# New year’s day concert form Vienna.



## presto (Jun 17, 2011)

I hope I don’t sound like a killjoy but, I’ve stopped listening to it for many years now.
Same pieces, same format. 
Strauss is absolutely wonderful, but I know the Blue Danube and Radetzky March inside out and I really don’t what to hear these and all the other war horses again year after year.
I really wish there was an alternative New years day concert with light music from other sources.
It would make a refreshing change to hear some different music from equally gifted composers.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I personally don't mind hearing them once a year. But then, I've probably only heard the Radetzky March seven or eight times in my life, and the Blue Danube maybe five times. 

Anyway, why not just put in any old DVD you like and have your own personalized New Year's Concert?


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

My blog instalment today is featuring the 1987 concert:
http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/915-die-fledermaus-next.html

I too have stopped making a point to listen to the concert on New-Yearès Day... Since they are usually made available on line, itès better to skip some of the lengthy parts and get you Strauss fix...

BYW: caught the end of the NY Philharmonic New Year's eve concert. Is it just me, or is Alan Gilbert a "pedestrian" conductor? Never was impressed... And Thibaudet can't do Gershwin justice!


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

I see it as a study in charming conducting!


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Well, this year they have a Russian (actually Latvian) conductor Maris Jansons on stage, and he's making his Russian stamp with a little Tchaikovsky on the program. Yay! I can't wait to see it on TV tonight on WETA, with the dancing and beautiful scenes accompanied by the music.


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## Hector (Dec 23, 2011)

Well, people that reserve tickets for that concert in Vienna (years in advance, from what I understand), expect to hear exactly that: polkas, marches waltzes and and overture here and there from the Strausses and a few others that have a connection to Vienna.

And as for the NYPhil concert, I think Alan Gilbert is great, but last night's performance was not exactly what one would expect, much less from the the New York orchestra. Thibaudet was terrible, IMHO. I still don't know if the way he played was artistic decision or he was hitting wrong notes all the time.


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

Janssons conducted the oslo philharmonic (or symphonic) for several years, and i believe he is a brilliant conductor!


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

To be fair, and since I am not a conductor myself, I would say Mr. Gilbert is - at best - a _good _conductor. And I base this on the handful of _Live from Lincoln Center_ broadcasts I have seen him conduct.

That having been said, the NY Phil is so prestigious an institution that they should have a _great _conductor as their artistic director.

I appreaciate the Philharmonic wanting to go for a "new guard" conductor, but I can sadly say that other than *Bill Eddins*, there are no (potentially) great "new guard" American-born and trained conductors.

There, I said it.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I just saw it on WETA's channel. I thought this year's Concert was definitely more unconventional than prior years, I thought there was a lot of variety and antics. Very amusing!


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

I watched the concert tonight and enjoyed it very much. I am not any great authority on the music of the family Strauss but thought that a good number of the pieces were unfamiliar and therefor refreshing. Jansons is high on my list of favorite conductors so that was a decided bonus for me. I was not disappointed.


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