Vienna Phil 2012 New Year's concert

[spasuit]

2012 New Year

One the highlights of my viewing in 2012 is the INCREDIBLY camp dance interludes during the concert. Kitsch mit Schlagsame..Himmel!

[Mr Pee]

Symphonies 3 & 6 (the 5/4 waltz), Suites 2 & 3 for Orchestra, the Valse-Capriccio for Piano, the Valse-Scherzo's for Piano and Violin & Orchestra (or piano). Yes the Strauss family wrote many more but Tchaikovsky's are memorable, I find I can never remember more than 3 of J Strauss II's waltzes the rest just merge in to one for me I'm afraid and the Double Bass parts are incredibly dull. I've wondered if I should apply for one of the Double Bass players with old Andre Rieu as it would be such an easy way to earn a living, the travelling excepted.

I'm thinking that if you want interesting parts to play- don't take up the Double Bass!!!

[Suffolkcoastal]

I'm thinking that if you want interesting parts to play- don't take up the Double Bass!!!

There are plenty of interesting Double Bass parts in the standard repertoire. Beethoven's parts can be quite tricky and Shostakovich's are often very difficult.

[Flosshilde]

I've wondered if I should apply for one of the Double Bass players with old Andre Rieu as it would be such an easy way to earn a living, the travelling excepted.

Presumably under a pseudonym?

[bluestateprommer]

William Osborne has his latest blog report on the VPO and female musicians, dated today:

http://www.osborne-conant.org/vpo2011.htm

I vaguely remember that when Jansons conducted the 2006 New Year's Day concert, no women were on stage. At a totally uniformed guess, my guess for tomorrow's telecast (the US version will be severly truncated, unfortunately) is 2. We shall see.

[Alison]

I have searched in vain for news of the conductor of the 2013 New Year concert.

Perhaps there will be an announcement tomorrow.

Pretre, please.

[John Skelton]

I don't find an hour or so of Strauss Waltzes etc. at all tedious, especially when played by the Vienna Philharmonic.

Neither do I. Oh dear - life can be so complicated .

[bluestateprommer]

Well, not being quite up on the ball, it didn't occur to me to check exactly how truncated the US broadcast would be before my last post. Now I have checked:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/from-vienna-the-new-year’s-celebration-2012/about-the-program/1219/

Joseph Hellmesberger Jun.: Danse Diabolique
Josef Strauss: Artists Greeting, French Polka, op. 274
Johann Strauss: Enjoy Life, Waltz, op. 340
Johann Strauss Sr.: Sperl Galopp, op. 42
Hans Christian Lumbye: Steam Railway, Galopp
Josef Strauss: Fireproof, French Polka, op. 269 (with The Vienna Boys’ Choir)
Eduard Strauss: Carmen Quadrille
Peter I. Tschaikowsky: Panorama from the Ballet “Sleeping Beauty”
Peter I. Tschaikowsky: Waltz from the Ballet “Sleeping Beauty”
Johann und Josef Strauss: Pizzicato Polka op. 25
Johann Strauss: Persian March, op. 289
Josef Strauss: Burning Love, Polka Mazurka, op. 129
Johann Strauss: Thunder and Lightning, Fast Polka, op. 324
Johann Strauss: Tick Tock, Fast Polka, op. 365
Johann Strauss: The Blue Danube Waltz, op. 314
Johann Strauss Sr.: Radetzky March, op. 228

Per Alison's comment, even though it was easy to "break the embargo" via Amazon.de to find the 2012 program in advance, the orchestra is obviously much better at keeping the secret for 2013. (I've tried the same search and came up empty.) I can imagine them bringing back Pretre for 2013, given that GP is the oldest conductor ever to lead the concert and they may want to keep it that way. I actually would love to see Harnoncourt get it one more time. But whoever it will be is whoever it will be.

[Flosshilde]

I don't find an hour or so of Strauss Waltzes etc. at all tedious, especially when played by the Vienna Philharmonic.

According to the schedule it's not just an hour - it's two and three-quarters!

[Petrushka]

I actually would love to see Harnoncourt get it one more time.

Not for me, thanks! If you look at the VPO website on January 2 you will find the information there. I recall Richard Baker listing at the conclusion of possibly the 1988 BBC transmission all the promised conductors for the following 5 years or so (it intriguingly included Leonard Bernstein) but nowadays the VPO seem to keep it very much under wraps.

Following his Strauss encores at this years Proms with the Pittsburgh SO I'd love to see Manfred Honeck given the concert. He's a former VPO viola player and his wonderfully idiomatic way with this music, so evident last September, makes him an ideal choice. On the other hand, I'm not too sure how welcoming the VPO are towards former mrmbers.

[Mr Pee]

According to the schedule it's not just an hour - it's two and three-quarters!

Lovely.

[Flosshilde]

Originally Posted by Flosshilde
According to the schedule it's not just an hour - it's two and three-quarters!

Lovely.

Still, at least we've got Mastersingers to look forward too later.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Still, at least we've got Mastersingers to look forward too later.

That's one hell of a birthday treat.

[Mr Pee]

That's one hell of a birthday treat.

[Stunsworth]

For those with HD TV it's being broadcast in surround sound this year - I think it was straight stereo last.