A classical music journey to Austria

Happy 4th of July! Today is a national holiday in America, commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on 4 July 1776. As a non-American living in London during the lockdown, I have no plans to celebrate the Independence Day (well, I might listen to some country music). Nonetheless, I have a very good reason to celebrate today. Around the world, most of the music festivals scheduled to take place this summer have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not however the case with the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival (Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus) which is taking place from 2 to 11 July. Since I am not able to travel to the Austrian state of Burgenland, I have decided to embark on a classical music journey to Austria accompanied by some of my favorite composers.

A journey to Austria

But first, before I embark on this classical music journey to Austria, I would like to briefly mention a few details on the geography of the country. Austria is a landlocked Alpine country, bordered by a total of eight countries: Germany to the northwest, Czechia (Czech Republic) to the north, Slovakia to the northeast, Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. It is made up of nine federated states, one of which is Vienna. The other eight states are: Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Tyrol, Carinthia, Salzburg, Vorarlberg and Burgenland.

A classical music journey to Austria: Vienna

Our first stop in this classical music journey to Austria is Vienna, a city that I have had the pleasure to visit a total of four times. In my third visit, I went to the Vienna Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) and saw Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Nabucco’. Opera and classical music have actually been part of the Viennese culture for centuries and still form part of the city’s cultural identity. At the end of the day, Vienna is widely known as the Capital (or City) of (Classical) Music. A visit to the Vienna State Opera may be expensive but certainly worth it. If you don’t want to pay the full price and don’t mind standing, consider getting a standing room ticket; these are sold 80 minutes before curtain time at the standing room box office.

The last time, however, I opted for a rather more low-key concert with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The concert took place in St Peter’s Church (Peterskirche), a beautiful baroque church situated in the heart of Vienna, not far from the famous St Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom). Built at the beginning of the 18th century, it provides the perfect backdrop for the music of the famous Austrian composer (concerts start at 8 am; tickets from 29 euros).

Composers’ houses in Vienna

Vienna has been home to many notable composers and some of the houses where they lived are now open to the public. These include the Mozart Haus, the Beethoven Pasqualati House, the Beethoven Eroica House, the Haydn House, the Johann Strauss Apartment, Schubert’s Birthplace, and Schubert’s Final Residence. The Mozart Haus and the Beethoven Pasqualati House are the only ones located in the city center. There is also the Beethoven Museum. Admission to all these places is free on the first Sunday of the month.

The House of Music in Vienna

There is also the House of Music (Haus der Musik), an interactive sound museum located on Seilerstätte, in the city center. The premises, previously known as Palais of Archduke Charles, used to be the residence of Otto Nicolai, who composed the opera ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ and founded the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The first floor now houses the Museum of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whereas the second (Sonosphere) is dedicated to discovering and experiencing sound phenomena. The third floor is dedicated to some of the greatest composers, whilst the fourth (virto|stage) is a virtual stage resembling an opera house. Here you can direct your very own personal music and opera experience (open daily from 10 am to 10 pm; 13 euros).

Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen; August-September 2020)

Last but not least, Vienna is home to the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen). This is a contemporary arts (music, dance, theatre, visual arts) festival due to take place from 26 August to 26 September 2020. At the moment, it is not clear whether all productions will go ahead as originally planned.

For more tips on Vienna, check out my posts:

Vienna: Music, Psychotherapy & Coffee

Vienna: Search for Meaning & the Mozart Effect

A classical music journey to Austria: Composers

Let’s now continue this classical music journey to Austria and meet the most famous Austrian composers, as well as some non-Austrians who had close ties with the country.

A classical music journey to Austria with Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is probably the most famous Austrian composer; he was born in Salzburg but lived in Vienna for the most of his short adult life. He died in 1791, at the age of 35. The apartment where he lived between 1784 and 1787 is known as Mozarthaus (Mozart House) and is open to the public (open daily from 10 am to 7 pm; 11 euros). Situated at Domgasse 5 (right behind Stephansdom), this is where Mozart composed his well-known opera ‘The Marriage of Figaro’.

