Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2024

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thielemann is a conductor I admire, possibly because of his three excellent Alpine Symphony recordings.
But I agree with sentiments expressed here that he’s not really suited to this repertoire, just as Harnoncourt wasn’t.

[pastoralguy]

The piccolo player, Karin Bonelli, is a dead ringer for my next door neighbour!

Lucky you!

[Petrushka]

Lucky you!

You might very well say that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[Petrushka]

No-one has mentioned the moronic premature applause during the Waldmeister Overture. This piece has been played numerous times at the NYDC and recorded ditto so there's no excuse especially as the music clearly didn't end at the point where the applause began.

This must be giving a headache to the CD/DVD team at Sony: retain ìt or use a retake? When the same thing happened at that notorious spot in Weber's Invitation to the Dance at a Harnoncourt NYDC they retained it as it is actually quite appropriate at that point. The Waldmeister mess poses a more difficult question. Personally, I'd hope that they have an alternative take from the New Year's Eve performance that can be slotted into place.

The shame of a Vienna audience not knowing this music!

[pastoralguy]

No-one has mentioned the moronic premature applause during the Waldmeister Overture. This piece has been played numerous times at the NYDC and recorded ditto so there's no excuse especially as the music clearly didn't end at the point where the applause began.

This must be giving a headache to the CD/DVD team at Sony: retain ìt or use a retake? When the same thing happened at that notorious spot in Weber's Invitation to the Dance at a Harnoncourt NYDC they retained it as it is actually quite appropriate at that point. The Waldmeister mess poses a more difficult question. Personally, I'd hope that they have an alternative take from the New Year's Eve performance that can be slotted into place.

The shame of a Vienna audience not knowing this music!

I suspect the problem is that the audience on the New Year’s Day Concert are less devotees of Strauss’ music and more concerned with the occasion itself. Yes, there will be back up recordings from the previous two performances.

[richardfinegold]

Give John Eliot Gardiner a go? Only 80…and he produced not a bad Merry Widow years ago with the VPO?

What if he slugs a musician for taking the wrong exit at the interval?. Or,being the historical authenticist, asks the players to wear swastika armbands as surely some of them did at the first New Years concert?

[LMcD]

What if he slugs a musician for taking the wrong exit at the interval?. Or,being the historical authenticist, asks the players to wear swastika armbands as surely some of them did at the first New Years concert?

That was what I was wondering in #68.

[Ein Heldenleben]

No-one has mentioned the moronic premature applause during the Waldmeister Overture. This piece has been played numerous times at the NYDC and recorded ditto so there's no excuse especially as the music clearly didn't end at the point where the applause began.

This must be giving a headache to the CD/DVD team at Sony: retain ìt or use a retake? When the same thing happened at that notorious spot in Weber's Invitation to the Dance at a Harnoncourt NYDC they retained it as it is actually quite appropriate at that point. The Waldmeister mess poses a more difficult question. Personally, I'd hope that they have an alternative take from the New Year's Eve performance that can be slotted into place.

The shame of a Vienna audience not knowing this music!

If its really a problem I wonder if they record the rehearsal and could then just slot a clean take in from that ? There would be a slight acoustic change from a smaller audience but few would notice it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

What if he slugs a musician for taking the wrong exit at the interval?. Or,being the historical authenticist, asks the players to wear swastika armbands as surely some of them did at the first New Years concert?

Unlikely as Nazi symbols are banned in Austria. I suppose that sort of thing is restricted to junior members of our Royal Family. The only photo I can find claiming to be the VPO doing a wartime New Years Day concert does indeed look like the Musikverein. The orchestra are not wearing armbands but there are two large swastike flags draped left and right on the rear wall.

[Prommer]

What if he slugs a musician for taking the wrong exit at the interval?. Or,being the historical authenticist, asks the players to wear swastika armbands as surely some of them did at the first New Years concert?

Titter...

[Prommer]

No-one has mentioned the moronic premature applause during the Waldmeister Overture. This piece has been played numerous times at the NYDC and recorded ditto so there's no excuse especially as the music clearly didn't end at the point where the applause began.

This must be giving a headache to the CD/DVD team at Sony: retain ìt or use a retake? When the same thing happened at that notorious spot in Weber's Invitation to the Dance at a Harnoncourt NYDC they retained it as it is actually quite appropriate at that point. The Waldmeister mess poses a more difficult question. Personally, I'd hope that they have an alternative take from the New Year's Eve performance that can be slotted into place.

The shame of a Vienna audience not knowing this music!

So... Thielemann and members of the orchestra smiled at this point... were not at all 'cross'.

I suspect in part because the very same had happened in the two previous performances, so good luck in relying on those being spliced in for your 'perfect performance'.

Leave it in!

[bluestateprommer]

Well, in her review for Der Standard, Ljubiša Tošić did mention the premature applause during Waldmeister:

https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000201486/polizeigeschuetzes-neujahrskonzert-mit-christian-thielemann

I was shocked to hear it, admittedly. However, to both Petrushka's and Prommer's points: for an honest record of what actually happened, the track must be left as it is. I suspect that this is what will happen on the CD/DVD release (This would avoid the tainting of SSR's recording of Gurrelieder some years back, where Elizabeth Whitehouse was sonically, and very unjustly, airbrushed out of the live performances that comprised that recording in favor of Karita Mattila.)

