Orchestra: Wiener Philharmoniker
Conductor: Andris Nelsons
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Sony
Release: 2020
Size: 1.93 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Carl Michael Ziehrer:
01. Die Landstreicher: Ouvertüre
Josef Strauss:
02. Liebesgrüße, Walzer, Op. 56
03. Liechtenstein-Marsch, Op. 36
Johann Strauss, Jr.:
04. Blumenfest-Polka, Op. 111
05. Wo die Zitronen blüh’n, Walzer, Op. 364
Eduard Strauss:
06. Knall und Fall, Polka schnell, Op. 132
Franz von Suppé:
07. Leichte Kavallerie: Ouvertüre
Josef Strauss:
08. Cupido, Polka française, Op. 81
Johann Strauss, Jr.:
09. Seid umschlungen, Millionen! Walzer, Op. 443
Eduard Strauss:
10. Eisblume, Polka mazur, Op. 55
Joseph Hellmesberger Jr.:
11. Gavotte
Hans Christian Lumbye:
12. Postillon Galop, Op. 16/2
Ludwig van Beethoven:
13. 12 Contretänze, WoO 14
Johann Strauss, Jr.:
14. Freuet euch des Lebens, Walzer, Op. 340
15. Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214
Josef Strauss:
16. Dynamiden, Walzer, Op. 173
17. Im Fluge, Polka schnell, Op. 230
Traditional:
18. Neujahrsgruß / New Year’s Address / Allocution du Nouvel An
Johann Strauss, Jr.:
19. An der schönen blauen Donau, Walzer, Op. 314
20. Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228
It has been a long time, and probably stretching all the way back to the now-distant, legendary concerts led by Carlos Kleiber in 1989 and 1992, since we have enjoyed a New Year’s Concert of such quality. With the Latvian Andris Nelsons (known and liked by the Philharmoniker) conducting, this first concert of 2020 had a fluent elegance, a rhythmical verve which was both light and implacable, and a kind of song that allowed the Viennese strings to show off their incredibly silky texture and profound depth.
Andris Nelsons is clearly very much at ease with this repertoire, and brings a very refined approach to this novel programme. Hits sit alongside lesser-known pieces, including Beethoven’s Contredanses kicking off the German’s anniversary year with a bang. Nelson gleefully swaps his baton for a trumpet, his favourite instrument, and gets stuck into the Postillon Galop by the “Danish Johann Strauss”, Hans Christian Lumbye. This original programme brings us Knall und Fall, a rapid polka from Eduard Strauss, Cupido, a delightful French (slow) polka by Josef Strauss and Joseph Hellmesberger’s Gavotte and some other tasty Viennese treats making it into the New Year’s Concert for the first time.
The ebullient audience was also very keen to hear some more conventional favourites: and no-one was disappointed by the stunning rendition of the famous Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, played at a diabolical pace, with phenomenal virtuosity from these Viennese musicians, who remain the unchallenged masters of this repertoire.