Over the last few months, many operas from around the world (including the UK’s Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne Opera) and have been streaming past productions, and Mozart’s operas have been particularly popular. As a matter of fact, ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, ‘Don Giovanni’ and ‘Così fan tutte’ have recently been streamed by the Glyndebourne Opera.

A recent Swedish production of the ‘Don Giovanni’ is currently available to watch online until 10 September 2020. The concert is a collaboration between the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Choir.

The Mozart Effect

The ‘Mozart Effect’ refers to the positive effect that classical music has on cognitive skills. Researchers found that listening to the Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448 by Mozart improved spatial reasoning skills (part of the widely used Stanford-Binet IQ test). It is rather unclear whether this effect is specific to this particular piece of music or applies to classical music in general. Music composed by the Greek composer Yanni (‘Acroyali/Standing In Motion’) was also found to have a similar effect. It may be that the positive effect on cognitive abilities is mediated by musical patterns shared by Mozart’s and Yanni’s compositions.

A classical music journey to Austria with Haydn

Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, an Austrian village near the border with Slovakia. He spent most of his life in Vienna, but also lived for a few years in London. When he returned to Vienna, he settled down in a suburban house, which is nowadays known as Haydnhaus (Haydn House) and serves as a museum. The address was then Steingasse 73, today it is Haydngasse 19. This is where he composed the oratorios ‘The Creation’ and ‘The Seasons’.

Haydn Festivals (Burgenland/UK; cancelled in 2020)

Haydn’s remains are located in Eisenstadt, the capital of the state of Burgenland, where he spent quite a few summers. Nowadays, Eisenstadt hosts an annual classical music festival. Unfortunately, the 45th edition of the festival, due in August 2020, has been canceled. It will now take place from 4 to 16 August 2021.

The English Haydn Festival has also been canceled this year. It has been re-scheduled to the week commencing on 14 June 2021, and will take place in Bridgnorth, a town in Shropshire.

A classical music journey to Austria with Schubert

Franz Schubert was born but also died in Vienna (at the age of 31). His birthplace (Hubert Geburtshaus), as well as his final residence (Schubert Sterbewonhnung) are open to the public.

Schubertiade (Vorarlberg; partially cancelled in 2020)

The Schubertiade is an annually-held classical music festival dedicated to the Austrian composer; it takes place in two locations, in Schwarzenberg and Hohenems. Both are located in Vorarlberg, the westernmost state of Austria. Hohenems is north of neighboring Liechtenstein and near the border with Switzerland. All concerts scheduled for June and August this year have been canceled, but the July concerts in Honehems will still take place.

A classical music journey to Austria with the Strauss family

The Strauss family includes several composers, of whom Johann Strauss II is the most famous with the ‘Blue Danube’ waltz his most known work. Like Schubert, Johann Strauss II was born in Vienna. The apartment where he lived with his first wife Jetty from 1863 to 1870 is open to the public.

Other notable composers of the Strauss family include his brothers Joseph and Eduard, and his father, Johann Strauss I. As a matter of fact, Johan Strauss I is often regarded as the ‘Father of the Viennese Waltz’. Referring to him, the French composer Hector Berlioz allegedly said that “Vienna without Strauss is like Austria without the Danube”.

Interestingly, the German composer Richard Strauss, whose opera ‘Elektra’ will be performed at the Salzburg Festival in August 2020, is not a member of the same family. ‘Der Rosenkavalier’ is another opera by Richard Strauss and will be streamed by the Glyndebourne Opera from 5 to 12 July 2020.

A classical music journey to Austria with Mahler

Although Gustav Mahler was born in the village of Kalischt, in modern Czechia, then part of the Austrian Empire, he is considered Austrian rather than Czech.

