Emotion, humor and long ovations at the New Year's concert in Vienna under the baton of Nézet-Séguin

BarcelonaWith more enthusiasm than metronomic precision, the audience in Vienna's Musikverein's Golden Hall performed the ritual, clapping along to the rhythm of Johann Strauss Sr.'s Radetzky March. Thus ended the traditional New Year's concert, which, with an estimated audience of 50 million viewers in 150 countries, is the first globally televised event of the year. In Spain, La1 broadcast the concert, with commentary by Martín Llade, and the broadcast had a particularly nostalgic feel, as, after more than a decade's absence, the public broadcaster revived another of the traditional holiday treats: the ski jumping from the German town. The concert was conducted by Canadian Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Montreal, 1975), who has led the Vienna Philharmonic on some thirty occasions, but this was his debut in this New Year's format. In total, nineteen conductors have led the recital since it was established in 1939, none of whom have been women. There were a couple of female composers in the repertoire, perhaps as an apology: Josephine Weinlich, founder of the first all-female orchestra in Europe—whose arrangement of Wolfgang Dörner's polka-mazurka was performed. Sirenan lieder– and the American Florence Pine, in this case the Rainbow vouchers which he composed for piano.

In total, eighteen works were performed, divided into two parts and an encore (of three pieces). A third of the compositions were new, although, as usual, the works of Strauss father and son ended up being the most celebrated by the audience, who were summoned two hours in advance, since the process of checking tickets and security checks was especially thorough. Some of the debut pieces were the waltz Donausagene (by Carl Michael Ziehrer), the Malapou Gallop (by Joseph Lanner) and the fast polka Brausteufelchen (by Eduard Strauss).

There was, therefore, a clear intention to modernize the recital—which also stood out for its emotional depth—with the introduction of previously unperformed pieces and the recognition of female composers, while at the same time maintaining its essence, with the magnificent hall where it originated filled with fresh flowers from the city gardens. "Music can unite us all because we live on the same planet," the conductor noted in his brief opening remarks, just before the New Year's toast. Nézet-Séguin wished for "peace in hearts and, above all, peace among all the nations of the world." The emotion, however, was not at odds with touches of humor, such as when some Philharmonic musicians donned railway workers' caps during the performance of Københavns Jernbane-Damp gallopHans Christian Lumbye's music was performed to celebrate the train connection between Copenhagen and Roskilde. If the length of the ovations is any indication, this will be remembered as one of the most memorable New Year's Eve concerts in recent years.