Vienna Phil 2012 New Year's concert

[Mr Pee]

A lady?

How can you tell?

Have you riffled through her handbag (a haaandbaaag?) looking for her pastry fork?

When she breaks wind, is the world filled with the scent of Parma violets?

I could tell there was a lady cellist because the sound of the VPO Cello section was just not up to par this year. Closer inspection on my HD television soon revealed the reason why. They tried to hide her away on the back desk, but to no avail.

[Alison]

Once again the sound quality even on HD was a shade disappointing,
poor definition in unter Donner und Blitz. The applause lacked presence
and the frisson of a live concert while Petroc's voice had a disembodied feel.

I don't hear the Danse Diabolique as an ideal opening item and this was just the beginning of
an unusually 'bitty' feel to the second half. In the end I was won over from the Tchaikovsky items
(superbly conducted and played) onwards, without quite assuaging doubts that Jansons conducting is
a little too macho, just missing that indefinable exquisitiness in the viennese items.

I have kept to my tradition of leaving the first half till later on.

[John Skelton]

A woman leader of a VPO section by 2025 perhaps?

There already is (since 2008). Albena Danailova. http://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrich...es-Faktum.html

Here she is playing Schumann's concerto with Die Orchesterakademie Ossiach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2pV31fSGaw

http://oao.at/Home/OAO/DieOAO/tabid/71/Default.aspx

[MrGongGong]

What was the Tommy Beecham utterance about lady cellists? If it is repeatable on a family R3 group?

aaah yes the "famous wit" .................. my arse

[John Skelton]

What was the Tommy Beecham utterance about lady cellists? If it is repeatable on a family R3 group?

'Tommy' was asked if he had ever heard any Stockhausen played on a harpsichord. To which, quick as a flash, he replied: "No, but I've stepped on a 'cello while copulating with a skeleton on a tin roof and scratched my thighs in the process."

How all the chaps guffawed.

[Mr Pee]

'Tommy' was asked if he had ever heard any Stockhausen played on a harpsichord. To which, quick as a flash, he replied: "No, but I've stepped on a 'cello while copulating with a skeleton on a tin roof and scratched my thighs in the process."

No he didn't.

[Petrushka]

The waltz, Wiener Burger by Carl Ziehrer, in the first half is an absolute cracker and a favourite of Hans Knappertsbusch. I'd like to see more Ziehrer on the programme in future years.

Against all expectations, the Tchaikovsky items didn't feel at all out of place and were wonderfully played. And what a masterpiece is Josef Strauss's Delirien, one for which Karajan had special affection.

All in all, this was a great programme played con amore by this superb orchestra.

Incidentally, it is 40 years ago today since I heard my first NYD concert. How time flies!

[DracoM]

And that stupid dance programme during the Blue Danube!! Actually, that stupid dancing period.
Blue Danube is a real test piece and to WATCH the VPO playing it is education in itself. I do wish ORF stopped dressing up the music with all that kitsch and camp. It's actually not a very good global advert for the State Opera Ballet either - they're not all that good.

Liked Maris Jansons engaged presence. They seemed to play very well for him.

[Mary Chambers]

It's actually not a very good global advert for the State Opera Ballet either - they're not all that good.

They aren't, I agree. I charitably blame it on the strange floors they're dancing on.

[kernelbogey]

[...] Liked Maris Jansons engaged presence. They seemed to play very well for him.

In the ORF broadcast, the presenter quoted Jansons from an interview which they had broadcast in the interval.

'Musik war mein erstes Spielzeug' - 'Music was my first toy'.

[hmvman]

I enjoyed the concert very much and I thought it was excellent musically this year but I agree the dancing wasn't that good. The Vienna Boys Choir was a nice addition, though. The TV production was somehow less good too; a bit too much use of the 'flying' cameras for me.

All in all, though an excellent start to my musical year.

Happy New Year to you all and good listening in 2012.

[Petrushka]

In the ORF broadcast, the presenter quoted Jansons from an interview which they had broadcast in the interval.

'Musik war mein erstes Spielzeug' - 'Music was my first toy'.

I tried to log on to ORF2 live stream but wouldn't let me do it. Is it out of bounds to foreigners?

Agree with DracoM about the dancing but at least we can edit it out of the DVD release. Mind, I was glad to see the Belvedere again three years after I went round. Gustav Klimt's The Kiss is a knockout 'in the flesh' - all that gold - and the whole programme, dance and all, must be a huge boost for the Vienna tourist industry. The concert was broadcast in 73 countries (is anyone interested in classical music in Nigeria?) and the publicity for the charms of this great city is massive.

[bluestateprommer]

The US delayed radiocast is going on now (just heard the Sperl-Galopp), and the Lumbye is starting. Was a bit surprised at some section repeats in Freut euch des Lebens that I hadn't heard done before, as well as the one repeat that was taken out as a result. The NPR commentary tends to translate the ORF commentary directly (no idea what Petroc does with the BBC transmission, but I may find out later). For Petrushka, if memory serves, I thought that they archived the VPO New Year's concert for a week, like the BBC, but I may be mistaken, which is a long prelude of saying that I haven't yet tried to log on to ORF's site. Will have to give that a shot later.

Happy 2012 to all.

[Alison]

I'm sure Brian Kay - god bless him - used to announce next year's conductor. All a bit rushed at the end as it turned out.
Maybe it's not yet decided. Still nothing on the VPO website.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The waltz accompaniment in the Sleeping Beauty Waltz was interesting. It sounded as though Jansons had told the VPO to behave themselves and not play it with a Viennese lilt (unlike Karajan who who let them or encouraged them to follow their instincts. They appeared to overcompensat a little in order to avoid playing the 2nd beat early... by playing it late. No harm done though and I enjoyed the whole concert.

I listened to it on Radio 3, so I didn't get sidetracked by looking out for women in the orchestra.