A classical music journey to Austria with Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn but lived in Vienna from the age of 21 until his death. Beethoven first traveled to Vienna at the age of 17 to study under Mozart. He did not stay long however. When he returned a few years later, Mozart had passed away, and Beethoven became the pupil of Haydn. If you visit the Austrian capital, there are several places associated with the famous German-born composer, which are open to the public. These include the Beethoven Pasqualati House, the Beethoven Eroica House, and the Beethoven Museum. Of these, the Beethoven Pasqualati House is the only one located in Vienna city center.

A classical music journey to Austria with Liszt

Even though Franz Liszt was born in the now Austrian city of Raiding (in the state of Burgenland), he is considered Hungarian rather than Austrian. As a matter of fact, he’s probably the most famous Hungarian composer.

Liszt Festival Raiding (Burgenland; partially cancelled in 2020)

The Liszt Festival Raiding normally takes place three times a year, in March, June and October. Unfortunately, this year’s March and June concerts have been canceled. Let’s hope that the festival will still go ahead from 16 to 25 October 2020.

A classical music journey to Austria: Festivals

Aside from the classical music festivals already mentioned, there are quite a few more, some of which -I am very pleased to learn- have not been canceled this year. Many of these festivals are open-air taking place against the magnificent backdrop of the Austrian Alps. A perfect opportunity to embark on an actual musical journey to this beautiful country!

Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival (Burgenland, July 2020)

The Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival (Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus) is taking place from 2 to 11 July. Located in the state of Burgenland and close to the Hungarian border, Lockenhaus is 115 km (1.5-hour drive) from Vienna and 250 km (2.5-hour drive) from Budapest, The town was actually part of Hungary until a hundred years ago. The festival was founded in 1981 with the concerts taking place in the Church of Saints Nicholas (Pfarrkirche zum Heiligen Nikolaus) or inside a medieval castle, known as the Ritterburg or simply the Burg.

Styriarte (Styria; July 2020)

Inaugurated in 1985, Styriarte is a classical music festival taking place in Graz, the capital of the state of Styria and the second-largest city in Austria. In 2020, the program has been adapted following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the concerts now taking place from 1 to 26 July.

Carinthian Summer Music Festival (Carinthia; July-August 2020)

The Carinthian Summer Music Festival (Carinthischer Sommer Festival Ossiach – Villach) is due from 10 July to 29 August 2020. The program features a combination of classical music and jazz concerts, some of which take place in the Ossiach Abbey, located at the southern shore of Lake Ossiach. Founded in 1969, the festival has been taking place in Villach, since 1972. The seventh-largest Austrian city is located in the state of Carinthia, near the Italian and Slovenian borders.

Innsbruck Festival of Early Music (Tyrol; July-August 2020)

Featuring music concerts as well as several opera productions, the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music (Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik) is due to take place from 31 July to 30 August. Unfortunately, some of the concerts have been canceled; the opera productions will still take place but they have been adapted following the Government’s regulations. As the name suggests, the festival takes place in n Innsbruck, the capital of the state of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. The main venues include the Tyrolean State Theatre (Tiroler Landestheater) and the Great Hall at the House of Music (Haus der Musik).

Salzburg Festival (Salzburg; August 2020)

Quite like the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, the Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele) is more than a classical music festival. As the name suggests, the festival takes place in Salzburg, the country’s fourth-largest city. The program features music concerts, opera productions, and theatrical productions too. This year, it is due to take place between 1 and 30 August 2020. The program includes Richard Strauss’ opera ‘Elektra’ (on 1, 6, 10, 16, 21 and 24 August), Mozart’s opera ‘Così fan tutte’ (on 2, 5, 9, 12, 15 and 18 August), and two concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performing works by Liszt and Stravinsky, conducted by the Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel (on 27 and 29 August).

