Ziehrer: Schönfeld Marsch op. 422
+Josef Strauss: Transactionen-Walzer op. 184; Die Tänzerin op. 227; Sphärenklänge op. 235
+Hellmesberger: Elfenreigen; Entr’acte Valse
+J. Strauss II: Express-Polka op. 311; Nordseebilder-Walzer op. 390; Zigeunerbaron-Ouvertüre; Künstlerleben-Walzer op. 316; Die Bajadere-Polka op. 351; Eva-Walzer nach Motiven aus „Ritter Pasman“; Csardas aus „Ritter Pasman“ op. 441; Egyptischer Marsch op. 335; Lob der Frauen op. 315; Im Sturmschritt op. 348; An der schönen blauen Donau op. 314
+E. Strauss: Mit Extrapost op. 259; Opern Soiree op. 162
+J. Strauss I: Radetzky-Marsch op. 228

The first musical event of the year: the Vienna Philharmonic's 2019 New Year's Concert under Christian Thielemann

Christian Thielemann conducted the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert for the first time in 2019. The 59-year-old is considered the most popular German conductor of the present day. His core repertoire can be considered to be the concertos and operas of the not always undisputed German Romantic period. Berlin, Munich, Bayreuth, New York and, of course, Dresden are just a few of the many stops that have taken him as a conductor through the world's most famous opera houses.

Thielemann is always welcome in Austria. He has been the artistic director of the Salzburg Easter Festival since 2013 and his successful collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic, which began in 2000, can be heard on numerous recordings.

The New Year's Concert in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein is always festive and traditional. Especially in the context of recurring events, it is particularly evident how the debutants on the conductor's podium bring their own musical style. Christian Thielemann replaced driving marches with dance-like waltzes, slower polkas françaises were followed by fast-paced polkas.

Every New Year's concert is also made special by the pieces that are played for the first time at this event. in 2019, there were six novelties: Right at the opening, there was the snappy "Schönfeld March" by Carl Michael Ziehrer. Johann Strauss (son) was present this time with the "Express Polka" and the "Eva Waltz" based on motifs from his only opera. Josef Strauss was represented with the almost forgotten polka "Die Tänzerin" and Eduard Strauss with the "Opern-Soirée", a polka française. A real gem with rarity value is Josef Hellmesberger's rarely played "Entr'acte-Valse". The music of the Strauss dynasty and its contemporaries still holds repertoire novelties in store.

The Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert took place for the 79th time in 2019, and ORF broadcast it live for the 61st time. This event is now broadcast in over 90 countries and watched by more than 50 million viewers worldwide. The intermission film "Vienna State Opera 1869-2019" showed a musical tour of the world-famous opera house, which was opened by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1869. The Vienna State Opera is of particular importance to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as it is still made up of members of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra to this day.

The Haus am Ring and Grafenegg Castle in Lower Austria were also the backdrop for the modern ballet interludes to Johann Strauss' (son) "Künstlerleben" and the Csárdás from "Ritter Pázmán".