Around the Music Festival

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra announced the 2020 “New Year’s Concert” program. “New Year’s Concert” is an annual event held every year on New Year’s Day at the Golden Hall of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna. It is a “New Year’s card from the city of music”. Performances are relayed to over 90 countries, and more than 100 million people worldwide enjoy the New Year mood.

The conductor in 2020 will be Andris Nelsons, who will appear for the first time. Concert programs usually consist of music from the Strauss family, such as “King of Waltz” Johann Strauss II. The conductor makes his own music selection. The biggest feature of the Nelsons program is that Beethoven’s work was taken up. 2020 is the 250th anniversary of Beethoven ’s birth.

Nelsons also added the work of Danish composer Hans Christian Lumbye (1810-1874). This is also unusual. Lumbye was a composer called “Northern Johann Strauss”, and has left the waltz, polka, mazurka and gallop for the orchestra. The works of Austrian composers Karl Michael Zeller and Josef Hermesberger II were added. In addition, Suppe’s famous opera “Light Cavalry” Overture was added.


　Carl Michael Ziehrer：Overture to “Die Landstreicher (The Vagabonds)”
　Josef Strauss：Liebesgrüße (Greetings of Love) Waltz, op. 56
　Josef Strauss：Liechtenstein March, op. 36
　Johann Strauss Jr.：Blumenfest (Flower Festival) Polka. op. 111
　Johann Strauss Jr.：Wo die Citronen blüh’n (Where the Lemons Blossom), Waltz, op. 364
　Eduard Strauss：Knall und Fall (Without Warning), Fast Polka, op. 132

　　　………　Intermission

　Franz von Suppé：Light Cavalry Overture
　Josef Strauss：Cupido, Polka française, op. 81
　Johann Strauss Jr.：Seid umschlungen, Millionen (Be Embraced, You Millions), Waltz, op. 443
　Eduard Strauss：Eisblume (Ice Flower), Polka mazurka, op. 55 (Arr. W. Dörner)
　Josef Hellmesberger, Jr.：Gavotte
　Hans Christian Lumbye：Postillon Galop, op. 16/2 (Arr. W. Dörner)
　Ludwig van Beethoven：Twelve Contredanses, WoO 14 (Excerpts)
　Johann Strauss Jr.：Freuet euch des Lebens (Enjoy Life), Waltz, op.340
　Johann Strauss Jr.：Tritsch-Tratsch, Fast Polka, op. 214
　Josef Strauss：Dynamiden, Waltz, op. 173

Photo：Vienna Philharmoniker　/　Terry Linke


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