My good friend Rosemary came round this morning and we settled down to watch the New Year's Day concert from Vienna and while we were drinking our coffee and eating our Stollen, she remarked how much she enjoyed this annual event and that 'it has become a tradition'. I then realised that, yes, it had and one I really love. Both of us have our families dropping in and out over the holiday period and we both relish this quiet two hours just listening to the glorious music and marvelling at the beautfy of the Musikverien.
This year the concert was conducted with a great sense of fun by Daniel Barenboim, who I still think of as a prodigy and the youthful husband of the late great Jacqueline du Pre. Of course, he is now nearly 70 which is a sobering thought, white haired and going bald. His musicianship is a marvel and the Vienna Philharmonic played for him with a huge sweep and lush sound, and both of us commented on parts of the woodwind in the various pieces played that we had not noticed before.
This is what is so wonderful about music - you never ever come to the end of it.
As soon as the concert was over, I logged onto the website and registered in the draw for the concert in 2010. Have not been lucky yet, but you never know...
Happy New Year to everyone who calls in at Random, has a read, leaves a comment or not whatever the case may be. I appreciate you all and look forward to hearing from you in 2009.
