Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2021

[Sir Velo]

Interesting to see Jordi Savall and Mstislav Rostropovich among the brass section.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

More of a tradition here to watch with the sound turned down lowish and ask whether those final two or three glasses of Prosecco kindly offered by the neighbours at 02.00 in the morning was really such a good idea . This year sadly that’s not on offer ...

I find it's not the final two or three so much as the previous eight...

[Prommer]

Yes. And with half a dozen women in the strings and two in the woodwind (aside from the obligatory harpist), it's a new world in Vienna.

Still relentlessly white though.

"Hideously white"?

[Prommer]

Seems even more soothing to the soul this year. There may be no audience, but everything else in place, unchanged and unchanging. "It is, as it was".

[Ein Heldenleben]

Is it heresy to say I preferred the amazing gypsy violin of Tibor Kovac and friends to the Strauss? . What a player he is ( appears also to be the leader of the second violins )

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes. And with half a dozen women in the strings and two in the woodwind (aside from the obligatory harpist), it's a new world in Vienna.

Still relentlessly white though.

At least two who are not.

[DracoM]

VPO sound as if they are playing in their sleep....?

[Rolmill]

VPO sound as if they are playing in their sleep....?

They certainly don’t look it - if anything I would say they seem to be enjoying it more than usual (and IMO the alert playing reflects this).

[DracoM]

As usual, then, I am totally mistaken.
I'll take that as a tag for all I did on For3 for last year, shall I?

[LHC]

Yes. And with half a dozen women in the strings and two in the woodwind (aside from the obligatory harpist), it's a new world in Vienna.

Still relentlessly white though.

As the Austrian population is over 90% white, it’s perhaps not surprising that the VPO is not very ethnically diverse.

[Barbirollians]

As the Austrian population is over 90% white, it’s perhaps not surprising that the VPO is not very ethnically diverse.

I have enjoyed it more than for a while this year . Probably, more than any NYd concert since the Dudamel in 2017.

[LHC]

I have enjoyed it more than for a while this year . Probably, more than any NYd concert since the Dudamel in 2017.

As have I. A thoughtful speech from Muti as well, and the opportunity to hear the Radetsky March without the audience interjections.

[Prommer]

As have I. A thoughtful speech from Muti as well, and the opportunity to hear the Radetsky March without the audience interjections.

A lovely speech indeed. Quietly stirring.

[Prommer]

Seemingly a lot more lady players this year, which is nice to see. They are all coincidentally rather telegenic!

[Prommer]

Muti unsurprisingly most at home with that quadrille featuring snippets of Italian opera - and the Suppé overture.