A vanished Old World with the Vienna Philharmonic in Hamburg

By Mengguang Huang, 21 January 2026

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“Harding’s conducting was economical and unsentimental”

Reviewed at Elbphilharmonie: Grand Hall, Hamburg on 20 January 2026

Strauss R., Don Juan, Op.20

Haydn, Symphony no. 49 in F minor "La Passione"

Strauss R., Don Quixote, Op.35

Strauss II, Rosen aus dem Süden (Roses from the South), Op.388

Vienna Philharmonic

Daniel Harding, Conductor

Wrangling the octopus: Mahler’s Ninth with Sir Simon Rattle

Chanda VanderHart, 17th April

Less a symphony, more a force of nature, Sir Simon Rattle conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in a turbulent, yet spacious reading of Mahler's Ninth Symphony in the Musikverein.

****1

Shared language and living history: Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Phil

Chanda VanderHart, 19th March

Zubin Mehta, Pinchas Zukerman and the Vienna Philharmonic meet in repertoire they know intimately, illuminating it through mutual understanding.

*****

Vienna Philharmonic closes Carnegie residency

Edward Sava-Segal, 1st March

Andris Nelsons pairs Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra with Sibelius’ Second Symphony to conclude the Vienna Philharmonic's latest Carnegie Hall residency.

****1

Contemplation and exuberance: Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall

Susan Stempleski, 28th February

Andris Nelsons conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in the New York premiere of a solemn, modernist work paired with two high-spirited symphonies from the 18th and 19th centuries.

****1

The Vienna Philharmonic explores Central Europe with Jakub Hrůša

Chanda VanderHart, 11th December

At the Konzerthaus, the Vienna Philharmonic travels across the Austrian borders with Jakub Hrůša into the varied sound worlds of Hungary, Bohemia and Moravia.

****1

Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic’s Bruckner 5 in Seoul

SangKwon Lee, 20th November

A tightly focused and cohesive Bruckner Fifth Symphony at the Seoul Arts Center as Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic continue their Asian tour in compelling fashion.

*****

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Mengguang Huang

Mengguang Huang is a Hamburg-based project manager in the construction industry. With a strong passion for classical music, he was introduced to the world of early music during his time in the UK, where he developed a particular fondness for renaissance and Baroque vocal music. Driven by his love for this genre, he now makes it a priority to attend major Baroque opera productions and concerts across Western Europe whenever possible, continuing to deepen his appreciation for this rich musical tradition.

A night of nostalgia: a vanished Old World with the Vienna Philharmonic in Hamburg