Vienna Phil 2012 New Year's concert

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

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.

Alison, it's Franz Welser-Möst in 2013: http://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrich...zert-2013.html

[bluestateprommer]

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.

For Alison, it's now literally a "one-liner" on the VPO website:

"Das Neujahrskonzert 2013 wird von Franz Welser-Möst geleitet."

http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/index.php?set_language=de&cccpage=tickets_newyearsconcert

"The New Year's Concert 2013 will be conducted by Franz Welser-Möst."

http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/index.php?set_language=en&cccpage=tickets_newyearsconcert

Currently waltzing down Der Donau as I type, on the delayed NPR cast.

[kernelbogey]

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

I didn't have any difficulty in logging on to the live broadcast, and I'm in UK. ORF has a 7-day repeat (iPlayer) facility, too.

(My reason for doing so was to hear the German announcer - PT's German pronunciation makes me wince - and to hear the lovely au revoir in English, Italian and Spanish from one announcer. Austria is indeed at the heart of Europe!)

[Mr Pee]

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.

I do agree about the dancing- I would much rather have seen the VPO playing The Blue Danube than be subjected to all that prancing around.

And I must say, the Musikverein and Vienna in general looked absolutely glorious in Hi-Def. As you say, great publicity for the city.

[Mr Pee]

I must say I did enjoy the interval feature that was shown on the HD Channel. I don't think I've ever heard "Flight of the Bumblebee" played on a double bass before!!

Did anybody else watch this? There was some wonderful music played by a VPO chamber ensemble, everything from Shostakovitch and Debussy to Chick Corea. There was also a slightly bizarre film which involved people floating around Vienna, but notwithstanding that, the music was superb.

[John Skelton]

http://shirtysleeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/translation-of-holzfallen-wien-1984.html

Bernhard was a brilliant writer who frequently talked a great deal of manure, of course. It's quite funny though.

[Alison]

Yes I very much enjoyed the interval feature. The naughty thought occurred to me that the Beeb would have come up with Chas Hazlewood or Rob Cowan
talking about the music.

I am terribly disappointed by the FWM announcement - a lacklustre display last year surely ?? That's the first slap round the face for my New Year optimism ...

(thanks anyway, guys)

[Prommer]

When are they going to invite Christian Thielemann to conduct the concert?

I see Mariss used a score - this seems to have become de rigueur. Kleiber and Karajan certainly did not...

[Mr Pee]

Yes I very much enjoyed the interval feature. The naughty thought occurred to me that the Beeb would have come up with Chas Hazlewood or Rob Cowan
talking about the music.

And they would probably have wheeled in Alan Titmarsh or Fiona Bruce to tell us how much they love the music of the Strauss family. (D'Oh' Emoticon.)

[amateur51]

When are they going to invite Christian Thielemann to conduct the concert?

I've been watching some of Thielemann's VPO Beethoven performances - his conducting has become very strange of late, starting symphonies before the audience has finished applauding, lots of crouching and lunging and much staring at the woodwind and holding his left hand out as if he wants it to dry. He started Beethoven symphony no 7 as though he was assisting an Airbus in landing. He clearly wants it to mean something but .... what?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZaZ5OHiOAU

It seems as tho' the VPO plays as it always does

[Petrushka]

I am terribly disappointed by the FWM announcement - a lacklustre display last year surely ?? That's the first slap round the face for my New Year optimism ...

I think that FWM had to deal with a lacklustre programme last year. I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and wish him better luck next time. I shall still be making my annual effort to get into this concert regardless.

[Alison]

I think that FWM had to deal with a lacklustre programme last year. I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and wish him better luck next time. I shall still be making my annual effort to get into this concert regardless.

Ok Pet, I'll take encouragement from your stance. After all I was never among his LPO detractors and rather enjoyed
his Strauss family CD.

Must give the 2011 disc a spin sometime.

[John Skelton]

It seems as tho' the VPO plays as it always does

Like it does for Count Nikolaus de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzag? Or for Pierre Boulez?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUNzZw5RQXs

Don't think so.

[Flosshilde]

What's your definition of 'camp'?

According to Susan Sontag, this thread is an example of camp - discussing something frivolous & trivial with high seriousness.

[Mr Pee]

According to Susan Sontag, this thread is an example of camp - discussing something frivolous & trivial with high seriousness.

So you consider a concert of Classical Music that is not to your taste to be frivolous and trivial?