Analysing Stylistic Differences between Orchestras: an Empirical Study of the ‘Viennese Rhythm’ in the Vienna Philharmonic's Recordings of The Blue Danube

Abstract

ABSTRACTPerformances of the same piece can differ from one another in many ways. Nevertheless, few scholars have attempted to investigate stylistic differences between orchestras. This article explores in what ways and to what extent the Vienna Philharmonic – an orchestra widely regarded as one of the world's most distinctive – performs metrical rhythm differently from other professional orchestras. It presents findings from an empirical analysis of the timing of the ‘Viennese rhythm’, a rhythmic pattern characterised by the shortening of the first beat and the lengthening of the second in the performance of Viennese waltzes. The methodology employs computer‐assisted techniques to analyse beat lengths in 30 recordings of two excerpts from The Blue Danube. The results indicate that the Vienna Philharmonic tends to use the Viennese rhythm more frequently and to a greater extent than other professional orchestras. This tendency enhances expressivity and heightens the sense of dance motion. As a result, in the Vienna Philharmonic's performances, metrical rhythm is far more than mechanical reproduction of a preordained set of time divisions, becoming instead a spontaneous expressive device which creates the sensuous embodiment of a durational process. This research shows that the way in which the Vienna Philharmonic plays metrical rhythm forms an integral part of their style, regardless of conductor. The article offers new insights into stylistic differences between orchestras and paves the way for a deeper investigation of performance styles in orchestral music.