Johann Strauss Sohn (1825-1899)

[Brian]

There's a recording of the Allegro Fantastique with Johannes Wildner, not on Marco Polo, that has the performance note "Austrian premiere." It must be a real rarity, as that was the only recording available until this concert.

Will have to catch this on streaming to hear some of the rarities like "Heldengedichte".

[Albion]

There's a recording of the Allegro Fantastique with Johannes Wildner, not on Marco Polo, that has the performance note "Austrian premiere." It must be a real rarity, as that was the only recording available until this concert.

Will have to catch this on streaming to hear some of the rarities like "Heldengedichte".

Welser-Most (2023):

https://www.mediafire.com/file/xdd12k708iwo91f/Strauss%252C_Josef_-_Heldengedichte%252C_Waltz%252C_Op.87_%25281860%2529.mp3/file

https://www.mediafire.com/file/1xy1gw4scnqt7mr/Strauss%252C_Josef_-_Allegro_Fantastique%252C_Orchestral_Fantasy.mp3/file

 

[Albion]

For those who missed the New Year concert from Vienna, which largely show-cased Josef Strauss (1827-1870), there is a very good video of the broadcast (although for some reason or other the Josef Hellmesberger II's "Glocken-Polka und Galop" appears to be silent - perhaps there was copyright on the bells). As usual, I could do without the ballet sequences but the virtuosity that this music demands is evident: when they're doing second violin on the off-beat in a quick polka it's a bloody wonder that their arms don't simply fall off...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mxnohip6jI

 

[lordlance]

Late Bohm can be dreadfully slow but he seems in much better shape conducting the Kaiser-walzer in 1975 with VPO:

Random Karajan trivia: He recorded things 3-4 times often but he recorded the Kaiser-walzer a whopping 7 times. He must really like it.

[Lisztianwagner]

Late Bohm can be dreadfully slow but he seems in much better shape conducting the Kaiser-walzer in 1975 with VPO:

Random Karajan trivia: He recorded things 3-4 times often but he recorded the Kaiser-walzer a whopping 7 times. He must really like it.

Agreed, excellent performances by Böhm, very nice rubati in central part; it would have been interesting to see him conducting the Viennese New Year's Concert.

[Jo498]

Random Karajan trivia: He recorded things 3-4 times often but he recorded the Kaiser-walzer a whopping 7 times. He must really like it.

Ironically, the Kaiserwalzer in the famous NYD concert 1987 was cut in the first release, due to 1980s playing times but it was of course on the video/laserdisc and has been included in a more recent CD release.

[Lisztianwagner]

Here's the official program of the New Year's Concert 2024:

Christian Thielemann & Wiener Philharmoniker

Karl Komzák - Erzherzog Albrecht-Marsch, op. 136
Johann Strauß II - Wiener Bonbons. Walzer, op. 307
Johann Strauß II - Figaro-Polka. Polka française, op. 320
Josef Hellmesberger (Sohn) - Für die ganze Welt. Walzer
Eduard Strauß - Ohne Bremse. Polka schnell, op. 238
Johann Strauß II - Ouvertüre zur Operette "Waldmeister"
Johann Strauß II - Ischler Walzer. Nachgelassener Walzer Nr. 2
Johann Strauß II - Nachtigall-Polka, op. 222
Eduard Strauß - Die Hochquelle. Polka mazur, op. 114
Johann Strauß II - Neue Pizzicato-Polka. op. 449
Josef Hellmesberger (Sohn) - Estudiantina-Polka aus dem Ballett "Die Perle von Iberien"
Carl Michael Ziehrer - Wiener Bürger. Walzer, op. 419
Anton Bruckner - Quadrille, WAB 121 (Orchestr. W. Dörner)
Hans Christian Lumbye - Glædeligt Nytaar! Galopp
Josef Strauß Delirien - Walzer, op. 212

Many pleasant surprises which have never been played before at the concert, it seems it will be extremely interesting next year! Honorable mention for Bruckner's Quadrille (I imagine, for the 200th anniversary), it is the first time the Austrian composer is included in the program, how great; I almost hoped there would be some Schönberg too, both because of his 150th anniversary and because he was Viennese, but as a matter of fact his music doesn't match the atmosphere of the concert very much.

