It has been a long time, and probably stretching all the way back to the now-distant, legendary concerts led by Carlos Kleiber in 1989 and 1992, since we have enjoyed a New Year's Concert of such quality. With the Latvian Andris Nelsons (known and liked by the Philharmoniker) conducting, this first concert of 2020 had a fluent elegance, a rhythmical verve which was both light and implacable, and a kind of song that allowed the Viennese strings to show off their incredibly silky texture and profound depth.
Andris Nelsons is clearly very much at ease with this repertoire, and brings a very refined approach to this novel programme. Hits sit alongside lesser-known pieces, including Beethoven's Contredanses kicking off the German’s anniversary year with a bang. Nelson gleefully swaps his baton for a trumpet, his favourite instrument, and gets stuck into the Postillon Galop by the "Danish Johann Strauss", Hans Christian Lumbye. This original programme brings us Knall und Fall, a rapid polka from Eduard Strauss, Cupido, a delightful French (slow) polka by Josef Strauss and Joseph Hellmesberger's Gavotte and some other tasty Viennese treats making it into the New Year's Concert for the first time.
The ebullient audience was also very keen to hear some more conventional favourites: and no-one was disappointed by the stunning rendition of the famous Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, played at a diabolical pace, with phenomenal virtuosity from these Viennese musicians, who remain the unchallenged masters of this repertoire. © François Hudry/Qobuz