Vienna, city of composers
Vienna has a special place in the hearts of music lovers the world over. And this is undoubtedly because, historically, the capital has always had a fabulous power of attraction for the greatest musicians in the German-speaking world. Historically, such a concentration of geniuses in the same place at the same time is a unique phenomenon. It was especially from the second half of the 18th century onwards that the imperial city's musical creation reached its apogee, with the birth of a number of musical prodigies.
The most famous of these was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). A prodigious composer and harpsichordist born in Salzburg, Mozart began performing at the age of 6 in the salons of Schönbrunn for Empress Maria Theresa, then went on to play at Europe's greatest courts between the ages of 7 and 10. He died prematurely at the age of 35, leaving behind a Dantesque oeuvre of over 600 pieces, many of which remain among the pinnacles of symphonic, chamber and operatic music. Together with his elder brother - and occasional chamber-music accomplice - Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), Mozart established himself as the embodiment of Viennese classicism (also known as the "First Viennese School"), a revolution in musical writing in which melody was simplified and harmony clarified.
A mentor to Amadeus - who nicknamed him "Papa" - Joseph Haydn began his career in 1761 as a servant to the Esterházy family, a wealthy Hungarian princely family. For thirty years, he was both composer and conductor at their palace, leading an ensemble of twenty musicians and presenting his creations to Europe's ruling elite. On the death of his patron in 1790, he left for London, where he triumphed, then returned to Vienna, where he continued to compose, before dying peacefully at the age of 77.
Beethoven. Associated with Viennese classicism - of which he was the last great representative - Beethoven composed his finest works in the capital, paving the way for the turn towards Romanticism. Although he was born in Bonn, the composer spent 35 years at around 40 different addresses in the Austrian capital.
Inhabited by the genius of Beethoven, Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is another mythical Viennese artist. Having died in his prime (aged 31), Schubert produced, in just seventeen years, an immense body of work that ranks alongside Mozart and Haydn. Born in Vienna's Lichtental district in 1797, his encounter with Salieri at the age of 17, who was conducting the Chapelle Royale at the time, turned his musical practice upside down. An emblematic composer of German Romantic music, he gave the world a repertoire of over a thousand compositions - including a dozen symphonies - and is still considered the undisputed master of the Lied.
Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) was long misunderstood. Recognized as a master of the symphony long after his death, he is now a mainstay of the symphonic repertoire in concert programs.
Although German by birth, it's impossible not to mention Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), one of the most important composers, pianists and conductors of the Romantic period, who spent most of his career in Vienna.
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) is one of the most illustrious names to be added to the Viennese musical pantheon of the time. Born into a Jewish family from Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Mahler, who was conductor of theState Opera for ten years, brought about a major musical revival. An innovator, he overturned the rules of opera, reforming the organization, staging and sets by inventing stage management. He performed all of Wagner's works. He then resigned to head the Metropolitan Opera in New York. After suffering from heart disease, he returned to Vienna in 1911, where he died five days later, leaving an unfinished Tenth Symphony, perhaps his most performed work. Mahler, best known to the general public for his symphonies, also wrote vocal compositions based on the epic poetry of the German Middle Ages: a return to myth, initiated by Wagner, whom Mahler admired so much.
Johann Strauss Sr. (1804-1849) came from the school of café and inn music. Nineteenth-century Vienna was marked by a joyous whirlwind of parties and dances, and a light operatic form, "operetta", was emerging at the same time as the famous Viennese waltzes. The Strauss dynasty was the figurehead. The father's career began when he joined the orchestra of Lanner, the genre's precursor, in 1819. The two men soon fell out, Strauss finding it difficult to accept Lanner's signature on his own scores. A jewel in the crown of typically Austrian music, notably with his Radetzky March, many of his compositions seem a little outdated today. Appointed director of court balls in 1846, he helped establish the waltz as a fashionable bourgeois dance. He tried to dissuade his son from becoming a musician, but his advice was not followed.
Andso Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899) became the Austrian composer who made the whole of Europe dance in his day. Competing with his father, he set up his own orchestra at the age of 19, in which he played the violin with virtuosity. His Beau Danube Bleu is known the world over.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Vienna was not slowing down! On the contrary, the capital was to become a lung for the world avant-garde with the Viennese Atonal School. Theorized by Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951), then explored by his pupils Alban Berg (1895-1935) and Anton von Webern (1883-1945), this music abandoned classical tonality in favor of atonality and twelve-tone theory. In short, the Viennese Atonal School is to music what the Oulipo is to literature. This school spread throughout Europe from 1945 onwards.
The two world wars may have shaken Vienna, but its musical genius remained intact, embodied over the century by the likes of Zemlinsky, Schreker, Korngold, Ligeti, Einem, Wellesz... All illustrious representatives of the new wave of modern, contemporary music.
In the footsteps of geniuses
Just behind St. Stephen's Cathedral, in the narrow Domgasse, is Mozart's house, where he lived from 1784 to 1787 and composed The Marriage of Figaro. Walk through the old town to Beethoven's house, just behind the votive church. Heading north towards the Alsergrund district, you'll come across Schubert's birthplace, not far from theLichtental church where he performed his works.
