Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2020

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  • bluestateprommer
    Full Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 3033

    Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2020

    Time (well, a bit early) for the annual Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra New Year's Day concert thread, for 2020, with the VPO and Andris Nelsons. First, some standard links:

    VPO programme (which has actually been on their website for weeks now): https://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/...event-id/10034

    ORF: https://oe1.orf.at/programm/20200101/583109

    BBC R3: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cq0k

    As has been the case for some years now, Petroc gets the R3 presenter's call. (Side note: I wonder if he actually gets to hear the concert on the 31st, since on Jan. 1 itself, he has to be in the presenter's box and thus not in the concert hall proper itself.)

    The program, minus the one unknown and two fixed-in-stone standard encores, is as follows, with (*) to mark what looks to be first performances at the VPO New Year's Concert, to the best of my knowledge (and working from my Excel database):

    Carl Michael Ziehrer: Overture to Die Landstreicher (The Vagabonds) (*)
    Josef Strauss:
    (a) Liebesgrüße (Greetings of Love) Waltz, op. 56 (*)
    (b) Liechtenstein March, op. 36 (*)
    Johann Strauss II:
    (a) Blumenfest (Flower Festival) Polka. op. 111
    (b) Wo die Citronen blüh'n (Where the Lemons Blossom), Waltz, op. 364
    Eduard Strauss: Knall und Fall (Without Delay), Fast Polka, op. 132 (*)

    Franz von Suppé: Light Cavalry Overture
    Josef Strauss: Cupido, Polka française, op. 81 (*)
    Johann Strauss II: Seid umschlungen, Millionen (Be Embraced, You Millions), Waltz, op. 443
    Eduard Strauss: Eisblume (Ice Flower), Polka mazurka, op. 55 (Arr. W. Dörner) (*)
    Josef Hellmesberger II: Gavotte (*)
    Hans Christian Lumbye: Postillon Galop, op. 16/2 (Arr. W. Dörner) (*)
    Ludwig van Beethoven: Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14 (selections) (*)
    Johann Strauss Jr.
    (a) Freuet euch des Lebens (Enjoy Life), Waltz, op.340
    (b) Tritsch-Tratsch, Fast Polka, op. 214
    Josef Strauss: Dynamiden, Waltz, op. 173

    Part of me wonders if the radio and or full ORF TV presentation will include a tribute to Mariss Jansons, since Jansons conducted 3 of these VPO New Year's concerts, and his compatriot "musical son", so to speak, is on the podium.

    On US TV, likewise as usual, we will get only a part of the concert as part of the Great Performances series on PBS, basically the 2nd half of the concert, again as has been the practice in recent years. Hugh Bonneville is now well ensconced as the emcee for the PBS relay, and he'll present again for US audiences, including the travelogue segments. When I get the chance to watch the videos, I'll do the distaff count (as Petroc will probably do also, with one comment during the proceedings at one point).

    In any case, always a nice way to start the New Year. Cheers
  • Petrushka
    Full Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 12417

    #2
    There are some terrific waltzes here including two personal favourites, Seid umschlungen, Millionen (with a nod to Beethoven 9) and Dynamiden (with the main melody shamelessly stolen by Richard Strauss in Rosenkavalier). While on the subject of stealing from the Strauss family, one of the melodies from Freuet euch des Lebens was used by Gustav Mahler in the first movement of his 9th Symphony, ironically I'd guess!

    Viennese light music enthusiasts will recognise one or two of the 'unknown' items as Boskovsky recorded them for EMI with the Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna. Good to see ample representation of Josef in the 150th year of his death.

    It looks a superb programme so shrug off that New Year hangover, clear away the bottles and glasses, forget B****t and sit down and delight in this wonderful music!
    Last edited by Petrushka; 22-12-19, 17:41.
    "The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink

    Comment

    • bluestateprommer
      Full Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 3033

      #3
      Some more light reading from the NYT in advance of the concert:

      Andris Nelsons: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/a...conductor.html

      The VPO and the distaff factor: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/a...lharmonic.html

      In keeping with Pet's comment about the variety in the program, Nelsons commented on the choice of selections:

      "How much say do you have in the programming, which usually has a large number of Strauss waltzes?

      I think as much as any other program when I conduct or any other concert. There are some ideas we put together. We look together with the orchestra, like if there is an anniversary — so for example in 2020 there is the Beethoven anniversary and the 150th anniversary of the death of Josef Strauss and that is why we wanted to perform his pieces more.

      And it’s also the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the Musikverein just a few days after the New Year’s concert. So we come together with ideas: what I would love to conduct, what they would expect maybe, what has not been played lately or also the dramaturgy of the concert, the energy goes up and then the energy needs to come down."
      For Freuet euch des Lebens, if memory serves, Johann II wrote that waltz for the opening of the Musikverein in 1870, which makes it fitting for this concert (besides the Mahler 9 connection, to be sure). I have to second Pet's point about the quality of the program and how different it is, where I was so busy writing the thread post that it didn't occur to me to see just how interesting the program is. It will be very interesting to see how Nelsons handles the orchestra (or the other way around), how much he conducts and how much he simply lets the orchestra do their thing.

