to be kosher methinks.]
[UPDATE - One week later]
Well the stage seating plan has changed again. Contrabasses now where horns and harps usually are; one long line of brass behind 2 rows of woodwind. (See attached pic.) This plan is by no means new at the Philharmonie Berlin; for example, have a look at this concert recorded back in 2012.
Liszt - doing a bit of Wagner-channeling