[Florestan]

Oh my God! The Brucknerization is now complete --- and literal. I was afraid of what Thielemann might do ever since he was nominated as conductor for 2024, and I was right. 

[Lisztianwagner]

Oh my God! The Brucknerization is now complete --- and literal. I was afraid of what Thielemann might do ever since he was nominated as conductor for 2024, and I was right. 

Well, it can't be denied that Thielemann has given a really Germanic mark to the Neujahrskonzert, he's certainly completely different from Pretre. I'm very curious about Bruckner's quadrille, I didn't know he composed that kind of music too.

[Florestan]

Well, it can't be denied that Thielemann has given a really Germanic mark to the Neujahrskonzert, he's certainly completely different from Pretre. I'm very curious about Bruckner's quadrille, I didn't know he composed that kind of music too.

It's a (very probably ad hoc) orchestration of a piano four-hand piece he wrote in 1854. Does Thielemann really believe, or want us to believe, that this ditty puts Bruckner in the same league as Johann Strauss-Sohn, Ziehrer and Lumbye?   

[Lisztianwagner]

It's a (very probably ad hoc) orchestration of a piano four-hand piece he wrote in 1854. Does Thielemann really believe, or want us to believe, that this ditty puts Bruckner in the same league as Johann Strauss-Sohn, Ziehrer and Lumbye?   

Of course, when it comes to waltzes, polkas, marches, ect, es gibt nur ein König! Anyway it is nice they find a way to celebrate Bruckner's anniversary.

[Florestan]

Of course, when it comes to waltzes, polkas, marches, ect, es gibt nur ein König! Anyway it is nice they find a way to celebrate Bruckner's anniversary.

You menționed Schoenberg too. I'm sure that if Thielemann had been able to find something similar în his oeuvre he'd have used it but it looks like Schoenberg did not write any light music, not even im his youth. 

[ritter]

You menționed Schoenberg too. I'm sure that if Thielemann had been able to find something similar în his oeuvre he'd have used it but it looks like Schoenberg did not write any light music, not even in his youth. 

They could have given an orchestration of this:

Or better yet, a New Year's Concert with the Schoenberg Piano Concerto, followed by Bruckner's Fourth. And the Radetzky-Marsch as an encore, of course. That would cause a sensation! 

[Florestan]

They could have given an orchestration of this:

Or better yet, a New Year's Concert with the Schoenberg Piano Concerto, followed by Bruckner's Fourth. And the Radetzky-Marsch as an encore, of course. That would cause a sensation! 

I wouldn't be surprised if something like that actually crossed Thielemann's mind for a milisecond. 

[Lisztianwagner]

You menționed Schoenberg too. I'm sure that if Thielemann had been able to find something similar în his oeuvre he'd have used it but it looks like Schoenberg did not write any light music, not even im his youth. 

Yes, I mentioned Schönberg, but at the same time I recognized that his music didn't exactly match the sparkling, joyous atmosphere of the concert. Pity. Anyway I'm not sure Thielemann would have included Schönberg in the program even if there could have been the chance, if I'm not wrong he's not a schönbergian conductor.

[ritter]

I wouldn't be surprised if something like that actually crossed Thielemann's mind for a milisecond. 

Do listen to Die Eiserne Brigade, Andrei! It should be right up your alley, and might help you have a more benign attitude towards poor old Annie...

[Lisztianwagner]

They could have given an orchestration of this:

Or better yet, a New Year's Concert with the Schoenberg Piano Concerto, followed by Bruckner's Fourth. And the Radetzky-Marsch as an encore, of course. That would cause a sensation! 

I wish! 

[Florestan]

Do listen to Die Eiserne Brigade, Andrei! It should be right up your alley, and might help you have a more benign attitude towards poor old Annie...

I will. And hey, you know me by now, shouldn't take seriously everyting I write. 

[ritter]

I will. And hey, you know me by now, shouldn't take seriously everyting I write. 

I take almost nothing you write seriously, Andrei, don't you worry!

Just kidding, you know I have you in high esteem and appreciate your contributions (even those praising Offenbach ).

Un abrazo,

[Brian]

Schönberg arranged loads of Johann Strauss waltzes! He just did it for smaller chamber ensembles, not appropriate for that occasion. It was how he paid the bills for quite some time.