The Vienna Musikverein - an awesome musical experience going back in time

Preparing for a trip abroad means detailed homework to ensure you don’t miss out on an interesting event or performance or day tour. As I love western classical music and Mozart in particular, it was a given that we would visit all the important places – the home where he was born, the places where he performed and even, if possible, attend a concert. See the separate blogs on Mozart’s home and where he performed. We were lucky that we were in Vienna on a day that the Vienna Mozart Orchestra was performing in Vienna at the famous Golden Hall of the Musikverein. An opportunity not to be missed.

The Musikverein was inaugurated by Emperor Franz Joseph 1 in 1870. The famous annual New Year Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is performed in this hall. It is the permanent home of the Orchestra. 

From street level, the approach is confusing. We got out of a cab at one end and had to walk around the building due to some construction work. The entry process was seamless and fast despite the large crowd. We exchanged our booking voucher for attractive physical tickets , bought an informative well designed programme and walked in. The hall was packed: I think at least 40% of the crowd must have been Chinese all busy taking selfies !!

The programme was a mix of popular well known pieces. Just the right length except for the Violin piece which dragged on a wee bit. 

When the Orchestra arrived wearing wigs and period costume, the crowd broke into a long applause - it was a wonderful sight – close your eyes - transport yourself back in time to Franz Joseph – there you are sitting with fellow bewigged nobles in frock coats and beautiful women in high corseted long gowns listening to such beautiful music and a young teenage Mozart is playing the violin for you.   

The last piece was from the Magic Flute. The Conductor Herr Andreas Deak is the senior conductor and well versed in playing the audience to his tune!! He began by getting us to clap and then suddenly stopped! Again, repeat, this was done a few times to his clapping beat. The audience understood and then the actual music was played with the conductor interspersing his claps to get the audience to do the same. The audience lapped it up. The encore was a repeat of the clapping game but with another piece. 

A wonderfully pleasant evening, not disturbed by any ringing cell phones or Chinese cell phone sticks being stuck up during the performance. We were lucky that we got a cab back at that “late” hour of 10.15 pm. We were unlucky that we could not find any restaurant open at that hour – last orders in Vienna are at the unbelievable hour of 9.30 pm ! But, as its said, if music be the food of love, and having had an excess of music that evening, we were satiated and were happy to end getting a sandwich from a bar near our place. 

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