Contemplation and exuberance: Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall

Andris Nelsons conducts the Vienna Philharmonic

Andris Nelsons and the Vienna Philharmonic in Carnegie Hall

By Susan Stempleski, 02 March 2026

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“an exhilarating, yet warm-hearted interpretation”

Reviewed at Carnegie Hall: Stern Auditorium, New York City on 28 February 2026

Kurtág, Petite musique solennelle en hommage à Pierre Boulez 90

Mozart, Symphony no. 36 in C major, "Linz”, K425

Dvořák, Symphony no. 6 in D major, Op.60

Strauss, Mein Lebenslauf ist Lieb und Lust, Op.263

Vienna Philharmonic

Andris Nelsons, 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

A vanished Old World with the Vienna Philharmonic in Hamburg

Mengguang Huang, 20th January

A Vienna Philharmonic evening conjures a vanished world: Strauss’ muscular drama and intimate humour, Haydn’s inward gravity and a graceful waltz to close.

****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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Susan Stempleski

Based in New York City, Susan is a retired specialist in second and foreign language teaching and the author/editor of several professional books for language teachers and many widely used textbooks for English language learners around the world. An avid concertgoer, she spends her time attending operas and other classical music events in New York and Paris. Since 2002, she has regularly published reviews on Classical Source. A keen Francophile, she has a particularly strong interest in French music, literature and film.

Contemplation and exuberance from Nelsons and the Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall