Vienna Trip Part 1: Music Everywhere

Vienna Opera House

I thought that I would post a few entries about some of my experiences on my trip.  While I was there I didn't have much time to write.

I already wrote about visiting the Vienna Opera House.  I loved the tour and the idea of being in a place that hosted so many great names in music including Beethoven and Mozart.  My last night in Vienna I considered going to the opera.  Even though the performances always sell out there are standing-room tickets you can get on the evening of each performance.  I did my research, but in the end I decided that I would be back to my hotel too late for my travels back to the states.  I definitely plan to make this happen on my next trip to Vienna.

So I didn't go to the opera, but I did visit the opera toilet that is at the subway stop for the Opera House.  It costs 70 cents to use the toilet and opera music is playing constantly.

The entrance

Inside

Another place I visited was Baden.  It is a small town that was just south of where we were staying, and we spent the afternoon there.  Baden is famous for its mineral baths, which are still popular with the locals even today.  It was these baths that brought Beethoven to Baden.  He suffered from very poor health and hoped the baths and the mineral water would bring him some relief.  Beethoven spent several summers in Baden and the house that he stayed in is a museum today.

Door to Beethoven's house (museum)

Street scene in Baden

My favorite part of the museum was the exhibit for his Ninth Symphony, which he wrote in this house. You may be familiar with this piece of music if you think of "Ode to Joy."  In the room there were four screens.  The first screen showed Beethoven's original score, and as the music played you could follow along on this score.  The second screen listed all the instruments in the orchestra and the names of the instruments would light up as the notes were played.  The third screen showed the conductor and the orchestra, and the fourth had the words to the music in German.

Here's how it looked:

I am disappointed that the part of the music I recorded is so quiet, but, oh well.  I love how the people who work in museums are so creative in putting exhibits together.  The blend of history and technology as well as art is so interesting to me.

There were statues to other musicians all over the place, some I recognized, and others I did not.

Statue for Strauss brothers

Finally, I made a couple of trips to the monastery in town, Stift Heiligenkreuz, where I was able to attend the vesper services and hear the famous monks.  HBO made a documentary about these monks called "Top Ten Monks."

Stift Heiligenkreuz

If you are a music lover there is much to do and see in Vienna which you would find very interesting. I thought it was great!