2 CD - 8573-83563-2 - (p) 2001

Neujahrskonzert 2001






- Johann Strauss (1804-1849, Vater):  "Radetzky-March", Op. 228 (original version)

3' 56" CD1-1
- Joseph Lanner (1801-1843): "Die Schönbrunner", Walzer, Op. 200
8' 38" CD1-2
- Joseph Lanner: "Jäger Lust", Jagd-Galopp, Op. 82
2' 50" CD1-3
- Johann Strauss (1825-1899, Sohn): "Morgenblätter, Walzer, Op. 279
10' 59" CD1-4
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "Electro-magnetische Polka", Op. 110
2' 42" CD1-5
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "Electrofor-Polka", schnell, Op. 297
2' 22" CD1-6
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): Overture to "Eine Nach in Venedig" (Berlin version)
7' 35" CD1-7
- Josef Strauss (1827-1870): "Harlekin-Polka", Op. 48
2' 53" CD1-8
- Josef Strauss: "Dorfschwalben aus Österreich", Walzer, Op. 164
9' 41" CD1-9
- Joseph Lanner: "Steyrische Tänze", Op. 165
6' 52" CD1-10
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "Vergnügungszug", Polka schnell, Op. 281

2' 49" CD1-11
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "Seid umschlungen, Millionen", Walzer, Op. 443

10' 33" CD1-12
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "Der Kobold", Polka Mazur, Op. 226

5' 08" CD1-13
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "Luzifer-Polka", Op. 266

2' 47" CD1-14
- Josef Strauss: "Ohne Sorgen", Polka schnell, Op. 271
8' 38" CD2-1
- Johann Strauss (Sohn): "An der schönen blauen Donau", Walzer, Op. 314
9' 28" CD2-2
- Johann Strauss (1804-1849, Vater):  "Radetzky-March", Op. 228

3' 26" CD2-3




 
Wiener Philharmoniker
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
 
Luogo e data di registrazione
Musikverein, Vienna (Austria) - 1 gennaio 2001
Registrazione live / studio
live
Producer / Engineer
Wolfgang Mohr / Martina Gottschau / Friedemann Engelbrecht / Michael Brammann / Tobias Lehmann
Prima Edizione CD
Teldec Classics - 8573-83563-2 - (2 cd) - 79' 24" + 16' 56" - (p) 2001 - DDD
Prima Edizione LP
-

