Vienna Philharmonic announce 2015 New Year’s conductor
mainIt’s….
… Zubin.
He’ll be 77 and it will be his fifth time in the New Year podium, a total exceeded only by Willi Boskovsky, Clemens Krauss and Lorin Maazel.
The orchestra has also announced a quick trip to Milan next month with Riccardo Chailly. Just keeping their chestnuts warm with the incoming La Scala music director.
Ah, politics, politics…
It is the good new of this day because Zubin Mehta is typical Viennise and we are sure to have
a brillant concert plenty of colours and joy. Musicians of the Philarmonic are always happy to play with him andyou can see their smiles.No stress!!
Today’s concert was pretty awkward with Barenboim seeking out female orchestra members to offer flowers and kisses. The harpist looked positively mortified. Surely that wasn’t approved by the PR staff??
At the end of the VPO’s New Year’s Day TV b’cast seen on PBS here in NY, conductor Barenboim went through the orchestra shaking everyone’s hand – all this while the orchestra continued playing the traditional concert-ending Radetzky March. One violist REFUSED to shake Barenboim’s hand, actually waving him off. My wife and I were taken aback at this and since I had DVR’d the b’cast, I backed it up to make sure we’d actually seen what we thought we saw. Has anyone else noticed this outrage?
After being ‘refused’, Barenboim took the violist’s bow to direct the Radetzky March, Meanwhile, another member of the orchestra passed a mini bow to the viola guy, and he played throughout the piece with this toy.
To take such behaviour at face value says it really all. Sure… a member of the VPO would do that, of course…My advice: if you don’t like ’em,leave them alone,but they don’t need policing from NY.
Apart from such predictable matters:
It was a FANTASTIC concert, orchestra playing of unmatched refinement and elegance.
And one can only thank Maestro Barenboim for his great humanity and musicianship.
The “Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald” really brought tears to my eyes..that guy with the Zither, a rather quiet and humble instrument…and the interaction with Barenboim…what wonderful moments of music making.
Looking forward very much hearing Zubin Mehta and the VPO next year !!
Policing? Puhleeze! I have no quarrel with the quality of the VPO. Evidently, the sight gag didn’t register not only with me but with others, as well. Our New Years Day tradition for many years has been watching the VPO b’cast on PBS in NY while (whilst) devouring caviar, foie gras and swilling champagne.
Wow, astonishingly defensive and prickly advice from this Michael fella! Thanks for helping us to know our place! Nevertheless, the way the cameras covered the “gag” with the viola player, it came off as quite awkward and confusing – not to mention unfunny. That certainly doesn’t take away from the fine quality of this concert.
We noticed the obvious snub from the violinist and whilst it was odd to squeeze through the orchestra shaking hands, it seemed very rude. What was the reason I wonder?
It was a gag guys! Don’t you get it still? Read Music Lover’s comment.