And now for some random videos...

Here is some video of various things I thought would be interesting:

1. Our elevator. We live on the 5th floor of a building that has 12 ft. ceilings.... so we like to use the elevator alot... It was built in 1909. The mechanics has been modernized of course, but it steel feels old. Most elevators in older buildings were added after the fact, in the open center of the starirwells. IT's cool to watch it go by.

2. We took an old train to Mariazell. Narrow gauge track, lots of tunnels and bridges. Very quaint, and slow. The modern trains are quiet, fast and on time. But they don't allow for you to stick your camera out of the window and film...

3. Here is a short video of the inside of perhaps the finest, and prettiest concert hall in the world, the Musikverein. Stunning, really.

Random Vienna Moments

I thought I would put together some random shots that didn't fit in any big blog narrative. In a way, this is a more appropriate thing to do, because every day we come across something cool, and take a picture.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pics:

1. This is Lucas at the Natural History Museum (most museums are free for kids up to 19!) Dinosaurs! It ain't in the same class as the one in New York, but still, it was pretty cool....

2. A Greek Orthodox Church in the Inner City of Vienna. 

 3. The Great Stairway in the Natural History Museum.

4. The Karls Kirche.

5-7. We went to visit the Beethoven House in Heiligenstadt. (Everybody wikipedia "Heiligenstadt Testament "so I don't have to explain why it is important.). It's neat to know that you are wandering around in the same streets and byways that Beethoven did. In the museum itself, Ben showed proper awe and respect by giving B. a "wet willy" when I wasn't looking. See the action photos.

8. In the Stadtpark, there is a beautiful golden statue of Johann Strauss, Jr. I liked this one better of Anton Bruckner. If you know me, you know I love Bruckner. So do the Viennese, but not as much as Strauss, they probably clean the technicolor pigeon poop off of Strauss everyday. I wish they would treat Anton with the same care... (remember click on the photos to zoom. The pigeon dropping on top of Antons head are really colorful!). I can never look at a statue or photo of Bruckner without remembering the comment by my friend Carol Morgan (great jazz player, btw), "Bruckner looks like a turtle that lost his shell."

9. Another view of our flat. Ours is the first 5 windows above the closer of the two little balconies.

10. The Hundertwasser House. A public housing project of Vienna. Hundertwasser was a popular artist. Vienna asked him to design a block of flats. I think it was a success. Very cool.

11. Us at a outdoor  cafe. Good food. The beer is mine...

In Mariazell

Just a short note about the weekend we spend in Mariazell. Leonhard Paul of Mnozil Brass invited us to spend the weekend at the Musikanten Wallfahrt, a kind of Folk Music Pilgrimage that happens only every four years. Mariazell is a destination for Catholic pilgrims all over Europe, and boasts a magnificent 12 century Basilika.  Anyways, Mnozil was a featured group.

More about all this later, with some cool videos. We took an historic (meaning old and slow) train to get to the mountain town. Here are just a few pics:
1. The Basilica
2. The boys, on a open square in town.
3. Marisa, looking pretty Euro!
4 and 5. The boys yucking it up with mom. Ben is repeating his standard joke for the trip: "Look, mom, a beautiful town, next to a beautiful lake, beside a beautiful mountain. Wow! I haven't seen that before on this trip!!" Eleven years old and already a cynic!
5. The Basilica at night.

More later, thanks for stopping by.

An older, cuter tram

The nice thing about the older trams is that they sit up higher, you get a better view. But, it's difficult for older people to get on and off... dogs too. Yes, your dog is welcome on all public transportation (leashed and muzzled is the law, but.... not all Viennese follow it). One time we were standing at a traffic stop on the Ring ( the busiest traffic in all Vienna) and this little West Highland Terrier was waiting to cross the street with his owner. No leash, no muzzle. When the light changed the dog started off by himself and his owner followed, no command or signal. A real city dog. The kids loved it.

Trams

Vienna has great public transportation (YOUR TAX EUROS AT WORK). Everyone uses it: U-Bahn, S-Bahn (trams) and busses, along with regional and international trains. Everyone loves the trams. Quiet, smooth, clean, and scenic. When you get one one, or see one, you think, "this is cool". I say it in the video... Coolest thing about Vienna! The one is this video are the newer ones. Many people still like the older ones, which are slowly being taken our of service. I'll post a video of those next. Let's hope blogger video keeps working!

