I heard them last night with another concert tonight and a third on Sunday afternoon. With over 100 members, they are a BIG BAND. Of course, they are the Vienna Philharmonic. Sitting in the 5th row center, I have never heard strings sound like one player per section - but silky smooth.
Lorin Maazel was a relatively last minute replacement for Daniele Gatti who injured his shoulder three weeks ago. When Maazel, who turned 84 this week, was asked to sub for the California part of their US tour, he said when and where was the first concert. Turned out to be in Costa Mesa on Monday, March 3rd. He checked his calendar and said, "I'm conducting in Munich on the 2nd, what time does the concert begin?" When told, he said, "I think that is possible" and he was there. The program was Schubert's Unfinished Symphony and Mahler's 4th Symphony. Mahler had been the director of the Vienna State Opera, the VPO's companion organization, and had conducted the VPO many times, including premieres of several of his symphonies.
A couple of interesting quirks. There are a few violins hanging on the music stands when the orchestra comes out to sit down. They are spares so if someone's string breaks, one of the spares is passed to the violinist so he (or now she) can continue. Also the outside stand partner turns the pages, not the inside one, like just about every other orchestra. Of course, the VPO has its famous unique instruments - particularly some of the woodwinds and horns which produce part of their unique sound.
Maazel (who is conducting only the first of the three concerts - Andris Nelsons the newly appointed director of the Boston Symphony is conducting tonight and Franz Welser-Most, director of the Cleveland Orchestra is conducting tomorrow) is still a fabulous conductor. The Mahler was played more slowly than most, but one could hear everything that Mahler wrote and there were all sorts of beautiful touches in small retards and other effects. I was lucky enough to hear him in London in 2010 or 11 conducting the Philharmonia in Mahler's 1st Symphony as part of his complete Mahler series for the Mahler centennial. He had first conducted the VPO as a young man in 1962 and did a complete series of both the Sibelius and Tchaikovsky symphonies with them for Decca at that time, well before his long stints as director of the Cleveland Orchestra and New York Philharmonic.
The VPO jumps back across the country next week to complete their US tour in New York City, where they began it in late February.
Hard to get tickets, expensive but well worth it. Easier to get and cheaper than in Vienna.
Larry
Lorin Maazel was a relatively last minute replacement for Daniele Gatti who injured his shoulder three weeks ago. When Maazel, who turned 84 this week, was asked to sub for the California part of their US tour, he said when and where was the first concert. Turned out to be in Costa Mesa on Monday, March 3rd. He checked his calendar and said, "I'm conducting in Munich on the 2nd, what time does the concert begin?" When told, he said, "I think that is possible" and he was there. The program was Schubert's Unfinished Symphony and Mahler's 4th Symphony. Mahler had been the director of the Vienna State Opera, the VPO's companion organization, and had conducted the VPO many times, including premieres of several of his symphonies.
A couple of interesting quirks. There are a few violins hanging on the music stands when the orchestra comes out to sit down. They are spares so if someone's string breaks, one of the spares is passed to the violinist so he (or now she) can continue. Also the outside stand partner turns the pages, not the inside one, like just about every other orchestra. Of course, the VPO has its famous unique instruments - particularly some of the woodwinds and horns which produce part of their unique sound.
Maazel (who is conducting only the first of the three concerts - Andris Nelsons the newly appointed director of the Boston Symphony is conducting tonight and Franz Welser-Most, director of the Cleveland Orchestra is conducting tomorrow) is still a fabulous conductor. The Mahler was played more slowly than most, but one could hear everything that Mahler wrote and there were all sorts of beautiful touches in small retards and other effects. I was lucky enough to hear him in London in 2010 or 11 conducting the Philharmonia in Mahler's 1st Symphony as part of his complete Mahler series for the Mahler centennial. He had first conducted the VPO as a young man in 1962 and did a complete series of both the Sibelius and Tchaikovsky symphonies with them for Decca at that time, well before his long stints as director of the Cleveland Orchestra and New York Philharmonic.
The VPO jumps back across the country next week to complete their US tour in New York City, where they began it in late February.
Hard to get tickets, expensive but well worth it. Easier to get and cheaper than in Vienna.
Larry
