hall of the Music Association (Musikverein) and Concert Ho- use (Konzerthaus). Music lo- vers the world over are fami- liar with the Musikverein as a venue where classical music is traditionally performed. Ope- ned in 1870, it is known for its Grand Golden Hall, where the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performs the famous Vienna New Year's concert each ye- ar, featuring the works of the Strauss family and their con- temporaries. Philharmonic Orchestra The Vienna Philharmonic Orc- hestra is an indispensable part of the musical life of the Au- strian capital. Founded in 1842, it is today considered one of the best orchestras in the wor- ld, while some consider it the best. Vienna’s House of Mu- sic is home to the museum of the Vienna Philharmonic Orc- hestra, which has a permanent exhibition on the history of the orchestra. Mozart and Beethoven Vienna was home to two of the greatest ever composers: Mo- zart and Beethoven, though ne- ither of them were actually na- tives of the city. Mozart only came from Salzburg to Vienna at the age of 25, but it was the- re that he gained fame and wrote his best works. Despite the difficult financial situation that plagued him until his de- ath, he refused to leave Vienna, where he died tragically and mysteriously, leaving behind his Requiem... Today, at Dom- gasse 5 in the city’s 1 st district, not far from St. Stephen’s Cat- hedral, you can visit the house that was his home from 1784 to 1787. On four floors of the house, which has been conver- ted into a museum, visual and audio installations shed light on the life and works of Mozart, as do many historical exhibits. Beethoven arrived in Vienna a
little later, in 1792, when he be- gan studying under the guidan- ce of composer Joseph Haydn. His first mature compositions were published in 1795, after which began the days of glory that he would experience throu- ghout the remainder of his life. He lived in Vienna until his de- ath. Beethoven never married, rarely travelled, had a small circle of friends and supported himself without the need for any official position. His monu - mental 9 th Symphony, created between 1818 and 1823, pre- miered at Vienna’s Kärntner- tor (Carinthian Gate) Theatre on 7 th May 1824, marking the crowning glory of Beethoven’s symphonic creativity. He died in Vienna and was laid to rest in the city. Vienna boys’ choir Vienna’s music scene certain- ly wouldn’t be what it is today without the Vienna Boys’ Cho- ir. Comprising around a hun- dred boys aged between ten and 14, divided into four cho- irs, this famous Choir performs some 300 concerts annually, performing in front of around half a million spectators. The Vienna Boys’ Choir also per- forms every Sunday in the Hof- burg chapel (Hofburgkapelle), as well as at its own concert hall, The MuTh, which opened in late 2012. The MuTh con- cert hall sees the Vienna Boys’
Choir (which incidentally nowa- days also includes girls) per- form its classical programme, as well as pop music and chil- dren’s opera. Its roots date as far back as 1498. Wolfgang Amadeus Mo- zart worked with the choir and Franz Schubert was once a member. The choir became a private institution in 1918, when their imperial uniforms switc- hed to sailor suits. The Impe- rial Court Chapel, located at the centre of the Hofburg Imperial Palace complex at the heart of Vienna, can be considered the home of the Vienna Boys’ Cho- ir, which of course performs by invitation at various festi- vals and concert halls worldwi- de. The first official mention of the chapel was in 1296, whi- le Austrian rulers have adapted it to their own taste multiple ti- mes over the centuries. Nonet- heless, some of the original Go- thic interiors can still be seen to this day. Its overall look, do- minated by the structure of the balcony and oratory, dates back to the time of Maria Theresa and Emperor Franz II (1768– 1835), while the four capstones of the chapel’s ribbed vault be- long to the original Gothic stru- cture. You can access the Im- perial Chapel via the palace’s inner courtyard and the Swiss Gate or from Josephsplatz (the entrance is above the Imperial Treasury).
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