The fabulous Gustavo Dudamel is back again conducting an ecstatic program of German music by prominent German and French composers. The first number is Nechledil Marasch aus der Operette Wiener Frauen. The piece starts off in a quiet pose but then picks up in tempo where it then culminates in a rapid ending—vivace and presto. Then the sweet piece Emile is the second number to dance to. It is a fabulous waltz that two or three dancers dance merrily to as the piece chimes away in C major. The ending is in a climatic C major romp to thunderous applause. The third number is Johann Strauss’s work for chords and orchestra called S’ gift our a Kaiserstadt,s’ gift our a Wien. Polka opus 291. It has a striking resemblance to the German tradition to dance and get drunk while the whole scene is merry. Then there’s Josef Strauss and his Wanderlust polka. Both of these are strikingly festive. The overall message of the concert seems to say, “Hey, it’s a new year. Time to celebrate the times while we’re still alive. There is one solemn fanfare that dots the program of the concert with a large choir and orchestra singing and playing in harmony.
The majority of the program was waltzes in all their beauty. The following program notes depict there was an overture and then one or two waltzes followed by the Pepita Poka Op. 138 by Johann Strauss Jr. Die Extravaganten Waltzer that was in D major would soon follow this in a galloping fashion, followed by Johann Strauss Senior’s Indianer-Galopp Opus 111. The latter half of the program tends to be more quaint and even-tempered than the first half. The first half was more striking, loud and bombastic. It was an event that evened out toward the end, even with Dudamel supplying the bird whistle sounds at the end of one of the waltzes. It was a fantastic concert by a fantastic conductor and orchestra. The Youtube is posted in the background.
