New Year in Vienna



The music programme (DFPetronas)

No, I was not in Vienna in the New Year. I was in the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, KLCC Twin Towers. But I was transported to Vienna, Austria by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) under the Conductor Christian Schulz. It was indeed a memorable concert by the MPO, and Schulz was very witty when engaging with the audience. We even became part of the performance twice by singing (lalala lalala...), stamping our feet and clapping our hands! I think everyone enjoyed the afternoon of music of  the waltzes and polkas by Strauss II, Strauss (Josef), Franz Lehar, Franz Suppe and Schulz himself.

Johann Strauss II

Most of the music in the programme were by Johann Strauss II - Die Fledermaus Overture, Tik Tak Polka, Kunsterleben (An Artist's Life), Bauern Polka (The Farmer's Polka), Leichtes Blut (Carefree), Perpetuum Mobile (Perpetual Motion), Unter Donner und Blitz (Thunder and  Lightning), Im Krapfenwald (In the Krapfen Woods) and Kaiser Walzer (Emperor Waltz). The piece by Josef Strauss was Ohne Sorgen (Without a care), by Franz Lehar - Gold and Silver Waltz, and by Franz Suppe - Pique Dame Overture (Queen of Spades Overture). The waltzes and polkas conjured up ballrooms and dance halls in 19th Century Europe with dancers whirling and twirling around giddily, while Im Krapfenwald was complete with melodious bird sounds and a really cuckoo cuckoo!

The piece by Vienna-born Maestro Christian Schulz was 'The Black Sea Waltz', which he jokingly renamed 'The Petronas Waltz'. He also joked about talking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Schulz is Artistic Director of the Mozart Collegium Vienna and Music Director of the Schwingungen concert series in the Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein).

Part of the MPO

I was at first slightly disappointed that 'The Blue Danube' was not in the programme. But of course it was played as encore. Fantastic! That wrapped up our enjoyment of our 'New Year in Vienna' concert very satifactorily indeed! (Dare I resolve to be a culture vulture in 2012 and attend at least a performance a month at the DFP?)

Note: All pictures were taken from the DFP January 2012 Programme. (No photography is allowed at anytime in the DFP). Did you know that "The waltz's speedy whirling and couples' risque (in the nineteenth century) close embrace inspired both titillation and condemnation"?

8 January 2012