Vienna New Year’s Concert: what music was played?

2 January 2025, 09:38

The Vienna New Year’s Concert is one of the most famous events in the classical music calendar, so we take a look at the music you can expect to hear.

New Year’s Day in Vienna. That phrase has a certain ring to it. The Austrian capital has been the home to some of the greatest composers who ever lived, including Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. Music oozes out from every street corner, creating a magical atmosphere transcending generations.

One of the most famous events in the Viennese musical calendar is the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year’s concert. Inaugurated in 1939, it takes place at the legendary Musikverein.

The concert programmes always highlight the music from the Strauss family, Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II, Josef Strauss and Eduard Strauss and other prominent composers from Vienna. Each year, the Vienna Philharmonic is joined by a prominent guest conductor. This time, it is the turn of Riccardo Muti, the famous Italian conductor renowned for his interpretations of operas.

The concert is sure to be an absolute treat, featuring some of the best tunes written. Here is what will be played, categorised by the composer.

Read more: André Rieu facts: the Dutch violinist’s wife, concerts, net worth and his Johann Strauss Orchestra

Johan Strauss I

The concert will open with a piece of music by Johan Strauss I. Known as ‘The Father’, he was renowned for his waltzes, polkas and galops, which he bought into the mainstream, laying the foundations of a musical dynasty that his sons would continue throughout the 19th Century.

After his death, Berlioz paid tribute to the 'Father of the Viennese Waltz' by commenting that ‘Vienna without Strauss is like Austria without the Danube’.

Freiheits-Marsch, or freedom march, will open the programme, and get proceedings off to a jubilant and energetic start.

Freiheits-Marsch, Op. 226

Josef Strauss

The concert will feature two pieces by Josef Strauss, the second son of Johan Strauss and his wife Maria Anna Streim. Josef Staruss continued the family tradition, and joined the family orchestra, along with his brothers, Johann Strauss II and Eduard Strauss in the 1850s.

The Vienna Philharmonic will perform two waltzes by Josef, Dorfschwalben aus Österreich (Village Swallows from Austria) and Transactionen (Transactions)

♫♪ Josef Strauss: Transactionen / Walzer op. 184|Musikverein Vienna| #NYC2024 | #NewYearsConcert ♪♫

Johann Strauss II

Most of the music played on New Year’s Day will be by Johan Strauss II. The eldest of Strauss I’s sons, he was known as ‘The Waltz King’, and was largely responsible for the popularity of the waltz in the 19th century.

The concert will feature eight of his most popular compositions, many of which have become famous for their use in films and TV.

Demolirer-Polka (French Polka)

Lagunen-Walzer (Lagoon waltz)

Overture to the Operetta "Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron)

Accelerationen. (acceleration) Waltz

Entweder - oder! Polka (revolve)

Annen-Polka

Tritsch-Tratsch, (Fast Polka), op. 214

Wein, Weib und Gesang. Walzer (Wine, Woman, and Song)

Johann Strauss II - Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta)

Eduard Strauss

The third surviving son, Eduard followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a prominent composer in Vienna.

The concert will feature his polka Luftig und duftig (airy and fragrant)

Other composers featured

Outside of the Strauss family, the concert will feature the music of two other composers.

We will hear a march by Austrian composer Josef Hellmesberger from his opera Das Veilchenmädchen (The Violet Girl) and a waltz by Constanze Geiger, which will be the first time a work by a female composer has featured in the New Year’s Day concert.

The concert will be broadcast on TV on New Year’s Day.

The 2017 Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert with Gustavo Dudamel