Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2018

[Petrushka]

It appears from the timings that this year, possibly for the first time, the BBC are showing the whole concert live on BBC2.

In previous years, only radio 3 has covered the whole concert. BBC2 has shown the 2nd half of the concert live, with edited highlights of the whole concert then being shown on BBC4 in the evening.

I am very much looking forward to seeing the whole concert for a change.

The BBC has, in fact, been broadcasting the whole concert live on TV for the past few years now but it's been on the red button channel (601) and oddly they never seemed to advertise it.

[ahinton]

Ferney will be gutted

So will one other member here, methinks...

[BBMmk2]

Sorry, can't stand this programme but MrsBBM does rather like it. Her perennial is the radetsky march, but it has to have the bass drum at the end of the introduction!

[Prommer]

Given Muti's rather strict way with Verdi, can we hope he is more flexible in this rep?

[Petrushka]

Given Muti's rather strict way with Verdi, can we hope he is more flexible in this rep?

Muti first conducted this concert in 1993 and again several times since. Seemed fine to me.

[DracoM]

Do the VPO players have any say in electing who gets the annual baton for this global event?

[bluestateprommer]

Do the VPO players have any say in electing who gets the annual baton for this global event?

The VPO is a self-governing ensemble, so presumably they have all say in choosing who gets to conduct their New Year's concerts, depending also on how available their particular choices are (and the willingness of those choices to up-end their schedules in case they get the nod).

On the question of how Muti will do, I'm reminded of a quip by the NYT's James Oestreich here some time back:

"...with the Vienna Philharmonic’s strong-minded players, it is always worth remembering that they will give their performance, more or less modulated by any conductor."

To be fair to each of the conductors over the years, some aspects of their particular personalities do come through. Given the nature of the orchestra, but also conductors who are wise enough to know the VPO's ways, it's a fair guess that Muti will know when to let the musicians play, and when to give them the arched eyebrow and such.

[DracoM]

So if a 'name' keeps being invited back, does it mean they can 'run' him or her to their own pattern, and anyone who tries to tell them what to do in home grown stuff doesn't get invited back?

[Once Was 4]

The VPO is a self-governing ensemble, so presumably they have all say in choosing who gets to conduct their New Year's concerts, depending also on how available their particular choices are (and the willingness of those choices to up-end their schedules in case they get the nod).

On the question of how Muti will do, I'm reminded of a quip by the NYT's James Oestreich here some time back:



To be fair to each of the conductors over the years, some aspects of their particular personalities do come through. Given the nature of the orchestra, but also conductors who are wise enough to know the VPO's ways, it's a fair guess that Muti will know when to let the musicians play, and when to give them the arched eyebrow and such.

Hmmm! Reminds me again of the hoary old story of a rich businessman hiring the VPO to conduct it himself. He asked how much it would cost him and was told that there were three tariffs: " the Gold tariff gets you our Furtwangler performance and the Silver tariff gets you our Knappertsbusch tariff". So he asked about the other one "that's our bog standard tariff - we just sit there and try to follow what you are doing"

[Constantbee]

Never miss it. I look forward to seeing the flower arrangements and try and guess what the colour scheme will be this year. 2015 was mainly pink, orange and yellow. Last year we had pastel colours with lilac shades. This year I'll hazard a guess at peachy, salmon pink colours. Probably completely wrong ...

[Alison]

I never realised the flowers vary!!

[Petrushka]

This will be my 46th New Year's Day Concert, never missed one since 1972, which is a slightly scary thought.

Anyone care to admit to beating this?

[Alison]

My dad, though musical, never took much interest so we didn’t have it on during childhood.

My first one proper wasn’t until 2004 (Muti!)

[pastoralguy]

I remember watching the Karajan concert with Kathleen Battle, iirc, the only time a soloist has featured in a New Year's Concert with my late Grandfather. He was mesmerised by Karajan's control over the orchestra with such small gestures. I always think of him when I see/ listen to that recording.

[vinteuil]

I remember watching the Karajan concert with Kathleen Battle, iirc, the only time a soloist has featured in a New Year's Concert. He was mesmerised by Karajan's control over the orchestra with such small gestures. I always think of him when I see/ listen to that recording.

... Kathleen Battle ... he ... him....

Have I missed something??


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