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Gurn Blanston · November 23, 2015, 04:13:27 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on November 22, 2015, 11:26:39 PM10 years ago or so I thought about collecting all the Viennese New Years Day concerts but I gave that up soon because while I like Strauss this was a bit too much. (I ended up with about 10 NYD concerts)

Do all of the recordings rely heavily on Strauss? Do they not also play some bigger pieces? I have a couple of 9ths from NYD concerts, one of them is Inbal and it's really nicely done. Another is Chailly. Are these from a different affair or is it all one big Viennese party? This is a tradition which I have nearly totally missed out on, I'm afraid. $:-\$

Brian · November 23, 2015, 04:25:13 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on November 22, 2015, 11:26:39 PM
10 years ago or so I thought about collecting all the Viennese New Years Day concerts but I gave that up soon because while I like Strauss this was a bit too much. (I ended up with about 10 NYD concerts)

All you need is Kleiber.
- John Lennon

Jo498 · November 23, 2015, 04:28:24 AM

The viennese New years day always focus on Strauss dances (they include often a few from other Viennese composers (like Suppé or Lehar) or from someone with a jubilee (e.g. they did the Mephisto Waltz for Liszt once and Lohengrin Act III prelude for Wagner). Only these NYDC were my collecting intention.

There are other New years Eve or New Years Day concerts that do a similar but more varied "light music" program and some (I think Leipzig?) do Beethoven's 9th and some (Abbado in Berlin) do all kinds of stuff with no particular focus.

@Brian: Kleiber has no Kaiserwalzer and is missing a few more favorites. Karajan 1987 is very good and both of Abbado's have nice repertoire, Maazel, Muti, Mehta... one does not need I think. That's basically why I gave up collecting them.

Gurn Blanston · November 23, 2015, 05:11:31 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on November 23, 2015, 04:28:24 AM
The viennese New years day always focus on Strauss dances (they include often a few from other Viennese composers (like Suppé or Lehar) or from someone with a jubilee (e.g. they did the Mephisto Waltz for Liszt once and Lohengrin Act III prelude for Wagner). Only these NYDC were my collecting intention.

There are other New years Eve or New Years Day concerts that do a similar but more varied "light music" program and some (I think Leipzig?) do Beethoven's 9th and some (Abbado in Berlin) do all kinds of stuff with no particular focus.

@Brian: Kleiber has no Kaiserwalzer and is missing a few more favorites. Karajan 1987 is very good and both of Abbado's have nice repertoire, Maazel, Muti, Mehta... one does not need I think. That's basically why I gave up collecting them.

Ah, I see, a plethora of choices then. Well, the Inbal is with the Vienna Symphony, IIRC, and it's from 1989(??). The Chailly is indeed from Leipzig from 2009. I understand that this will be Chailly's last year doing it. I have a friend in Zurich who has watched it live on TV every year for years, but he can't record it for me because of the different video format.

Many years ago (late '80's or early '90's), PBS in USA (Public Broadcasting) used to replay the Vienna concert on New Year morning here, so I have seen a couple. Long time ago though!

knight66 · November 23, 2015, 10:30:02 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on November 23, 2015, 04:28:24 AM
The viennese New years day always focus on Strauss dances (they include often a few from other Viennese composers (like Suppé or Lehar)....

@Brian: Kleiber has no Kaiserwalzer and is missing a few more favorites. Karajan 1987 is very good and both of Abbado's have nice repertoire, Maazel, Muti, Mehta... one does not need I think. That's basically why I gave up collecting them.

I wonder how long until that invite that complete blister Andre Rieu to conduct the NY concert?

Mike

kishnevi · November 23, 2015, 06:45:39 PM

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on November 23, 2015, 05:11:31 AM
Ah, I see, a plethora of choices then. Well, the Inbal is with the Vienna Symphony, IIRC, and it's from 1989(??). The Chailly is indeed from Leipzig from 2009. I understand that this will be Chailly's last year doing it. I have a friend in Zurich who has watched it live on TV every year for years, but he can't record it for me because of the different video format.

Many years ago (late '80's or early '90's), PBS in USA (Public Broadcasting) used to replay the Vienna concert on New Year morning here, so I have seen a couple. Long time ago though!

PBS still does, although of course Walter Kronkite no longer emcees.

Todd · November 23, 2015, 06:53:42 PM

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on November 23, 2015, 06:45:39 PM
PBS still does, although of course Walter Kronkite no longer emcees.

Julie Andrews has the gig for now, or at least she did for the last few years. No matter the host, a little Strauss goes a long way.

Florestan · November 24, 2015, 12:21:06 AM

Actually, I would love to see is a NYD concert conducted with the bow by someone who also plays the violin, while the audience, casually dressed, have a drink, chitchat or even dance. Now, that would be a true hommage to the Strausses and the spirit of old Vienna. Currently, except for the final Radetzky-Marsch moment, the stiff atmosphere and formal dressing of the audience is suited more for Requiems than for waltzes and polkas.

Jo498 · November 24, 2015, 12:47:12 AM

There is something grotesque about the NYD with tickets going to those with lots of money or connections, the whole thing being a huge TV event, representation of Austria worldwide etc. and the very narrow program (including the obligatory encores of Danube and Radetzky). Still, if one likes the music, it is usually fun and some of them, like Kleiber's and Karajan's are really highlights.

The new erato · November 24, 2015, 12:59:57 AM

Quote from: Todd on November 23, 2015, 06:53:42 PMa little Strauss goes a long way.

I couldn't agree more. Though wellwritten, extremely ennervating music. Give me Brahms' and Dvorak's sets of dances any time instead.

Jo498 · November 24, 2015, 01:12:27 AM

I disagree. I tend to listen to Strauss more often than to Dvorak's and Brahms's dances, but they are quite different anyway. Many great composers liked Strauss, not only Brahms and Richard Strauss, but also Schönberg and Berg, Stravinsky and Webern.

Still, collecting all those concerts seemed excessive, so I stopped fairly soon

But in addition to about 10 discs from those concerts, I have probably another dozen or more of studio or historical recordings with Strauss (and similar Viennese) music.

Florestan · November 24, 2015, 01:14:15 AM

Quote from: The new erato on November 24, 2015, 12:59:57 AM
I couldn't agree more. Though wellwritten, extremely ennervating music.

Was it ever intended for a two-hour long, listening-only experience?

Makes for great driving music, though. I plan to drive my way (pun intended) through the complete works of Strauss sr, Strauss jr and Josef Strauss, chronologically and in that order. My next trip will have CD 4 of Strauss sr.

EDIT: The liner notes on those fantastic Naxos series are exhaustively informative on every work and takes one to a fascinating cultural, geographical and horeca tour of old Vienna.

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kishnevi