Ben's Concert with Dudamel

Ben and Marisa went to hear the Vienna Philharmonic tonight, with guest conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the 30 something Venezuelan who is the new Music Director of the LA Philharmonic. "The Dude"is a star... and the real deal, if Marisa is to be believed. She loved him. Clear, infectious music making, and very cute. Ben will write about it later, with pics.

A pretty good school.

Found this on one of my strolls.,,

A school building, still active as a school, that had plaques (I love building plaques...) on the outside walls telling us some of their more illustrious graduates:

1. Franz Schubert (composer - student from 1808-1813)

2. Erwin Schrödinger (physicist, one of the fathers of quantum physics, friend of Einstein, Nobel Prize winner, 1933 - student from 1898-1905)

3. Various Austrian poets - Hofmannsthal was the librettist for Richard Strauss' greatest operas)

Mahler's Grave

After visiting Beethoven's House in Heiligenstadt (more about that later) we took a short trip to Grinzing to see Mahler's grave. It is a beautiful piece of stonework, simple and moving. Mahler was asked once what he wanted on his gravestone. He said, "Just my name. Those that know me won't need anything more, those that don't won't care.

Mahler is a special composer. His music captures the modern world that was to come and expresses a wistful longing for the loss of the natural world. Alban Berg wrote, " I have played through the 9th Symphony again. The first movement is the finest Mahler has ever written. It is the expression of an unprecedented love of this Earth, the longing to live on it in peace, and to enjoy it and its nature in its most fundamental form - before death comes." He goes on, "Because it will inexorably come. This whole movement is a premonition of death. It appears again and again. All that is earthly and dreamy surges in it..."

Booyah (!) to that. Great music can mean all these things without a word being spoken. When I first listened to that movement, I was in high school. I knew I had experienced something important. I started the record over, and listened again and again. Sad, beautiful, happy... I heard mountains, valleys, love... and of course, death. And that was only the first movement!

I get to hear it live with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Vienna Philharmonic in Novemeber.

s'up!

hi everybody, this is Ben! This isn't an official post, it's just me saying hi. This is a catch up on the trip so far, mostly stuff we didn't blog about. First off, a couple of days ago it was Raphaels' birthday, so we went to the this HUGE park, called the Schönbrunn which was the Kaiser Franz Josefs' summer home. And the zoo we went to (inside Schönbrunn) is only a tenth of the whole area (by the way, Raphael is my little cousin)!! The zoo is the worlds' oldest zoo, with some of the coolest things. Theres this tropical attraction were you walk through a path and can look around at these cool birds and plants. At one point there's an elevator that led up to a second floor were you get bird's eye view of the place. they even had fruit bats... they are GIGANTIC!! there half as long as milo! (my dog) And half as wide. Then on the first floor, dad and I had a scare. We were walking and we saw these harmless heavy plastic flaps (like the ones you use to keep heat in a place)just hangin their so we decide to open them an see what was inside. And we were careless enough not read the sign that had a bat pointing at the flaps. So dad walks in and a very freaky looking bat shoots out of nowhere an brushes his head. I spaz out and look like the picture next to this. So I calm as we take a gander into the bat flaps as I pull my shirt over My neck muttering: protect the neck, protect the neck. once were in I see that tiny bats can fly free throughout the cave. Soooo... dad and I run as fast as we can through agreeing not to go back.

See ya'

Ben

Pics:

1. Ben posting from Cafe Phil, while Lucas takes his violin lesson in the apartment.

2. Ben showing us his "bat freak out" face...

Hollywood in Vienna

The family went to see Hollywood in Vienna, a concert of great film music, played by the ORF Radio Orchestra, in the Konzerthaus, Wien. The highlight was the appearance of Howard Shore, the composer of The Lords of the Rings scores. He was given the "Max Steiner Film Music Award", given by the city of Vienna.

Actually, the concert was sold out, so we went to the dress rehearsal, which was in some ways, just as cool. Since it was a rehearsal, I didn't think a few non-flash pics would be a problem....

The Konzerthaus is the "weak-sister" of halls in Vienna - the Musikverein being the superstar that it is, but the Konzerthaus, is beautiful.... tasteful, good sitelines, and a great sound. The ORF is a fine group, the horns kicked butt.

They played music and showed video from "The Sea Hawk", by Korngold (who lived around the corner from us before he left for Hollywood; Ben-Hur, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean and Avatar. The second half featured music by Howard Shore, the big piece being a Suite from LOTR... cool.... MArisa and I will be spending a lot of time in the Konzerthaus- she and Ben are going to see Gustavo Dudamel with the Vienna Phil next week, She and I are seeing Bryn Terfel (OMG,OMG,OMG,OMG,OMG...) and also the Deustsche Sinfonie Orchestra, Berlin... sweeet!

