Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube
It is widely assumed that Viennese orchestras, especially the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO), possess distinctive qualities in their performance of Viennese waltzes. This article sets out to provide empirical evidence of this hypothesis. Focusing on the parameter of timing, it analyzes the rhyt...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Österreichische Gesellschaft für Musikwissenschaft
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Musicologica Austriaca |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.musau.org//parts/neue-article-page/pdf/135 |
| _version_ | 1797973879980818432 |
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| author | Jian Yang |
| author_facet | Jian Yang |
| author_sort | Jian Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is widely assumed that Viennese orchestras, especially the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO), possess distinctive qualities in their performance of Viennese waltzes. This article sets out to provide empirical evidence of this hypothesis. Focusing on the parameter of timing, it analyzes the rhythm and tempo in 34 recordings of Johann Strauss II’s The Blue Danube, widely regarded as the best-known Viennese waltz. The results yield the following findings: (1) At the beat level, Viennese orchestras, particularly the VPO, widely employ an uneven 3-beat pattern of “short-long-medium,” whereas non-Viennese orchestras play the three beats with relatively even lengths; (2) at the phrase level, the VPO tends to demonstrate much more rubato, which goes hand in hand with “spiral tempo-dynamic shaping”; (3) at the sectional level, larger-scale and more structural tempo modifications, especially the “long-range accelerando,” are found in the VPO’s recordings. Some of these features seem to be associated less with the conductors than with the orchestra’s own performance practice. In addition, the choreographic factors and the gala circumstances of the Vienna New Year’s Concert may also play a role in the stylistic distinctiveness of Viennese orchestras. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:11:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d62c0ffa7cb54ad296f873aeb35be413 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1016-1066 2411-6696 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:11:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Österreichische Gesellschaft für Musikwissenschaft |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Musicologica Austriaca |
| spelling | doaj.art-d62c0ffa7cb54ad296f873aeb35be4132023-01-01T09:41:47ZengÖsterreichische Gesellschaft für MusikwissenschaftMusicologica Austriaca1016-10662411-66962022-12-012022Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue DanubeJian Yang0Shanghai Conservatory of MusicIt is widely assumed that Viennese orchestras, especially the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO), possess distinctive qualities in their performance of Viennese waltzes. This article sets out to provide empirical evidence of this hypothesis. Focusing on the parameter of timing, it analyzes the rhythm and tempo in 34 recordings of Johann Strauss II’s The Blue Danube, widely regarded as the best-known Viennese waltz. The results yield the following findings: (1) At the beat level, Viennese orchestras, particularly the VPO, widely employ an uneven 3-beat pattern of “short-long-medium,” whereas non-Viennese orchestras play the three beats with relatively even lengths; (2) at the phrase level, the VPO tends to demonstrate much more rubato, which goes hand in hand with “spiral tempo-dynamic shaping”; (3) at the sectional level, larger-scale and more structural tempo modifications, especially the “long-range accelerando,” are found in the VPO’s recordings. Some of these features seem to be associated less with the conductors than with the orchestra’s own performance practice. In addition, the choreographic factors and the gala circumstances of the Vienna New Year’s Concert may also play a role in the stylistic distinctiveness of Viennese orchestras.https://www.musau.org//parts/neue-article-page/pdf/13519th century20th century21st centurychoreographyperformanceperformance stylerhythmstrauss ii, johanntempothe blue danubetimingvienna new year’s concertvienna philharmonic orchestraviennese waltzwaltz |
| spellingShingle | Jian Yang Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube Musicologica Austriaca 19th century 20th century 21st century choreography performance performance style rhythm strauss ii, johann tempo the blue danube timing vienna new year’s concert vienna philharmonic orchestra viennese waltz waltz |
| title | Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube |
| title_full | Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube |
| title_fullStr | Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube |
| title_full_unstemmed | Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube |
| title_short | Viennese Style in Viennese Waltzes: An Empirical Study of Timing in the Recordings of The Blue Danube |
| title_sort | viennese style in viennese waltzes an empirical study of timing in the recordings of the blue danube |
| topic | 19th century 20th century 21st century choreography performance performance style rhythm strauss ii, johann tempo the blue danube timing vienna new year’s concert vienna philharmonic orchestra viennese waltz waltz |
| url | https://www.musau.org//parts/neue-article-page/pdf/135 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jianyang viennesestyleinviennesewaltzesanempiricalstudyoftimingintherecordingsofthebluedanube |