Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Wonderful setting, Superb Music |
| Disadvantages: |
Non that I can think of??? |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
A trip to Vienna wouldn’t be complete without going to a concert. After all Vienna is the music capital of the world. Needless to say, we went to a few during our visit. The Musikerein was a natural choice, since it is the home to Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the place where the famous Vienesse New Years day concert takes place. That’s the one that has been broadcast on television since 1959.
We booked our tickets prior to the holiday, a mistake in retrospect. We could have bought the tickets at half the price whilst in Vienna, From the many period costumed touts outside the main attractions.
The Musikverein is a concert hall situated on Karlsplatz, Vienna. The building belongs to the Society of Music Lovers whose aim is to promote music in all its facets. There are around 500 concerts performed at the Musikverein – 500 opportunities to experience the Musikverein at its best.
The Building
Designed by Theophil Hansen, The Musikverein was completed in 1869. Hansen had an passion for Greek architecture and became the advocate of, as he referred to it himself, a “Greek Renaissance”. Hansen created a truly classical atmosphere with the Musikeverein. There are Karyatids (from the Acropolis) lining the walls and Apollo with the Muses painted on the ceiling in the main concert hall. Ionic columns and a temple roof are in the Brahms-Saal. Orpheus features on the pediment of the front façade.
The Main Concert Hall
The first concert performed in the Musikverein was within the Main Concert Hall (Grosser Musikverinsaal) on the 6th January 1870. The Main Hall is a long auditorium (48.80 metres) capable of seating 1,744 people.
The décor is impressive with ceiling paintings of Appollo and the nine muses by August Eisenmenger. The stalls are lined by the elegant golden Karyatids contrasted by the plain white sculptures by Franz Melnitzy moulded over the balcony doors and the marble busts of famous composers.
The acoustics of The Main Concert Hall are phenomenal. The rectangular as the best basic structure for the acoustics of a concert hall combined with the elements dividing the space, the partitioning of the ceiling, balconies, caryatids, all in all provide for an ideal spread of sound waves. A hollow space under the wooden floor creates a resonant background (in a similar way to a violin or guitar).
The Brahms-Saal
This concert Hall is small in contrast to main hall. It is opulent with green walls, red columns and gold decoration. The hall is named after Brahms who played the piano at the debut concert in the Hall in 1870 of Clara Schumann. The Brahms Hall is utilised for the performance of Lieder and chamber music.
Accommodating an audience of just over 600, it has a more intimate feel.
Four New Halls
Four new halls were added to the Musikverein in 2001 mainly for the use as conference rooms, lectures and workshops. These are the Gläserner Saal/Magna Auditorium, Metallener Saal, Hözerner Saal, Steinerner Saal.
The Concert
I won’t go into too much detail here as the review is of the Musikerein and not of a specific concert. Our choice of concert at the Musikerein was that of a choral concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Chorus, this chorus it transpired is made up from the retiring members of the Vienna Boys Choir. They performed a mixture of songs. It was in the smaller Brahms Hall. Within the audience was an organised trip of the Vienna Boys choir which added to the magic of the evening.
Tours
Guided tours are available subject to rehearsals. There are two tours possible. The first tour is of the historic halls at the cost of 5 Euros per adult and the second, the four new halls at the cost of 3 Euros. Each tour lasts for 30 minutes.
Conclusion
There are two reasons to visit the Musikerein, the music and the architecture.
My main reason was for the music – an experience not to be missed. Most of the architecture can be viewed whilst at the concert and information is available in the guide books. The décor is indeed splendid and adds to the atmosphere of the halls – a truly golden experience
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