New Year's Concert for 2026 from the Wiener Philharmoniker

[Brian]

I wonder: had a straight conductor asked that his wife be smuggled in the orchestra so that he could kiss her neck before Radetzky-Marsch, would the request have been granted? 

You are making the assumption that he asked. I am making the assumption that he did not, and it was a surprise.

[Florestan]

You are making the assumption that he asked. I am making the assumption that he did not, and it was a surprise.

Even so, tastelessness and gratuitousness remains. In my opinion, of course.

[Papy Oli]

Anyway, who's doing it next year? 

[Spotted Horses]

Even so, tastelessness and gratuitousness remains. In my opinion, of course.

The music is tasteless and gratuitous. The sad fact is that Andre Rieu makes more of this music than the WPO.

[Belle]

I really cannot understand what all the fuss is about...

What mighty contests rise from trivial things! (Alexander Pope).

[(poco) Sforzando]

Just a polite weigh-in, from a listener who watches the annual concert now and then, but not every year. I don't have a problem with YNS kissing his husband; it was New Year's Day, everyone was in a festive mood, and YNS is known for both camaraderie and for openly expressing his admiration for musicians. Most every musician I have talked with has enjoyed working with him, and while not all of his results are "fantastic," he has had plenty of "wow" moments, e.g., last year's concert version of Tristan and the previous year's Mahler 3.

But did he kiss the King Marke?

[(poco) Sforzando]

I really cannot understand what all the fuss is about...

But you've been told definitively that the situation was horrible, unprofessional, tasteless, gratuitous, and all other kinds of nasty things.

[Philo]

Just so everyone can see what the fuss is about:

[Philo]

This is consistent with all my previous impressions of YNS, which are that he's musically uninteresting but so personally agreeable that musicians love working with him. If they didn't like him, they wouldn't condone husband-smuggling antics...

Musically uninteresting? Had to to a double-take at who posted this comment ...

Both his Beethoven and Brahms symphony sets are excellent.

[(poco) Sforzando]

This is consistent with all my previous impressions of YNS, which are that he's musically uninteresting but so personally agreeable that musicians love working with him. If they didn't like him, they wouldn't condone husband-smuggling antics...

Even Classics Today gives him a few 9's and 10's. Of his Carmen with the Met Orchestra: "There are dozens of small details to relish, and for once the last-act prelude does not sound like cats knocking over trash cans." Not that it ever did.

[Florestan]

The music is tasteless and gratuitous.

Actually, it's the context in which it is presented that's incompatible with its true nature. This is not concert music.

The sad fact is that Andre Rieu makes more of this music than the WPO.

Well, it's all too normal. The original Johann Strauss entertainments were much closer to Rieu's than to the NYC.

[Belle]

Musically uninteresting? Had to to a double-take at who posted this comment ...

Both his Beethoven and Brahms symphony sets are excellent.

That's very good to hear!!

[LKB]

Since I'm currently out of my cups and it's been a few days, a few observations...

This concert may have been a serious musical endeavor at some point in its past, but for decades now it has at various times included stallions, dancers, bon-bon soloists and other features which are usually associated with different forms of entertainment.

I've watched excerpts from past NYCs which showed members of the orchestra behaving like total goofballs at times.

Of course, I've also seen excerpts featuring both exquisite solos and memorable conducting ( Robert Scheiwein, Carlos Kleiber's second go and von Karajan's one appearance come to mind ).

If I were ever fortunate enough to actually attend one of these events, I would not approach the experience with the same expectations I carry into a formal concert by the Royal Concertgebouw, Wiener Philharmoniker or Berliner Philharmoniker, whose concerts I have attended on multiple occasions.

The NYC seems to me more of a New Year's celebration which happens to be shaped by music. Yes, there will be exquisite musical moments, both in conception and execution ( anyone considering Strauss Jr.'s creative gifts to be merely average, may recall that Brahms had a high regard for his talent ). But these moments, I think, should be appreciated as happy accidents rather than objectives.

The concert is a lark, it is not intended to represent any serious artistic milestone or " gamechanger ".

Within that context, I fail to see the significance of any participant's momentary behavior that is not intentionally offensive or musically detrimental in some way.

My two cents, and feel free to differ. 

[Belle]

I found this on YT and it has images of Brahms and a voice-over of his Last Will and Testament.  You'll see, at 3 minutes, pictures from the funeral procession of Brahms in Vienna in 1897 and right there in the background is the Musikverein - where the NY Day concerts are held annually. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcdXYidEOE8

Brahms lived across Ressel Park in an apartment close to the Musikverein;  I consider it a holy shrine and the many times I've attended concerts there I've always thought about Brahms.  No matter what music is played in the Musikverein, I consider it a sanctuary from life's depredations - if only for a short while.  And so it is with the Wiener Philharmoniker New Year's Concert.  It's a place away from the awful world we find ourselves in and if it's dance music or froth and bubble it is played by remarkable musicians who don't need to explain themselves!!!  To anybody.  Any time.

[AnotherSpin]

I found this on YT and it has images of Brahms and a voice-over of his Last Will and Testament.  You'll see, at 3 minutes, pictures from the funeral procession of Brahms in Vienna in 1897 and right there in the background is the Musikverein - where the NY Day concerts are held annually. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcdXYidEOE8

Brahms lived across Ressel Park in an apartment close to the Musikverein;  I consider it a holy shrine and the many times I've attended concerts there I've always thought about Brahms.  No matter what music is played in the Musikverein, I consider it a sanctuary from life's depredations - if only for a short while.  And so it is with the Wiener Philharmoniker New Year's Concert.  It's a place away from the awful world we find ourselves in and if it's dance music or froth and bubble it is played by remarkable musicians who don't need to explain themselves!!!  To anybody.  Any time.

Of course, musicians don't owe anyone any explanations.

Especially when no one even asked them, when some bizarre figure is being imposed on them as a conductor, together with his husband (or was it the wife?), and when the repertoire has stayed virtually frozen since the days of the Third Reich.

Why not do a New Year's programme of Brahms, by the way, the very composer you yourself brought up?

In any case, it's a two-way street: The musicians play whatever they want, however they want, and the listener thinks whatever they damn well please about it.

[Brian]

when some bizarre figure is being imposed on them as a conductor

Oh, are we talking about Thielemann now?

[AnotherSpin]

Oh, are we talking about Thielemann now?

I wasn't aware we were. Were you?

[Belle]

Of course, musicians don't owe anyone any explanations.

Especially when no one even asked them, when some bizarre figure is being imposed on them as a conductor, together with his husband (or was it the wife?), and when the repertoire has stayed virtually frozen since the days of the Third Reich.

Why not do a New Year's programme of Brahms, by the way, the very composer you yourself brought up?

In any case, it's a two-way street: The musicians play whatever they want, however they want, and the listener thinks whatever they damn well please about it.

Yes, I just don't see any contradictions in what I said.  My concern was the Musikverein and the Wiener Philharmoniker (its home), not specifically any program of music.  If they played "Jingle Bells" there 'oh how I'd love those' jingle bells (with apologies to George Cukor, Donald Ogden Stewart and Sidney Buchman, "Holiday" 1938).