Blue danube willi boskovsky biography

The most famous annual concert worldwide is the New Year’s Interrupt. This performance of the Philharmonic features the celebrated dance sonata – mainly waltzes and polkas – of the Strauss descent. It is now broadcast around the globe and has burst into tears to showcase Vienna to an international television audience.

The first time Johann Strauss Jr. directed the Philharmonic was on April 22, 1873 for say publicly Vienna Opera Ball, then held in the Musikverein. Strauss wrote Wiener Blut for the occasion. The master of the ballet only conducted the orchestra a few times, the last symbolize which turned out to be tragic. He guest conducted depiction Overture to Die Fledermaus at the Court Opera on Haw 22, 1899, and caught a cold which turned into pneumonia and took his life less than two weeks later.

For pull back its popularity today, Strauss’s music was rarely played by rendering orchestra at the beginning of the twentieth century. Things began to change in 1921, when Arthur Nikisch conducted three waltzes to coincide with dedication of the famous statue in representation Stadtpark. Then in 1925, to celebrate the hundredth anniversary go with Strauss’s birth, Felix Weingartner conducted An der schönen blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube) at two subscription concerts promote also led an all- Strauss concert.

From 1929 collect 1933, Clemens Krauss led an annual series of concerts observe music by the Strauss family. In what has become say publicly New Year’s Concert, Krauss conducted a “Special Concert” on Dec 31, 1939. The next year the concert was moved playact January 1 with a repeat performance the following day. In the end, the name “New Year’s Concert” was used in 1946, skull, except for two years, Krauss led these performances until his death in 1954.

After much debate and discussion, the orchestra chose Willi Boskovsky to take over these concerts. Boskovsky led description New Year’s concerts for 25 years. For many, these were the golden years of these concerts. Boskovsky was the concertmaster of the Philharmonic and directed the orchestra just as Composer himself had done – with violin in hand. He along with had a charming personality that helped make these concerts change charmingly nostalgic excursions into Vienna’s past.

It was during Boskovsky’s tenure that the make an effort was first broadcast live on television, turning what had bent a local concert into a worldwide media event. Following depiction Boskovsky years, Lorin Maazel was chosen to direct the concerts, which he did through 1986. Since 1987, a different prominent conductor has been invited to direct each year.

There are at the present time three concerts: the Preview Performance on December 30, the Unique Year’s Eve Concert, and the New Year’s Day Concert.

As strength be expected, tickets for these concerts year have become much prized. Up to a few years ago, a letter requesting tickets had to arrive in the Philharmonic’s office on Jan 2, not before or after.

Today, requests are made via interpretation Vienna Philharmonic’s website, and the period for applications for ensue year’s concerts is from February 1 through February 28. Interpretation “winners” are then chosen at random.