      PS: The first question to Nelsons in the NYT interview by Ginanne Brownell Mitic did begin:

      "I understand that conductors find out that they have been chosen sometimes three years before the actual date."
      This does beg the question of who will get the gig next year, not to mention the next several years. Andres Orozco-Estrada led the VPO (or again, the other way around, perhaps) in a Johann Strauss II encore at the Proms this summer, so maybe AO-E is on the short-list for it soon.

      Comment

      • Prommer
        Full Member
        • Dec 2010
        • 1275

        #4
        Looking forward to it already...! I am a fan of Thielemann's but last year's was a little flat...

        Comment

        • Prommer
          Full Member
          • Dec 2010
          • 1275

          #5
          How many women have ever conducted the VPO (as opposed to the State Opera)?

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          • bluestateprommer
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 3033

            #6
            Originally posted by Prommer View Post
            How many women have ever conducted the VPO (as opposed to the State Opera)?
            The number is 3 (correction to the correction):
            1. Carmen Studer-Weingartner (or Weingartner-Studer): 1935, at the Salzburg Festival
            2. Simone Young: 2005, at the Burgtheater and the Konzerthaus, Vienna
            3. Emmanuelle Haim: 2016, at the Lucerne Festival and the Theater an der Wien

            You'll note that none of these concerts have been at the Musikverein. (If I were foolish enough to predict which female conductor will be the first to conduct the VPO at the Musikverein, my guess would be either MG-T or Karina C.. Naturally, I expect to be fully wrong on this.)

            PS: On the 3rd correction, it turns out that Speranza Scappucci conducted the Vienna State Opera Orchestra at the Vienna Opera Ball 2017, not the VPO at the January 2017 Vienna Philharmonic Ball concert. My mistake(s).
            Last edited by bluestateprommer; 30-12-19, 22:18. Reason: 3rd correction; Scappucci has not conducted the VPO

            Comment

            • Prommer
              Full Member
              • Dec 2010
              • 1275

              #7
              Originally posted by bluestateprommer View Post
              The number is 3:
              1. Carmen Studer-Weingartner (or Weingartner-Studer): 1935, at the Salzburg Festival
              2. Simone Young: 2005, at the Burgtheater and the Konzerthaus, Vienna
              3. Emmanuelle Haim: 2016, at the Lucerne Festival and the Theater an der Wien

              You'll note that none of these concerts have been at the Musikverein. (If I were foolish enough to predict which female conductor will be the first to conduct the VPO at the Musikverein, my guess would be either MG-T or Karina C.. Naturally, I expect to be fully wrong on this.)
              Great stuff. Thank you. Do you know what were the circumstances of the first? Intriguing...!

              Comment

              • Prommer
                Full Member
                • Dec 2010
                • 1275

                #8
                Originally posted by bluestateprommer View Post
                The number is 3:
                1. Carmen Studer-Weingartner (or Weingartner-Studer): 1935, at the Salzburg Festival
                2. Simone Young: 2005, at the Burgtheater and the Konzerthaus, Vienna
                3. Emmanuelle Haim: 2016, at the Lucerne Festival and the Theater an der Wien

                You'll note that none of these concerts have been at the Musikverein. (If I were foolish enough to predict which female conductor will be the first to conduct the VPO at the Musikverein, my guess would be either MG-T or Karina C.. Naturally, I expect to be fully wrong on this.)
                Sorry to ask for more... but what about at the State Opera?

                Comment

                • bluestateprommer
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 3033

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Prommer View Post
                  Sorry to ask for more... but what about at the State Opera?
                  There have been 4 there to date, in the following chronological order for debuts (with debut year):
                  1. Simone Young (1993)
                  2. Keri-Lynn Wilson (2000)
                  3. Julia Jones (2001)
                  4. Speranza Scappucci (2016)

                  No idea about the circumstances regarding Carmen Studer-Weingartner with the VPO at Salzburg, besides her being wife of Felix Weingartner (sorry).
                  Last edited by bluestateprommer; 30-12-19, 22:20. Reason: correction in light of post # 6

                  Comment

                  • Prommer
                    Full Member
                    • Dec 2010
                    • 1275

                    #10
                    From today's FT:

                    "When the Vienna Philharmonic embarks on its annual rendition of the Radetzky March at its New Year’s Day concert, a connoisseur of the music of Johann Strauss Sr may notice something slightly different.

                    Alerted to the Nazi connections of the arrangement of the piece the orchestra has played for decades, the philharmonic will this year play a new version for this year’s concert at Vienna’s storied Musikverein, which will be broadcast live to 92 countries.