Thanks for stopping by.

Pics:

1. Ben and intermission, slouching and unable to remember how to smile.

2. Lucas, to whom posture and smiling comes naturally.

3. Beethoven, frowning down upon the boys.

4. Pirates!

5. The Sea Hawk. GREAT MUSIC!!

A Mnozil Evening

One of the highlights of our Vienna trip will undoubtedly be the two nights with Mnozil Brass. We were in the audience for their DVD Concert sessions. We can't describe how great they are as performers and musicians, it's really a "you had to be there" kind of thing...

We didn't take any pictures inside the hall, but the boys got pictures with Leonhard Paul after the show. I also took a couple of pics of the old castle, where the concerts took place. The castle is 1,000 years old and has developed over time with gothic and baroque additions.

Cemetery Visit II (Central Cemetery)

This is one huge cemetery.

The Zentralfriedhof is grand, vain, glorious, unbearably sad in places, and often beautiful.

As I wrote before, Vienna has always had to deal with what to do with their deceased loved ones. Famine, plagues, wars, and overpopulation caused Vienna to have to close, move, and/or consolidate its burial grounds. This one opened in the late 1800s.

The Central Cemetery is way out of town, and is huge. Almost 3 and 1/2 million people are buried there, which far surpasses the living population of the city. There are many religious sections, Catholic, Protestant, Islamic and many Jewish sections and also non-denominational sections. It is still in use (for example, Weather Report alum. and jazz great Joe Zawinul, who died in 2007, is also buried here).

The saddest aspect of the cemetery are "Old Jewish Sections". They are overgrown and untended, and in some cases abused. One major moment of vandalisn came in 1938 during the Kristallnacht. The eventual and almost total destruction of the jewish population of Vienna by the Holocaust is illustrated by all these lonely graves. There are few left to tend the graves (Families are in some part responsible for the upkeep of graves. I don't fully understand the process).

As the cemetery developed and expanded, Vienna wanted to make it a place that honored its famous citizens. So, "Ehrenhains" (fields of honor) were developed. Portions of the cemetery were set up to honor politicians, WWI dead, WWII dead, victims of the Allied bombing raids, vicitims of Nazi terror, artists, etc.. Often famous people were dug up from what ever other cemetery in Vienna they were originally laid to rest and reburied in a grouping.... That is why we find Beethoven, Brahms, Wolf, many Strausses, Schubert, Von Suppe and others all buried together in one very impressive grouping. Schoenberg is also not far, even though he is of a more recent "vintage"....

It's kind of cool to walk from one to the next. Many of them still have fresh flowers brought to them.

Pics:

1. A view of the overgrown Old Jewish Section.

2. Schoenberg

3. Beethoven

4. Wolf

5. Brahms

Cemetery Visit I (St Marx)

(If you are FB friends you have seen the pics, but haven't gotten some of the background.)

On Thursday we went to visit two cemeteries in Vienna. The first one, the St. Marx cemetery, is not often visited by tourists, or even many Viennese. It is no longer used, and was "open for business" only from 1784 to 1874. The reason for our visit is that Mozart is there. Somewhere. How about a little history.?..

Mozart is often thought to have been buried in a "pauper's" grave, unmarked and forgotten. That is only partially true. Mozart received the same treatment that everyone received during the late 18th century. Joseph II, the "liberal" Emperor who is featured in "Amadeus" as bit of a simpleton ("Well, that's it, then!"), was known as a reformer. Many important social changes took place during his reign; less artistic censorship, religious tolerance, right of association, improved social conditions for Jews - all due do Joseph. One of his less popular reforms had to do with the traditions of funerals. He thought it wasteful to make a coffin for every person - all that good wood being wasted. In a "it's good to be the king" spirit, he up and decided that coffins should be reusable. So, he invented a "trapdoor coffin", that could be used over and over,and over.... That also meant that no longer would people get their own grave. Rather, after the ceremony at the church, you would be taken to St. Marx (a new cemetery - Vienna had troubles with overcrowding of graveyards for many years) and dumped through the trap door with anyone else until the hole is filled.... and so on and so on.

Eventually the Viennese protested loudly enough that his successor, Leopold II gave in. But that didn't help with Mozart. He lies there still, among thousands.

