Concert Review: From Atonality to Whipped Cream

The Vienna Philharmonic bids farewell to the City of Dreams.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Handy dandy: Diana Damrau takes over podium duties from Zubin Mehta (left) as
Vienna: City of Dreams comes to a riotous end at Carnegie Hall.
Photo by Steve J. Sherman © 2014 courtesy Carnegie Hall.

The Vienna Philharmonic drew the curtain on Carnegie Hall's three-week Vienna: City of Dreams festival with a massive Sunday night concert featuring a sweeping survey of that city's disparate musical history. Spanning from the choral music of Mozart to the 20th century experiments of Webern and Korngold, the orchestra players showed their affinity for dance music, opera, operetta, orchestral music, and even atonality in a sprawling program that at least, never proved dull. The inspired choice for leading this program: former New York Philharmonic music director Zubin Mehta, a beloved figure in this city.

Concert Review: Quantum of Sadness

The Vienna Philharmonic perform Schubert and Mahler.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Christoph Eschenbach.
Photo by Eric Brissaud © 2014 ChristophEschenbach.com

The Vienna Philharmonic returned to New York last week. But last night was the concert where the venerable orchestra, currently in the midst of Vienna: City of Dreams a three week celebration of all things Austrian at Carnegie Hall finally played at a level equal to their stellar international reputation. It might have to do with the two works programmed: Schubert's two-movement Symphony No. 8 in B minor (known popularly as the Unfinished Symphony) and Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4.

Concert Review: The Dust Buster

The Vienna Philharmonic plays Haydn and Brahms.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Statue of Liberty play: Andris Nelsons.
Photo by Stu Rosner © 2013 Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The Vienna Philharmonic is known for its unique orchestral sound, idiosyncratic choice of instruments and general conservatism in its choice of repertory. On Thursday night, the famed orchestra returned to Carnegie Hall for the first of three concerts wrapping up this year's Vienna: City of Dreams Festival. The program was one to bring joy to the average concert-goer, an unadventurous combination of Haydn and Brahms.

Concert Review: Sticking to his Strengths

The Vienna Philharmonic plays Mozart and Bruckner.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

The conductor Franz Welser-Möst.
Photo by Nikolaus Similache.© 2012 The Cleveland Orchestra.

For the second concert of the Vienna: City of Dreams Festival, the Vienna Philharmonic and conductor Franz Welser-Möst chose a program squarely in the comfort zone of this storied orchestra. Symphonies by Mozart (No. 28) and Bruckner (No. 6) framed the first Carnegie Hall performance of a Johannes Maria Staud's On Comparative Meteorology. This was an ambitious program for Mr. Welser-Möst, as the symphonies chosen are rarely played in concert.

Concert Review: It Was the Bottom of the Ninth

The Vienna Philharmonic opens Vienna: City of Dreams.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Franz Welser-Möst. Photo by Terry Linke © 2010 The Vienna Philharmonic.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is a cornerstone of the concert repertory, a natural choice for the Vienna Philharmonic to open Carnegie Hall's Vienna: City of Dreams festival. On Tuesday night, the orchestra arrived in New York to begin their much-anticipated six-performance residency with a performance of the Ninth under Austrian conductor (and favorite son) Franz Welser-Möst.

Festival Preview: The Ringstrasse Cycle

Carnegie Hall opens Vienna: City of Dreams.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Carnegie Hall moves to the Ringstrasse for
Vienna: City of Dreams, this year's music festival at the famous venue.
Photo manipulation by Paul J. Pelkonen.

This week marks the opening of Vienna: City of Dreams, a three-week Carnegie Hall festival focusing on the artistic and musical legacy of the capital of Austria. In addition to six concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic (two of them featuring performers from the Vienna State Opera) the series includes lectures, films and an exploration of an age before World Wars, when Vienna was the crossroads and cultural capital of central Europe.