Just back from this fantastic Prom! We've been sold short this weekend with some sub-standard playing and dodgy conducting but THIS is how to do a Prom and I think the Prommers realised this and gave the orchestra a terrific ovation. Everyone was nicely warmed up with the Adams while the Dvorak Violin Concerto, never really one of my favourites, was given a peerless rendition by Mutter.
Wonderful Mahler 1 with terrific work from the horns and trumpets on particular. Guest principal trumpet Micah Wilkinson was the star among the brass contingent with very fine playing indeed. The horns did indeed stand for the final moments.
I've long said that Manfred Honeck is the right conductor for the VPO New Year's Concerts and they should sign him up without delay - assuming they will welcome back one of their own. You could have been forgiven for thinking that you were hearing the Vienna Philharmonic in the two Strauss encores, and, yes, Honeck floated Die Libelle just like Carlos Kleiber did.
Great concert!
Wonderful Mahler 1 with terrific work from the horns and trumpets on particular. Guest principal trumpet Micah Wilkinson was the star among the brass contingent with very fine playing indeed. The horns did indeed stand for the final moments.
I've long said that Manfred Honeck is the right conductor for the VPO New Year's Concerts and they should sign him up without delay - assuming they will welcome back one of their own. You could have been forgiven for thinking that you were hearing the Vienna Philharmonic in the two Strauss encores, and, yes, Honeck floated Die Libelle just like Carlos Kleiber did.
Great concert!
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