New Year's Day Concert 2017 VPO/Dudamel

[Barbirollians]

Assuming it will be released this will be the first NYD concert recording I have bought since the 1992 Kleiber.

[Tetrachord]

The brand new Vivienne Westwood suits made the orchestra look absolutely fabulous this year. Dudamel worked well and, yes, he did remind my husband and me of Kleiber. That wonderful man always provides a benchmark, for me. He is so very much missed!!

'The Dude' has a big future, I feel, but I cannot help wondering why Andris Nelsons didn't get the gig first - since he is the better known and more renowned conductor. I saw 'The Dude' in the same venue in 2011 in front of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; he must have been barely 30 then!! I'm going back to Vienna in 2018 for more - of everything.

This concert is, after all, a global marketing exercise for the orchestra and Vienna more generally. Why would you HAVE to advertise that phenomenal city is beyond me!!!!

I spotted Julie Andrews in the audience; apparently she introduced the American broadcast. I'm not sure all the patrons are "wealthy" but I do know that fundraising is an important part of the concert; that and marketing.

[Nick Armstrong]

Really? How's his grand Jeté?

Nearly had someone's eye out...

[Barbirollians]

The brand new Vivienne Westwood suits made the orchestra look absolutely fabulous this year. Dudamel worked well and, yes, he did remind my husband and me of Kleiber. That wonderful man always provides a benchmark, for me. He is so very much missed!!

'The Dude' has a big future, I feel, but I cannot help wondering why Andris Nelsons didn't get the gig first - since he is the better known and more renowned conductor. I saw 'The Dude' in the same venue in 2011 in front of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; he must have been barely 30 then!! I'm going back to Vienna in 2018 for more - of everything.

This concert is, after all, a global marketing exercise for the orchestra and Vienna more generally. Why would you HAVE to advertise that phenomenal city is beyond me!!!!

I spotted Julie Andrews in the audience; apparently she introduced the American broadcast. I'm not sure all the patrons are "wealthy" but I do know that fundraising is an important part of the concert; that and marketing.

Andris Nelsons is too busy conducting Rosenkavalier at the ROH and later this month Bruckner and Maxwell Davies with his old orchestra the CBSO .

[Nick Armstrong]

By the way, watching on BBC2, the red button appeared in the top right of the screen at the end of the concert, enabling us to watch the first half (having already listened to it).

Currently watching the 2 hour 'highlights' re-run on BBC4 this evening - preferable for me to the red button, BBC4 being in HD. Interesting to be able to see the non-Strauss family programme items. I see what is meant upthread about GD channelling Carlos Kleiber's conducting style in this music - intriguing to see, as I've always taken the view that his stick and left-hand technique is basically about 90% Abbado. And none the worse for that, don't get me wrong

[Prommer]

I can never watch this concert without wondering what the net worth of the audience would be.

Can we not get past the socialist reflex?

[Richard Barrett]

Can we not get past the socialist reflex?

Get past it? Most people don't seem even to get that far!

But, returning to conductors and their techniques: does the VPO playing Viennese dances really sound that different under different conductors? That's not a leading question - I've just never really noticed that it does.

[Beef Oven!]

He meant reflux

[teamsaint]

He meant reflux

Perhaps he was disappointed that that Rennie Fleming wasn't performing.

[Beef Oven!]

Perhaps he was disappointed that that Rennie Fleming wasn't performing.

[Prommer]

Get past it? Most people don't seem even to get that far!

But, returning to conductors and their techniques: does the VPO playing Viennese dances really sound that different under different conductors? That's not a leading question - I've just never really noticed that it does.

It makes a difference, especially to those who know the music well.

To those new to it, perhaps a slighter difference, though of course they will not realise it.

It is rather like listening to a pop song for the first time, which you like: never the same again, even if technically better!

[Prommer]

Perhaps he was disappointed that that Rennie Fleming wasn't performing.

Keep taking half a Para-dudamel every night....

[Nick Armstrong]

Perhaps he was disappointed that that Rennie Fleming wasn't performing.

Best R3 Forum joke of 2017 (so far)!

[Alison]

Just catching up with the concert after a busy day.

Wow, the old magic is back at last! Just that extra degree of finesse, of light and shade, of pleasure in orchestral balance and timbre. Such a pleasing platform manner from the Dude too.

Still only half way through, the programme has come up very fresh so far. Lovely to hear the Skaters Waltz and Pique Dame.

Will catch up with the rest tomorrow. Full marks.

[Richard Barrett]

To those new to it, perhaps a slighter difference, though of course they will not realise it.

It is rather like listening to a pop song for the first time, which you like: never the same again, even if technically better!

I wouldn't say I was new to it, but I would be interested in hearing something about what these differences might be in this specific context. I don't understand the reference to pop music though.