Notes
In many respects, the history of the Vienna Philharrnonic's New Year Concerts and of its links with the Strauß family is not what it seems: not only has the popularity of the event misled many observers into assuming that the orchestra's interest in Strauß can be traced back seamlessly to the composerßs ovm day, but the unique charm of the music, combined with the New Year's Day atmosphere, suggests only light-heartedness and a carefree delight in existence. In fact, it took many years for the works of the Strauß family to find a regular place in the orchestra's repertory. Althorrgh the Waltz King himself conducted a number of concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic, it was not until well into the 20th century that Clemens Krauss established the orchestra's Strauß tradition: it was at the 1929 Salzburg Festival that Krauss first conducted a Vienna Philharmonic concert devoted exclusively to the works of Johann Strauß, and so successful was the exercise that he repeated it every year until 1933, adding the works of other members of the Strauß family and in that way anticipating the later New Year Concerts. These last-named concerts - now, thank to television, a hugely popular way of welcoming in the New Year and quite rightly regarded as a very special expression of civilised values and hope - in fact date back to the darkest period of the orchestra's history: in 1938 the National Socialists ordered the disbandment of the Vienna Philharmonic Association, and it required the intervention of a number of leading figures, including Wilhelm Furtwängler to have this decision rescinded. Although afraid for the future of their traditionally independent, democratically structured organisation, the members of the Philharmonic none the less took the remarkable step of programming a concert devoted solely to the works of the Strauß family and thereby professing their allegiance to Austria, a country for which there was no place in the world at that time.
Conducted by Clemens Krauss, this “Extraordinary Concert" took place in the Großer Saal of the Musikverein on 31 December 1939. The history of the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year Concerts thus began with something of a paradox, starting, as it did, on a New Year’s Eve. The first actual New Year Concert was held in 1941, again under Krauss who, interestingly, was initially opposed to a morning concert: "I have reservations about 1 January and would suggest that you hold the Johann
Strauß Concert on New Yearßs Eve as I fear that the aftermath of New Year’s Eve could adversely affect attendance at the concert on 1 Januarz." In the event, the success of the experiment convinced him otherwise and from now until the end of the war he conducted all the Philhannonicßs New Year Concerts, which now became a permanent fixture on New Yearßs Day.
The tradition wan maintained even in the blackest days of the war, in January 1945, with the concert being repeated on the 2nd. In 1946 and 1947 ]osef Krips replaced Clemens Krauss, whom the Allies had banned from oonducting for two years. The 1946 concert was the first to be officially designated the New Year Concert. Krauss returned in 1948 and between then and his death in 1954 conducted seven more New Year Concerts. The
1951 concert was postponed until 14 January as a result of the death of the then Austrian President Karl Renner on 31 December 1950. In all, Krauss conducted thirteen concerts, turning the event into a highlight of the Viennese social calendar. Although he did not live to see the quantum leap brought about by the advent of television. his performances of this great music are happily very well documented and even today remain a yardstick by which other performances are judged.
With Kraussßs unexpected death in 1954 the Philharmonic found itself faced with the not inconsiderable problem of finding a successor to conduct the New Year Concerts, and the orchestra met on several occasions before finally deciding to appoint their own leader, Willi Boskovsky. But although the choice had been controversial within the orchestra, it proved to be a stroke of the greatest good fortune, and Boskovsky went on to conduct the New Year Concert no fewer than twenty-five times between 1955 and 1979, leaving his stamp on the proceedings to such an extent that his retirement, through illness, quite literally marked the end of an era. Boskovsky‘s incumbency also witnessed the advent of live television broadcasts, which turned the concerts into the international epitome of Viennese music-making. When he was obliged to retire in 1980, the orchestra again took a far-reaching decision affecting a point of principle and appointed the high-profile Loriin Maayel, who conducted the concerts until 1986. Thereafter the players decided to engage a different conductor every year, starting with Herbert von Karajan in 1987 and continuing with Claudio Abbado (1988, 1991), Carlos Kleiber (1989, 1992), Yubin Mehta (1990, 1995, 1998), Riccardo Muti (1993, 1997, 2000) and Lorin Maazel (1994, 1996, 1999).
In 2001 the Vienna Plrillrannonic entrusted the New Year Concert to Nikolarrs Harnoncourt, a musician who has not only worked regularly with the orchestra as a conductor since the early 1980s but who often performed with them as a rank-and-file cellist during his days as a student. As such, he is the first conductor of the New Year Concerts since Willi Boskovsky to have also played in the orchestra. The invitation not only reflects our interest in the way that llarnoncourt approaches this most Viennese of all music, it also follows on naturally from what has been his particularly close association with the orchestra in recent years, an association that has produced many outstanding concerts, including two unforgettable performances of Franz Schmidtßs oratorio Dear Buch mit sieben Siegeln in April 2000 (both concerts were recorded live by TELDEC), an well as two
Strauß concerts given in Innsbruck and Berlin in June 1999 to mark the centenary of the death of Johann Strauß the Younger.
Three of the works in the New Year Concert in 2001 recall Joseph Lanner, who was born in Vienna two hundred years ago and who, together with Johann
Strauß the Father, assisted at the birth of the Viennese waltz. Otherwise the concert pursues traditional lines, combining exceptionally popular pieces such as Morgenblätter (performed five times so far within the context of the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year Concerts), Dorfschwalben aus Österreich, Seid umschlungen, Millionen (six performances each) and Vergnügungszug (sixteen performances to date!) with largely unknown pieces such as Jäger Lust, Electro-magnetische Polka, Harlekin and Der Kobild, none of which has been heard at a New Year Concert before. During the rehearsals, it was fascinating not only to get to know new works under Nikolaus Harnoncourt's direction but also to explore new aspects of apparently long-familiar pieces. But no less fascinating was it to reexamine the Philharmonic's Strauß tradition through the eyes of this analytical and yet so impulsive conductor who was especially keen to include one particular work in the progrannne; he wanted the concert to open with the original version of the Radetzky March, a version completely differently orchestrated from the one more familiar to us and, without the audience's obligatory clapping that has long been a ritual at these concerts.
Dr. Clemens Hellsberg
 (Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic)

Translation: Stewart Spencer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1929-2016)
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