Vienna's New Year's Eve performance: What tunes filled the air?
The Vienna Philharmonic's highly anticipated New Year's Concert in 2025 promises to be a celebration of the city's rich musical heritage, under the baton of renowned Italian conductor Riccardo Muti.
Taking place at the Musikverein in Vienna, the concert will showcase the iconic waltzes, polkas, and marches of the Strauss family, including works by Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II, Josef Strauss, and Eduard Strauss. The programme will also feature compositions by other prominent Viennese composers, such as Josef Hellmesberger Jr. and Constanze Geiger.
Johann Strauss II, affectionately known as 'The Waltz King', will be well-represented with eight compositions, including the popular Entweder - oder! Polka, Annen-Polka, Tritsch-Tratsch, (Fast Polka), op. 214, and Wein, Weib und Gesang. Walzer (Wine, Woman, and Song).
Eduard Strauss, the third surviving son of Johann Strauss I, will be represented by his polka Luftig und duftig (airy and fragrant). Josef Strauss, the second son of Johann Strauss I, will also make an appearance with two waltzes, Dorfschwalben aus Österreich (Village Swallows from Austria) and Transactionen (Transactions).
The programme will open with Freiheits-Marsch, Op. 226 by Johann Strauss I, followed by Demolirer-Polka (French Polka), Lagunen-Walzer (Lagoon waltz), and Overture to the Operetta "Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron). The concert will conclude with Accelerationen. (acceleration) Waltz.
The inclusion of Constanze Geiger's waltz, marking the first-ever performance of a female composer's work at the New Year's Concert, is particularly historic and highlights the orchestra's expanding repertoire. The concert will also feature a march by Austrian composer Josef Hellmesberger from his opera Das Veilchenmädchen (The Violet Girl).
The Vienna New Year's Concert, one of the most famous events in the classical music calendar, has been a staple of the Viennese musical calendar since its inauguration in 1939. The concert programmes always highlight the music from the Strauss family, who played a significant role in the popularity of the waltz in the 19th century.
The concert is expected to feature some of the best tunes written, and will be broadcast on TV on New Year's Day. This promises to be a concert not to be missed, as the Vienna Philharmonic brings together the rich tradition of Viennese light music and the Strauss family's iconic compositions, complemented by notable contributions from other prominent Viennese composers.
Attendees at the upcoming Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert in 2025 can anticipate an evening filled with iconic Viennese light music, including classic compositions by the Strauss family. The concert program will consist of prominent pieces by Johann Strauss I, II, Josef Strauss, and Eduard Strauss, with Johann Strauss II's works being well-represented. Additionally, the concert promises to include historic moments such as the first-ever performance of a female composer's work, Constanze Geiger's waltz, and Josef Hellmesberger Jr.'s march from the opera "Das Veilchenmädchen (The Violet Girl)".