Then head south to the Mariahilf district to visit the house where Joseph Haydn died. A walk through this district takes you to Wieden, where Franz Schubert spent the last years of his life. We visit his last apartment before visiting his first grave, next to Beethoven's in the Währinger Schubertpark, both of which have been transferred to the central cemetery's "Musicians' Square". The Viennese tour of composers' homes ends with that of Johann Strauss, a stone's throw from the Prater and its Ferris Wheel. It was here that he composed the famous Blue Danube, which still has the Viennese waltzing. On the outskirts of the city, visit the new Beethoven Museum in Heiligenstadt, not far from the Heuriger where he liked to quench his thirst, complemented by a visit to the Beethovenhaus in Baden. Haydn is also remembered in several places inEisenstadt, where he was in the service of the Esterházy princes.
Where to listen to classical music?
Today, Vienna has retained its status as the "capital of classical music" thanks to fabulous institutions such as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra(Wiener Philarmoniker), which resonates in the Musikverein, one of the world's finest concert halls (quite simply) in the hearts of connoisseurs thanks to its exceptional acoustics. Bach and Beethoven are regularly on the program, but seats are usually packed, especially for the famous New Year's Day Concert. Alternatively, the Wiener Mozart Konzerte also performs here. Not far away, theState Opera, located on the Ring, can be another good starting point for a musical exploration of the city. A major European stage, it guarantees to hear the very best of the classical repertoire, with room for innovation. Heading towards the Stadtpark, your steps will naturally lead you to the Wiener Konzerthaus, an Art Nouveau concert hall. Although a little less famous than its predecessors, the Konzerthaus still offers top-quality programming, and regularly plays host to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The Résonances festival, dedicated to early music, is held here every year. Nearby, the Kursalon offers a program focused on the works of Johan Strauss and Mozart.
After crossing the Stadtpark - and seeing its statues dedicated to Johann Strauss, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Andreas Zelinka or Robert Stolz - a good idea is to pass by the Haus der Musik, an incredible museum dedicated to sound, packed with interactive installations. It's always a hit with children. Nearby, the MUK (Johannesgasse 4A), a university dedicated to music and the performing arts, sometimes hosts student concerts. Don't hesitate to drop in for information on the program.
Finally, another emblematic venue for listening to the works of Mozart or Strauss is the Palais Schönbrunn, which organizes a concert in the orangery every evening.
Popular music
One of the most popular forms of music in Austria is Schrammelmusik from Vienna. Named after its founders, the Schrammel brothers, this music is played by three or four musicians - violin, accordion and double-necked guitar - and relates the adventures of popular heroes of yesteryear or Viennese life. These songs are part of the classical repertoire of the Wiener Lieder, the Viennese songs. The melodies are imbued with a relative dryness and bitterness. Among the most famous modern performers of the genre, Roland Neuwirth is almost an icon.
Current music
Let's not think that the Austrian capital is resting on its laurels. Vienna boasts a dynamic young creative scene, and people no longer come to the capital just to listen to Mozart, Strauss or Schönberg. The often flamboyant Waves festival is an excellent opportunity to hear up-and-coming Austrian talent. After the iconic trip-hop duo Kruder & Dorfmeister paved the way in the late 1990s, a thriving scene has developed and continues to thrive. Among the most interesting names, the Editions Mego label is one of the most respected avant-garde entities in the world, producing works by local figures such as Christian Fennesz. There's also Karma Art, a trip-hop artist in the tradition of Kruder & Dorfmeister, Dorian Concept and Cid Rim, two producers whose jazz, funk and hip-hop-flavored electronic music has won over major foreign labels such as Ninja Tune and LuckyMe, ambient duo Ritornell and techno duo Mieux, and Ulrich Troyer and his modern, adventurous dub.
To get a taste of this scene and experience the Wiener Szene ("trendy Vienna" or "underground"), nothing beats a visit to one of the city's countless clubs. Rhiz is one of Vienna's best-known electronic music venues, Fluc is also one of Vienna's nightlife hotspots, offering hip-hop and techno in a trendy, arty atmosphere, and Pratersauna is a large-scale venue offering 1,800m2 of dancing space, including a swimming pool.
June also sees the Donauinselfest, a three-day open-air party featuring giant pop and rock concerts on 20 different stages.
The theater
Vienna, city of culture and classical capital, was also marked by great playwrights. The most illustrious of these was undoubtedly Franz Grillparzer (1791-1872), who was influenced by Weimar classicism and wrote ten plays that have established themselves in the repertoire of German stages. We should also mention Hugo von Hofmannsthal (1874-1929), who worked with Richard Strauss (for whom he wrote most of the librettos) and wrote a series of tragedies inspired by Elizabethan and ancient theater, and Felix Salten (1869-1945), prolific writer and father of Bambi, Thomas Bernhard (1931-1989), an Austrian born in the Netherlands, recognized as one of the most important writers of his generation, and Nobel Prize winners Elfriede Jelinek and Peter Handke, whose success has made Austrian literature famous the world over.
Two must-see theaters in town: the National Theater (Burgtheater), a symbol of Viennese public and artistic life and one of the most representative stages of German-language drama, and the charming Josefstadt Theater, one of Vienna's finest theaters along with the Burgtheater (but with a smaller audience typical of the classic Viennese intellectual scene).