Vienna has attempted to determine, more or less, where in the large mass grave area he might have been buried (dumped is the better word, just a bit harsh...), and have placed a sad, little memorial to him. All over Vienna there are huge sculptures and memorials to him. This one feels more personal and poignant.

Elsewhere is the same mass grave area there is a little "gravesite" for Albrechtsberger, who taught Beethoven and also wrote a great little trombone concerto.

Lastly, on our visit the boys got a kick out their first visit to a "pissoir", which is exactly what you think it is... a trough. No fuss, no muss..!

The next post will deal with the larger Central Cemetery, which isn't "central" at all, but way our of town...

Thanks.

Pics:

1, The gate of the St. Marx. The last line states, "resting place of Mozart."

2. The Mozart "grave".

2. A lonelier view.

4. The boys toilet! No. 1 only!

5. Albrechtsberger.

Musikverein Concert Review

This was a big moment for me, never having set foot (or ears) inside one of the finest halls in the world. A place where no less than Brahms, Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Strauss and so many others worked and attended concerts...

What a sound that hall makes. When I entered the main hall (after first picking my jaw up from the sheer beauty of the golden light and the wonderful detail), I thought how, small, quaint and intimate it was. It has to be one of the smallest major concert halls in the world - regardless of how many people they stuff into it, which they do, tight...

The American hall most compared to the Musikverein is Symphony Hall, in Boston, because they both are in the traditional "shoebox" design. Symphony Hall is at least a third wider on the floor, a third higher and deeper too. Both are great, great halls. Boston seats 2600 and Vienna only 1750.

The Musikverein's sound has the same warm character as Boston, but much, much, more intimate. Amazing softs. Also, it seem to favor the strings - in a good way.

The concert featured the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, with its music director, Ricardo Chailly. It is the oldest city orchestra in the world, formed in 1781. It's list of former music directors include Mendelssohn! Chailly is there now and I have always liked him. He has been the director at The Deutsche Symphony Orchestra, Berlin (one of the best groups nobody knows about) and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. So, 'nuff said. The guy is good. I heard him in a great concert in Houston with the Concertgebouw. It was a concert of the Debussy Prelude, Ravel 2nd Daphnis Suite and the Rite of Spring.

The great thing about both concerts was his dynamic control. The orchestra was constantly adjusting its levels to allow this or that section to shine. That doesn't sound like anything special in itself, but I have never heard another conductor take it to such a degree as Chailly.

For horn players, the Konzertstück was ok.... I think i am still spoiled by the great concert I saw with the Berlin Phil horns on their Digital Concert Hall. The Leipzig guys played like they were really good players, trying very hard, and playing musically. The Berlin guys, and gal... owned it. They played with panache and cockyness, like Italian Grand Prix drivers.... pedal to the metal, what's behind me doesn't matter.... All that being said, I still enjoyed it, and rooted for them.

The concerts maine selection was the Schumann 3rd Symphony, the "Rheinische". It is a great piece, beautiful, lyrical and exciting. Chailly chose to play the version that featured the orchestral rewriting by Gustav Mahler. I didn't notice a lot of changes, but the one I did notice, I didn't like - One of my favorite moments in the work is the big unison horn call in the 1st movement. Mahler rewrote the first 4 measures of it to be played "stopped", then open for the rest. I guess he wanted a distinct color and dynamic contrast. I didn't like it. Stopped horn in Schumann is like a muted trumpet in Bach... out of place. I could have done without it.

It was a wonderful night to be introduced to a great hall. I have tickets for more concerts later in the season. One in particular I am looking forward to: Vienna Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mahler 9th. Oh yeah, baby....

Thanks for stopping by.

Mozart and the Opera

Yesterday, we went to the Albertina museum, the Butterfly House and I went to the State Opera Museum. The Albertina is beautiful, features Dürer sketching, the most famous one is of the Hare. We have a copy hanging at our house. The Butterly House is cool,;walking among live butterflies, which can land on you at anythime. But, I have to say, the one near my brother's house in Ohio is much better...

The Opera museum was simple, but great. Lots of pictures, costumes and history. Two huge displays on the 2 most important eras of its history; the tenures of Gustav Mahler at the turn of the century and that of Herbert Von Karajan, in the late 50's and early 60's.

Pictures:

1) Karajan's baton, at the Opera Museaum.

2) Mozart Memorial in the Burggarten.

3) Detail from the back, Mozart as a younster.

4) The boys, hanging out.

5) Lucas, on our after dinner stroll