Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra’s opening concert for the 2024/25 season had the feeling of a real season beginning. It was not just another Thursday night concert at Zorlu PSM. BIPO was celebrating its 25th year, and that gave the evening a certain weight even before the music started. There was a sense that the orchestra was looking both backward and forward: honoring its place in Istanbul’s musical life, while also beginning another season under Carlo Tenan’s direction.
The program was also a good choice for an opening night. It brought together three very different musical worlds: Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s Suite for Orchestra, Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony, and Mahler’s Fourth Symphony with soprano Hélène Walter. On paper, this looked like a balanced program: a Turkish composer to begin, a bright Romantic symphony in the middle, and then a large Mahler work after the intermission. In the hall, it felt even more connected than I expected.
The concert opened with Saygun’s Suite for Orchestra, op. 14. I always find it meaningful when a major Turkish orchestra begins a season with a work by one of the Turkish Five. It immediately places the concert in a local context, not in a narrow or symbolic way, but as a reminder that the symphonic tradition in Turkey has its own history and voice. The piece itself is short, but it has a strong character. Its three movements inspired by Çorum Halayı, Zeybek, and Horon bring different regional colors into an orchestral language.
What I liked most about the Saygun was its directness. It does not try to sound “folkloric” in a simple decorative sense. Instead, the folk-inspired material becomes part of the structure and energy of the music. The rhythmic drive of the outer movements worked especially well as an opening. Carlo Tenan kept the music clear and lively, and BIPO sounded alert from the first bars. It was a strong start, and it gave the concert a distinctly Turkish opening without feeling forced.
Then came Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A major, “Italian.” After Saygun’s earthy rhythms, Mendelssohn brought sunlight. This is one of those pieces that can sound effortless when played well, even though I imagine it requires a lot of precision from the orchestra. The first movement has such an immediate sense of joy that it almost feels impossible to resist. BIPO captured that brightness nicely. The strings had energy, and the winds added color without making the texture feel crowded.
Mendelssohn’s music can sometimes pass by too easily if the performance is only pretty. But here, I felt there was enough shape and movement to keep it alive. The second movement, often described as a kind of pilgrims’ procession, had a darker and more serious atmosphere. It gave the symphony some contrast after the freshness of the opening. The third movement was elegant, and the final Saltarello had the kind of speed and tension that makes the ending exciting without becoming messy.
For me, the Mendelssohn was probably the most purely enjoyable part of the first half. It did not necessarily surprise me, but it reminded me why this symphony is so loved. It is bright, graceful, and full of motion. After hearing it live, I also understood again how different Mendelssohn can feel in a concert hall compared to a recording. The music has a physical lightness when the orchestra is really moving together.
After the intermission came the main work of the evening: Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 in G major. This symphony is often described as one of Mahler’s more approachable works, but I do not think that means it is simple. It has a strange kind of innocence. At moments it feels childlike, almost transparent, but underneath that surface there is always something unsettling. That mix of beauty and unease is what makes Mahler so interesting to me.
The first movement began with that familiar bell-like sound and soon opened into Mahler’s world of shifting moods. Tenan did not rush the music, which was important. The movement needs space to breathe, but it also needs direction, and I thought the performance found a good balance. There were moments of pastoral calm, but also sudden changes of color and mood that reminded you how unstable Mahler’s music can be.
The second movement, with its ghostly violin character, had a sharper edge. This was one of the parts of the performance I found most engaging. The music is not openly frightening, but it has a strange smile to it, like something cheerful seen from the wrong angle. BIPO brought out that slightly distorted dance quality well. The third movement was the emotional center of the symphony. It unfolded slowly, and at its best moments it had a quiet intensity. I found myself listening more patiently as it went on, letting the long lines develop.
Hélène Walter entered in the final movement for “Das himmlische Leben.” Her voice suited the atmosphere of the movement: clear, controlled, and not overly dramatic. That was important because Mahler’s ending should not feel like an opera scene suddenly attached to a symphony. It needs a kind of simplicity. Walter gave it that. The text describes heavenly joys, but the music never feels completely innocent. There is comfort, but also distance. The ending was gentle and memorable.
Overall, I left the concert feeling that BIPO had opened its 25th season with confidence. The program was thoughtful without being too difficult, and it showed different sides of the orchestra: rhythmic energy in Saygun, brightness and elegance in Mendelssohn, and emotional depth in Mahler. Carlo Tenan’s direction felt steady throughout the night, and the orchestra seemed ready for the season ahead.
As an opening concert, it worked very well. It had celebration, seriousness, and beauty. More importantly, it made me want to follow the rest of the season. That is probably the best thing an opening night can do.
Burak Dikici 