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Published: Tuesday, 31 December 2024 at 09:00 AM
Vienna New Year Concert 2025: programme, history, how to watch
The famous Vienna New Year’s Day concert takes place on – surprise, surprise – 1 January at the Austrian capital’s Musikverein concert hall.
Performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, it begins at 11.15am CET and is broadcast on TV across the world.
What music does the Vienna New Year’s Day concert include?
The programme every year consists largely of familiar waltzes, polkas and other dances by the Strauss family – especially Johann Strauss I and Johann Strauss II – but also includes other composers. Today, Johann Strauss II’s much-loved Blue Danube Waltz always features as one of the encores.
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When was the first Vienna New Year concert?
Ironically, the first ever Vienna New Year’s Day Concert took place not on 1 January but on 31 December, 1939, when it was intended primarily as a wartime morale-booster. Clemens Krauss conducted the music on that occasion and continued to lead the majority of the concerts until 1954. At that point, it was taken over by violinist and conductor Willi Boskovsky, who, from 1955-79, played a large part in making it the much-loved occasion that it has become today.
Today, famous maestros from across the world take it in turn to enjoy the spotlight of what is one of the most popular events in the musical calendar. And for those who want to relive the action once 1 January is past, a recording of each year’s concert is quickly released.
You can buy the 2024 Concert from Amazon.
Who has conducted the concert throughout its history?
- Clemens Krauss: 1939, 1941–1945, 1948–1954
- Josef Krips: 1946–1947
- Willi Boskovsky: 1955–1979
- Lorin Maazel: 1980–1986, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2005
- Herbert von Karajan: 1987
- Claudio Abbado: 1988, 1991
- Carlos Kleiber: 1989, 1992
- Zubin Mehta: 1990, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2015
- Riccardo Muti: 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2018, 2021
- Nikolaus Harnoncourt: 2001, 2003
- Seiji Ozawa: 2002
- Mariss Jansons: 2006, 2012, 2016
- Georges Prêtre: 2008, 2010
- Daniel Barenboim: 2009, 2014
- Franz Welser-Möst: 2011, 2013, 2023
- Gustavo Dudamel: 2017
- Christian Thielemann: 2019, 2024
- Andris Nelsons: 2020
- Riccardo Muti: 2021
- Daniel Barenboim: 2022
When is the 2025 Vienna New Year Concert?
The 2025 Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert is scheduled to take place on 1 January, conducted by Riccardo in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein.
Who is conducting the 2025 Vienna New Year Concert?
Maestro Riccardo Muti is scheduled to conduct this year’s New Year’s Concert in Vienna. This will be the seventh time he has conducted this prestigious concert, the first time being back in 1993.
What is the programme for the 2025 Vienna New Year’s Day Concert?
Johann Strauss Sr: Freedom March, Op. 226
Josef Strauss: Village Swallows of Austria, Waltz, Op. 164
Johann Strauss: Demolition Men’s Polka, Op. 269
Johann Strauss: Lagoon Waltz, Op. 411
Eduard Strauss: Airy and Fragrant, Polka, Op. 206
Interval
Johann Strauss: Overture to The Gypsy Baron
Johann Strauss: Accelerations Waltz, Op. 234
Joseph Hellmesberger: Jolly Brothers March from The Violet Girl
Constanze Geiger: Ferdinandus Waltz (Arrangement: Wolfgang Dörner)
Johann Strauss: Either Or! Polka, Op. 403
Josef Strauss: Transactions Waltz, Op. 184
Johann Strauss: Annen-Polka, Op. 117
Johann Strauss: Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214
Johann Strauss: Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
Encores
Johann Strauss: The Bayadère, Polka, Op. 351
Johann Strauss: The Blue Danube, Waltz, Op. 314
Johann Strauss Sr: Radetzky-March. Op. 228
The Vienna New Year Concert will be shown on BBC Two at 10.15am GMT on New Year’s Day (1 January), hosted by Petroc Trelawny. You can also catch it on Radio 3 from 9.30am.