It would be interesting as an academic exercise to know the demographics of the audiences at each of the 3 performances, e.g. how many out-of-towners vs. how many Austrians / "locals", even though for obvious reasons of privacy, such information would not (and probably should not) be public. Speaking of public safety, Tošić mentioned in her review the presence of police outside to check all patrons before they enter. Obviously no one at the VPO, the Musikverein, or the audience in general wanted a repeat like the climate protesters' action at last year's NJK.

From what I've heard so far of the ORF relay, I can understand the 'meh' reaction from folks here so far. The rarities are the most enjoyable parts so far, probably exactly because they are rarities and thus first hearings. And also, I must apologize for my earlier comment about "One barrier remains" because, of course, two barriers remain: not only a female conductor for the VPO New Year's Concert, but at some point music by a female composer.

[Petrushka]

Well, in her review for Der Standard, Ljubiša Tošić did mention the premature applause during Waldmeister:

https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000201486/polizeigeschuetzes-neujahrskonzert-mit-christian-thielemann

I was shocked to hear it, admittedly. However, to both Petrushka's and Prommer's points: for an honest record of what actually happened, the track must be left as it is. I suspect that this is what will happen on the CD/DVD release (This would avoid the tainting of SSR's recording of Gurrelieder some years back, where Elizabeth Whitehouse was sonically, and very unjustly, airbrushed out of the live performances that comprised that recording in favor of Karita Mattila.)

It would be interesting as an academic exercise to know the demographics of the audiences at each of the 3 performances, e.g. how many out-of-towners vs. how many Austrians / "locals", even though for obvious reasons of privacy, such information would not (and probably should not) be public. Speaking of public safety, Tošić mentioned in her review the presence of police outside to check all patrons before they enter. Obviously no one at the VPO, the Musikverein, or the audience in general wanted a repeat like the climate protesters' action at last year's NJK.

From what I've heard so far of the ORF relay, I can understand the 'meh' reaction from folks here so far. The rarities are the most enjoyable parts so far, probably exactly because they are rarities and thus first hearings. And also, I must apologize for my earlier comment about "One barrier remains" because, of course, two barriers remain: not only a female conductor for the VPO New Year's Concert, but at some point music by a female composer.

I'm sure you are right and the premature applause will be kept in but one can imagine a 'head in hands' moment among the Sony recording team. I won't be buying the CD or Blu-ray/DVD anyway.

Those with long memories will remember the time(1987) that Karajan mistakenly forgot the encore item and began conducting The Blue Danube instead only to suddenly realise and stop. Karajan took the laughter in good part but the subsequent DVD release had numerous obvious edits from one of the other two performances and his embarrassment was edited out.

I think that the audience at this concert has markedly changed over the years. During the Boskovsky era and before TV first broadcast proceedings in 1963, the audience would have been almost exclusively Viennese with seats handed down from one generation to another. Indeed, I recall seeing one gentleman, a Peter Ustinov lookalike, sitting in the same seat year after year. Also, I seem to recall that the concert was in aid of the VPO pension fund.

All this has changed with a global television audience and greater ease of travel plus, of course, the internet. It's become a plaything of the rich, a place to be seen on New Year's Day and more than half of the audience have little interest in the music, hence the moronic applause.

The Boskovsky era was by far the best. There was always plenty of humour, even some good comedy routines from the orchestral percussionists. Everyone had a good time and the fizz and sparkle got the New Year off to a great start.

Now it's all so earnest. No-one seems to even smile, even amongst the orchestra. There's a ridiculous obsession with counting the number of women in the orchestra and stupid Nazi comments are still made, even on here. The same merry-go-round of mostly elderly conductors with little feeling for the music but raking in the €€€€ nevertheless, all now at the mercy of the recording companies is killing it.

The fun has gone out of it and has been doing for some time. The Vienna Philharmonic need to have a rethink and go back to basics, notably with a change in conductor policy.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'd be interested to hear from other long-term NYDC watchers.

[LMcD]

Now it's all so earnest. No-one seems to even smile, even amongst the orchestra. There's a ridiculous obsession with counting the number of women

That's what led me to switch off after only a few minutes. I think the frequent close-ups of women in the orchestra are intended to fool the viewer into thinking that there are more of them than there actually are. The orchestra currently has 145 permanent members of whom 15 are women, with 4 more 'transitioning' to full membership.

[Petrushka]

That's what led me to switch off after only a few minutes. I think the frequent close-ups of women in the orchestra are intended to fool the viewer into thinking that there are more of them than there actually are. The orchestra currently has 145 'regulars' of whom 15 are women, with 4 more 'transitioning' to full membership.

Why does this matter to you? What does it have to do with the music? Again, it's taking what should be a light-hearted concert much too seriously. Therein lies the problem.