Grafenegg Festival (Lower Austria; August-September 2020)

The Grafenegg Festival is an open-air classical music festival that has been taking place on the grounds of the Grafenegg Castle every year since 2007. The town of Grafenegg is located in the state of Lower Austria in the northeastern corner of the country, about an hour away from Vienna. This year, the Grafenegg Festival is due from 14 August to 6 September. The German-Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott will play music by Mozart and Beethoven on 15 August, whereas the German tenor Jonas Kaufmann will perform Schubert’s music on 16 August. On 3 September, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will perform works by Beethoven, conducted by the Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

classic.Esterhazy (Burgenland; from August 2020)

The Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, the capital of the state of Burgenland, is home to a series of classical music concerts taking place throughout the year. In 2020, there are concerts scheduled for 15 and 16 August, 10 October and 17 December.

Seefestspiele Mörbisch (Burgenland; 2021)

Seefestspiele Mörbisch is an operetta festival due to take place from 8 July to 14 August 2021. Mörbisch am See is a town located on the shore of Lake Neusiedl, in the state of Burgenland and very close to the Hungarian border. The stage is directly on Lake Neusiedl and is the largest open-air opera stage in the world.

Bregenz Festival (Vorarlberg; 2021)

Unfortunately, the Bregenz Festival (Bregenzer Festspiele) has also been canceled this year. It was due to take place in Bregenz, the capital of Vorarlberg lying on the eastern shores of Lake Constance, from 22 July to 23 August. The festival is famous for its stunning location and for featuring the world’s largest floating stage (Seebühne). As a matter of fact, the James Bond film ‘Quantum of Solace’ had scenes filmed on the Seebühne during a performance of the opera ‘Tosca’ by Giacomo Puccini. In 2020, it would have featured the opera ‘Rigoletto’ by Giuseppe Verdi, which has now been postponed to next year.

Tyrol Festival Erl (Tyrol; 2021)

Tyrol Festival Erl is another summer festival that has unfortunately been canceled this year. It was due from 20 June to 2 August and would have featured classical music concerts and opera productions. Erl is a village in the state of Tyrol very close to the German border.

Opera in the Quarry (Opernfestspiele St. Margarethen; Burgenland; 2021)

This unique opera festival will take not take place this year either. Opera in the Quarry (Opernfestspiele St. Margarethen) is now due from 14 July to 21 August 2021, when Giacomo Puccini’s opera ‘Turandot’ will be performed at the 1st-century Sankt Margarethen Quarry. The town of Sankt Margarethen is located in the state of Burgenland, near Eisenstadt, and close to the Hungarian border.

A musical journey to Austria: Beyond classical music

Although the focus of this post is the classical music festivals in Austria, some of the festivals already mentioned also feature theatrical productions.

International Jazzfestival Saalfelden (Salzburg; August 2020)

If you’re more of a jazzophile, however, you may wish to visit Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer, a town not far from Salzburg and the famous ski resort Zell am See. Saalfelden is home to an international jazz festival. Unfortunately, this year, the festival won’t go ahead as originally planned, but there will still be open-air concerts from 20 to 23 August 2020. The festival will be back in full swing next year, from 19 to 22 August. There’s also a similar event taking place in the winter, due from 22 to 24 January 2021.

Ars Electronica Festival (Upper Austria; September 2020)

Taking place in Linz from 9 to 13 September 2020, Ars Electronica is a media arts festival. Inaugurated in 1979, it features exhibitions, workshops, concerts and screenings. Linz is the capital of the state of Upper Austria, and the third-largest city in the country.

A musical journey to Austria with Parov Stelar

Last but not least, I would like to mention Parov Stelar, an Austrian electro-swing musician, whose music has been successful in his home country and elsewhere in Europe.

Further reading

If you’ve enjoyed this classical music journey to Austria, you might want to check my posts:

A classical music journey to Great Britain

Beyond Eurovision: A musical journey in Europe

For more tips on Vienna, check out my posts:

Vienna: Music, Psychotherapy & Coffee

Vienna: Search for Meaning & the Mozart Effect

Happy 4th of July!

Alex

(the soon-to-be-Traveling-again Psychiatrist)