Over the years I have spent a considerable amount of time in Vienna, and have visited the beautifully appointed concert hall known as the Goldener Saal in the Musikverein on a couple of occasions. It's smaller than you would imagine, but an absolutely perfect location for a National orchestra to play National and traditional music to bring in the new year. And this year the Musikverein celebrates its 150th anniversary. I am not in Vienna now though sadly, and so this year I have had to resort to the excellent coverage of the event on radio by the team at BBC Radio 3.
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra [Wiener Philharmoniker] are not only Austria's premier orchestra but are renowned worldwide as being one of the most accomplished and are certainly in my list of Top 10 World orchestras. Not only this but they are one of only a small handful of orchestras who can play a Viennese Waltz the Viennese way. Something I was taught when I was in Austria, was that a true Viennese waltz has an ever-so-slight pause on the off-beat. It's only truly noticable when you have it explained to you and then listen to the two side by side; but it is there nevertheless, and it makes it very difficult for me to listen to Strauss et al these days if they are not played by the Vienna Phil!
The music of Waltz-King and Austria's favourite son, Johann Strauss II quite naturally dominated the concert, with the orchestra playing (they would have been lynched if they had not) The Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, The Radetzky March and The Blue Danube Waltz. There were also a few lesser-known pieces by Johann junior here too including the rather beautiful waltz, 'Enjoy Life' which starts with a loud timpani-heavy fanfare before dissipating into a glorious and unmistakable Strauss waltz tune, and another lyrical waltz which I had never heard of before titled, 'Where The Lemon Trees Blossom'. This piece, like most of Strauss' waltzes is characterised by a long and melodic introduction before the waltz tempo starts and despite the title we are back unequivocally in Viennese high society at the end of the 19th century.
Johann's brother Josef Strauss' music was also given a fair airing too. with some music which as far as I can remember were knew to me. A march ('Liechtenstein'), a waltz ('Love's Greeting') a polka {'Cupido') and of course the waltz which marks the end of the concert by lighting the dynamite, 'Dynamiten'. Johann's other brother (and much less known outside of Austria) Eduard Strauss also made an appearance in this concert with two of his compositions, the fun 'Without Warning' polka and 'The Ice Flower' polka.
Other Austrian composers to grace the concert were Josef Hellmesberger Jr with his rather delighful 'Gavotte', Carl Michael Ziehrer's 'Vagabond Overture' opening the concert, and no New Year's Day concert would have been complete without Franz Von Suppe's most well known music, his Overture to 'Light Cavalry'. {and I know 'purists' might say that Von Suppe was not Austrian, but since he was born in what was Austria - a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he still counts!}
Composers from other countries were, as usual, quite thin on the ground. Austrians consider this concert to be a truly Austrian experience, and being a very traditional and nationally proud nation, they would no doubt baulk if too many 'foreign' composers were added to the play-list. For this concert we heard Hans Christian Lumbye's 'Postillon Galop' [Denmark] with the solo trumpet being played by conductor Nelsons, allowed since Lumbye is considered to be the Strauss of Scandanavia, and Beethoven's Contredanses [Germany], again allowed since Beethoven had a long and close connection with the city of Vienna, staying there many times and composed the 6 dances we heard in this concert in the city.
Petroc Trelawny presented the show for BBC Radio 3, whilst back in Vienna the Wiener Philharmoniker was conducted (for the first time) by Andris Nelsons. If one is in Vienna on New Year's Day then there is no better way to celebrate than with the waltzes, polkas and marches of the Vienna of over a century ago; and if you're not, then listening to the concert three days' later on radio has to be a close second.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 4/1/20
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