Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2022

[Alison]

I enjoyed Nachtshwärmer the most

[kernelbogey]

I've just watched on iPlayer this excellent film on Barenboim:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0012ttj/daniel-barenboim-in-his-own-words

[Prommer]

I think the difference is that every member of the orchestra is tested every day and subject to fairly stringent standards which are closely monitored. Members of the audience are not subject to the same exacting procedures every day, and so the additional precautions for them are designed to make them as safe as possible in the absence of such regular testing.

It’s also worth noting that the audience requirements are mandated by the Austrian Government, so the Musikverein had no choice in asking the audience to meet these requirements.

Yes, I understand that… but why did DB arrive wearing a mask, take it off, but then never replace it for his subsequent entrances and exits? He is surely there on the same basis as the band, or he is not?

[Petrushka]

I enjoyed Nachtshwärmer the most

It's a typical Ziehrer waltz, more exuberant than most of the Strauss' but with some equally gorgeous tunes, (plus whistling and singing). Check out Faschingskinder, Weaner Madl'n and Herreinspaziert.

[hmvman]

I enjoyed Nachtshwärmer the most

I found it an enjoyable enough concert, watched this evening on iPlayer. But the 'Champagne Gallop' certainly had little 'fizz'. I think I enjoyed the interval film more with some lovely music and superb aerial shots.

Happy New Year, all!

[Petrushka]

For the first time in 50 years, I watched the second half of the 1972 New Year's Day Concert late last night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrNUrSZ4Lxg

Yes, the picture quality is variable and the dance sequences are impossibly naff, but the sound quality is more than acceptable and I greatly enjoyed seeing it again. Ab0ve all, though, there is the humour and general light-heartedness that was wholly absent yesterday in Barenboim's stony face and serious disposition. 'In Vienna,' said one Hungarian statesman of the Habsburg Empire, 'the situation may be desperate but not serious'. In Willi Boskovsky, some of the elderly players and certainly some of that 1972 audience, there was a link with the old Imperial City.

Nowadays, with a global audience, recording contracts etc., the concert takes itself too seriously and needs to lighten up, forget the outside world for a couple of hours, engage conductors with a real feel for the music and bring back the sparkle and fizz to the start of a new year.

[kernelbogey]

For the first time in 50 years, I watched the second half of the 1972 New Year's Day Concert late last night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrNUrSZ4Lxg

Yes, the picture quality is variable and the dance sequences are impossibly naff, but the sound quality is more than acceptable and I greatly enjoyed seeing it again. Ab0ve all, though, there is the humour and general light-heartedness that was wholly absent yesterday in Barenboim's stony face and serious disposition.

'In Vienna,' said one Hungarian statesman of the Habsburg Empire, 'the situation may be desperate but not serious'.

I believe I heard Alfred Brendel quote this as a Viennese aphorism - so I'm intrigued, Pet, at your attribution to an 'Hungarian statesman of the Habsburg Empire' (and shouldn't that be 'Habsburg Kingdom, to be pedantically accurate - 'KuK'? )

In Willi Boskovsky, some of the elderly players and certainly some of that 1972 audience, there was a link with the old Imperial City.

Nowadays, with a global audience, recording contracts etc., the concert takes itself too seriously and needs to lighten up, forget the outside world for a couple of hours, engage conductors with a real feel for the music and bring back the sparkle and fizz to the start of a new year.

It's too irretrievably a bit of national Austrian marketing IMVHO for that ever to happen....

[Petrushka]

I believe I heard Alfred Brendel quote this as a Viennese aphorism - so I'm intrigued, Pet, at your attribution to an 'Hungarian statesman of the Habsburg Empire' (and shouldn't that be 'Habsburg Kingdom, to be pedantically accurate - 'KuK'? )






It's too irretrievably a bit of national Austrian marketing IMVHO for that ever to happen....

The 'desperate but not serious' quip has many attributions but I've taken this one which has the feel of authenticity about it: https://www.nationalreview.com/magaz...e-not-serious/

Yes, the NYDC has become big business with TV, recordings and, let's face it, a splendid advertisement for the Austrian Tourist industry so possibly naive to think it might return to just being a concert where Vienna Greets the World.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In one Vienna NYD concert - perhaps in the '70s, I recall them doing the Blue Danube in its choral version, as part of the main programme.

It doesn't appear in the Sony box of every work ever played at these concerts, so does anyone here know which year this was?

[kernelbogey]

The 'desperate but not serious' quip has many attributions but I've taken this one which has the feel of authenticity about it: https://www.nationalreview.com/magaz...e-not-serious/

Many thanks, Pet.

[kernelbogey]

I do miss the light-hearted humour that characterised the Willi Boskovsky New Year concerts and find it all a bit over-earnest nowadays. Where were the champagne corks popping in the Champagne Polka? Too tame at the end and no fizz whatever. What about the gunshots in Auf der Jagd? A woodslap just doesn't cut it. Watch any Boskovsky NYDC on youTube and see how to do it. Barely a smile from Barenboim or the orchestra and the audience seemed to lack enthusiasm behind those masks.

Strange to see Barenboim, who can conduct the most fearsomely difficult pieces without a score, with his head in the score during the Blue Danube!

I've just watched on iPlayer this excellent film on Barenboim:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...-his-own-words

The film suggests (to me) that Barenboim doesn't do 'light-hearted'. Whenever I've heard him speak about music, he does so with the utmost seriousness; he's certainly an intellectual musician. And the film included a short clip of him rehearsing an orchestra (the Divan?) which demonstrated his fearsomely single-minded pursuit of his interpretation. I agree about Boskovsky - but I fear 'that kind' of performance is no more.

[Darkbloom]

The film suggests (to me) that Barenboim doesn't do 'light-hearted'. Whenever I've heard him speak about music, he does so with the utmost seriousness; he's certainly an intellectual musician. And the film included a short clip of him rehearsing an orchestra (the Divan?) which demonstrated his fearsomely single-minded pursuit of his interpretation. I agree about Boskovsky - but I fear 'that kind' of performance is no more.

I recall some of DB's encores at the Proms, where he loosened up a bit, but lollipops will never be his natural habitat. I wonder if the enforced lay-off has sapped his natural vigour; he has always been a busy musician and maybe the lack of regular contact with an audience recently has had an adverse effect.

[cloughie]

I recall some of DB's encores at the Proms, where he loosened up a bit, but lollipops will never be his natural habitat. I wonder if the enforced lay-off has sapped his natural vigour; he has always been a busy musician and maybe the lack of regular contact with an audience recently has had an adverse effect.

Didn’t see it but it a.l sounded fine on R3!

[Petrushka]

In one Vienna NYD concert - perhaps in the '70s, I recall them doing the Blue Danube in its choral version, as part of the main programme.

It doesn't appear in the Sony box of every work ever played at these concerts, so does anyone here know which year this was?

Boskovsky did it in 1975, the only time, as far as I know, that the choral version has been done.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Boskovsky did it in 1975, the only time, as far as I know, that the choral version has been done.

Thank you. That must be it. What a pity Sony didn't include it in their boxset; they did alternative versions of other works.