Lord Montague

Also Superman March was played last time. But from the Vienna audience perspective you are right, very little doubling. And if Marion's Theme this time is played with ASM, and Hedwig without, then there are no other doublings.

Definitely, but it just was recorded by DG in Boston last October, with both ASM and JW, to be released later this year as far as we know. From the film music themes in Vienna in March, only -Fawkes the Phoenix (Harry Potter) -March of the Resistance (SW) -Princess Leia's Theme (SW) and maybe one of the encores (?) are not previously recorded by DG. So probably not happening, but we will see.

What about it? At least as well played in Vienna. and those are scales. not the ultimate measure of musicality, only mere technical ability. Which both orchestras have as a foundation. That's a given on that top orchestra level. But listen to the Horn solo at 3:00 in Vienna. 2:50 in Berlin. Weak in Berlin. Sounding smaller than the harp which has only written piano, the horn has mezzoforte. Wrong balance. In Vienna the balance is right, and the horn phrases much better. (the balance might also have to do with the mixing) Then those flute runs (a side theme, main theme in trumpets etc.). 3:30 in Vienna recording. Better balanced in Vienna, and trumpets in Vienna more musical phrasing! And what's up with the harp in the Berlin recording? Unnaturally loud and in front of everything. And the whole lower brass in those bars. Much better balanced in Vienna. Then when the violins come in with the theme (3:50 Vienna, 3:38 Berlin), such a sweet and full and golden sound in Vienna, with good phrasing. In Berlin thin and boring in comparison. The more I do listening comparisons between the two recordings, I tend to favour Vienna and their sound and musicality. ... or here... strings coming in at 0:45. Where are they? Sounding quite weak and dull, compared to how active they look.

I guess many of the Hardcore JW film music fans (considering where we are here) did prefer the format in Berlin with their master, and only their master, on the podium, while in Vienna the solo violin - performing arrangements, not original compositions (except Remembrances) - is a bit of a distraction for that particular clientele. Likely that skews the overall comparison of programs in favour of Berlin, while actually Vienna performed better in those pieces that are comparable, since played by both.

No way. Just listen to the solo flute in Dartmoor on the Vienna album. Or the flute section's staccati in Imperial March. Or the juicy dense string sound in JP Theme or E.T. or Close Encounters. Berlin doesn't have that quality in their JW concerts. Actually the only advantage I would give Berlin over Vienna is that they have a higher discipline when it comes to following the metronome. And if that is a quality or a (musical) shortcoming is a whole other discussion. Vienna has a tradition of playing marches like a tipsy soldier who wants to be an opera singer, always with an ounce of anti-militarism. Berlin on the other hand has the prussian military no-nonsense tradition.

I think this poll misses the option for "not sure/both equally good". Also the voting for the live experience should be limited to those who actually attended both. I did, and must say that the first concert in Vienna simply couldn't be topped by the second such concert in Berlin. Mostly because Vienna was the first time JW did that in Europe. But also for the dense atmosphere in Vienna Musikverein. Really intense. Again, we are comparing and nitpicking on the highest levels. Musically I found all pieces Vienna and Berlin both played being better performed in Vienna. With more intensity and musicality. The acoustics of Musikverein might also have helped there, more dynamics, bigger sound.

Hard to say if that's true. But most of the pictures in Berlin come from the third concert, and in Vienna there were only two. People who were in the first concert in Berlin said it was not so good and the third was much better. It always gets more relaxing for anyone on stage the more concerts there are. Also all the solo violin stuff in Vienna is a much bigger challenge for any conductor, to conduct the accompaniment, compared to being on your own for the whole concert. Also they say, Vienna is harder to conduct, since they play so late after the conductor's beat. That alone can stress a conductor not experienced with them out. I have a preference for the way Vienna played his music. More inspired, more lively, the players having more ambition to play it, having more fun too. In the woodwinds there were only the best players in Vienna. Their brass group is unparalleled. The horn sound in Vienna, also the trumpets, mama mia... Much better than Berlin. So well blended and balanced, all the way from first trumpet down to the tuba. Berlin doesn't have that quality. The string sound in Vienna: more juicy. Berlin was also very good, very precise, but less lively, less expressive.

There are no lower parts at 1:56 or 1:54. All four horns play the same melodic line, and correctly. He is talking nonsense, as usual.