                    The old version was arranged by Austrian-born Leopold Weninger, a former member of the Nazi party who also made popular arrangements of the party’s anthem, the Horst-Wessel-Lied.

                    The orchestra’s decision to ditch the old version underscores the legacy of Austria’s Nazi past and, 75 years after the end of WWII, the country’s slow reckoning with it.

                    After the philharmonic was reminded about Weninger’s Nazi background, it sought to codify a modified version of the arrangement which has evolved over decades, spokeswoman Claudia Kapsamer told the Financial Times.

                    “The idea was and still is to bring joy to the listeners and not to remind anyone of some war or Nazistic propaganda or ideas,” she said.

                    The Radetzky March, first performed in 1848, was dedicated to the memory of Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky’s victory in the First Battle of Custoza, at the start of Italian Risorgimento. The Austrian writer Joseph Roth, whose 1932 novel Radetzky March chronicles three generations of a family during the late days of the Habsburg empire, called the tune “the Marseillaise of conservatism”, a reference to the French call to revolution which later became that country’s national anthem.

                    After Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, the philharmonic’s Jewish musicians were fired. Five of the musicians perished in concentration camps, while two died in Vienna as a direct result of deportation attempts. Another nine were driven into exile, according to research published on the philharmonic’s website.

                    By 1942, almost half of the orchestra were members of the Nazi party — far higher than the 20 per cent in the Berlin Philharmonic.

                    The Nazis began the tradition of the new year concert in 1939 and the Radetzky March was first played at the 1946 edition. While the concert programme varies each year, the encores are almost always the same: the Radetzky March and Johann Strauss II’s Blue Danube waltz. Both compositions are seen as unofficial Austrian anthems.

                    The New Year’s Day concerts were part of the Nazi regime’s “propaganda-by-entertainment strategy”, said historian Oliver Rathkolb in a study.

                    They were so important that Hitler’s propagandist Joseph Goebbels allegedly endeavoured to adjust Strauss’s baptismal record in Vienna — because it noted that the composer was partly Jewish.

                    In postwar Austria, the Vienna Philharmonic was the “most distinctive example” of the difficulty of removing Nazis from cultural life, wrote Mr Rathkolb in a different study.

                    Ms Kapsamer said Weninger’s version of the Radetzky March had been the only one in existence for a large orchestra because the original arrangement had been for fewer musicians.

                    She said the new arrangement had evolved over decades, with handwritten changes passed down by generations of musicians. Daniel Froschauer, the philharmonic’s chairman, asked that these changes be incorporated into the orchestra’s own edition of the score for 2020."

                    Comment

                    • vinteuil
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 13147

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Prommer View Post

                      By 1942, almost half of the orchestra were members of the Nazi party — far higher than the 20 per cent in the Berlin Philharmonic.

                      The Nazis began the tradition of the new year concert in 1939 and the Radetzky March was first played at the 1946 edition. While the concert programme varies each year, the encores are almost always the same: the Radetzky March and Johann Strauss II’s Blue Danube waltz. Both compositions are seen as unofficial Austrian anthems.

                      The New Year’s Day concerts were part of the Nazi regime’s “propaganda-by-entertainment strategy”...
                      ... as if I didn't already feel this was something to be loathed


                      .

                      Comment

                      • Eine Alpensinfonie
                        Host
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 20585

                        #12
                        Originally posted by vinteuil View Post
                        ... as if I didn't already feel this was something to be loathed


                        .
                        Perhaps the Far Right extremism has since moved from Germany and Austria to somewhere nearer home?

                        Comment

                        • Ein Heldenleben
                          Full Member
                          • Apr 2014
                          • 7230

                          #13
                          For those that are interested Ivan Hewett produced quite a stringent critique of the New Years Day concert in the Telegraph a couple of days ago. He raised its Nazi connections and the appalling treatment of the orchestra’s Jewish musicians . It’s fair to say the commenters did not wholeheartedly agree with him dredging up the past.

                          Comment

                          • Alison
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 6499

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Prommer View Post
                            Looking forward to it already...! I am a fan of Thielemann's but last year's was a little flat...
                            I’ve watched it several times on DVD, not really a fan of CT yet thoroughly enjoyed it!

                            Comment

                            • Petrushka
                              Full Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 12417

                              #15
                              This will be my 49th New Year's Day Concert! I still long for the Boskovsky era and, apart from Karajan in 1987 and the two Carlos Kleiber concerts (1990 & 1992), it's never really had the same sparkle and magic that Boskovsky had in spades.

                              Yes, it's a well established historical fact that the NYDC tradition began in the National Socialist era but it's no longer relevant if indeed, it ever was. None of the present day VPO members were anywhere near to being born then and it's all 75 years ago. Very few people from that time can now be living. Can't journos who should know better now please move on?
                              "The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink

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