Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2020

[Petrushka]

Please, please count me in. I want to go too.

Well, that's four of us, so far, who can make up a party. We should crowdfund it!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

There is plenty of fascinating material there and the present day orchestra members are to be commended for documenting this dark period in their history. Reading all the material may at least acquaint everyone with the facts and prevent any misinformation from taking hold on here.

Then can we not bring up this subject every year?

I agree. The wrongs of the past should not be forgotten, but current members of the VPO are surely all blameless in this regard, and should not be tarred in the same way. Their job is to play fine music, here and now - something they do incredibly well.

[Bryn]

That is correct - a very fine player too. Strangely enough, one of the BPO players actually sacked for being an active Nazi during WW2 was also the Principal trumpet (Adolf Sherbaum) who also made a fine recording of the Haydn concerto and was a very highly regarded trumpet soloist in the 50s and 60s.

Scherbaum was also the trumpet player for Brandenburg 2 in the Harry Newstone set. The sleeve note claimed he was the only trumpeter capable of playing the part accurately on an appropriate instrument at the time.

[hmvman]

I’m trying to unravel these exchanges - the Halle and JB used to devote the second half of a prom to things Viennese - I seem to remember Loughran also did one in the 70s but not much since - maybe Dr Who, Michael Ball and messed about Nina Simone’s repertoire became more attractive - not to me but some seem to like it!

Indeed, cloughie, I wasn't thinking recent memory! Yes, I recall a Loughran Viennese Prom but I can't remember when that was. I also have in mind a Viennese Prom sometime in the '80s or maybe early '90s; maybe that was Welser-Möst, as Alison mentioned.

[David-G]

Well if the rest of you are paying, I’d happily join Pet and Alison as I too would love to see this concert in the hall.

I'll join you!

[Alison]

A number of nice smiles to be seen in the audience this year.

One lady in particular at the front of the balcony to the conductors right

[gradus]

A number of nice smiles to be seen in the audience this year.

One lady in particular at the front of the balcony to the conductors right

Yes I thought there was slightly more enjoyment observable in the sea of bored faces this year.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well, that's four of us, so far, who can make up a party. We should crowdfund it!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Getting back to the music, I've sensed that over the years, the Viennese lilt in the waltzes has become more pronounced. There've been exceptions, when it was barely perceptible. This year, it seemed just about right - natural and musical, rather than seeming determined to show how much better the VPO can to it.

[MickyD]

Going back to the Radetzky, I believe it was Harnoncourt who ruffled a few feathers at his début concert in 2001 by doing the unprecedented thing of starting the concert with the March, and in its original version.

[Stanfordian]

I heard on Radio 4 during the night and read in newspapers that the famous 'Radetzky March' was played in the New Year Concert using a newly commissioned version in a move to distance itself from its Nazi past. Traditionally the 'Radetzky March' has been played using a version created by composer and fervent Nazi supporter Leopold Weninger (1879-1940).

http://operetta-research-center.org/de-nazifying-radetzky-march-2020/

Apologies if this has been mentioned already.

[Keraulophone]

the famous 'Radetzky March' was played in the New Year Concert using a newly commissioned version in a move to distance itself from its Nazi past

Did anyone notice?!

Attention is usually diverted towards the conductor's audience management technique.
.

[Once Was 4]

Did anyone notice?!

Attention is usually diverted towards the conductor's audience management technique.
.

Sorry to go down memory lane again but I remember playing that under the baton of the late Dietfried Bernet who was very punctilious about sorting out the repeats and making sure everyone was marking them in the parts; sensing a bit of irritation on the part of some players he remarked that he had once conducted it in Vienna on a live radio broadcast and it had actually fallen apart because different players did different repeats and, when he tried to finish it, some players carried on but then dropped out in embarrassment.

Or the late Walter Weller jnr when a percussion player asked him where the jokes should be incorporated. Weller growled "Yokes, yokes? If zer are yokes I make ze yokes"

Happy days!

[Andrew]

Yes, we heard the entire concert travelling back from Tavistock to London after a new year's eve party. The combination of the excellent music, playing and comments from Petroc while driving along the A303 was a superb start to the new year!

[Alison]

Yes, we heard the entire concert travelling back from Tavistock to London after a new year's eve party. The combination of the excellent music, playing and comments from Petroc while driving along the A303 was a superb start to the new year!

No delays at Stonehenge I hope!