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Jan 03, 2016

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Vienna

The City Of Classical Music

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Vienna, Austria is known for being rich in art, culture, and especially music. Every night in Vienna around 10,000 music fans are treated to live classical music, something that is simply unheard of in any other city in the world.

Not only is Austria known for its musical scene, but it is especially known for its brilliant musical history. Music scholars and enthusiasts flock to Vienna to experience what is arguably the most musical city in the world. Vienna is most notably remembered for hosting four of the most important and prolific composers of the Classical Period.

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The Classical Period in music spans from 1750 to 1830. Classical Music is characterized by an increase in the importance of melody over the Baroque style that preceded it, as well as by the emergence of new genres of instrumental music including the symphony and the string quartet.

If one were to attempt to determine the top ten classical composers in history, the Viennese Classical period would present a special challenge. If such a list is to be at all diverse and comprehensive, how could 4 of the 10 slots go to composers — Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert — who worked in Vienna? What on earth was going on there to foster such achievement?

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Continue to learn more about these Viennese composers--essentials in any account of the history of Western music.

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Haydn

Mozart

Beethoven

Schubert

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“The Vienna Four”

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Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn, the son of a wheelwright, was born in lower Austria in 1732. But by the age of 8 he was a choirboy at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. He was booted out of the choir when his voice changed in his late teens, and he became a freelance composer, performer and teacher. So during his childhood and young adult years, Haydn was immersed in the greatest music of Germanic culture.

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St. Stephen’s Cathedral

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At 29 he went to work for Prince Paul Esterhazy, who died in 1762 and was succeeded by his brother Nikolaus, a passionate music lover. Haydn spent nearly 30 years presiding over the musical activities at the prince’s palace 30 miles outside Vienna as well as at the summer residence over the border in Hungary. Still, during these decades Haydn was a regular visitor to Vienna, where he presented his works, soaked up musical life, made friends (with Mozart, among others) and joined a Masonic lodge.

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In 1790, the prince having died, Haydn moved back to Vienna, a beloved master and popular composer. Haydn moved into a large house near the center of Vienna in a suburb of Gumpendorf. It was at this time that Haydn began teaching composition to the young Ludwig van Beethoven. He turned to the composition of large religious works for chorus and orchestra, which he focused on until illness left him physically unable to compose in 1802. He passed away in 1809, honored with a memorial service held in the Schottenkirche, at which Mozart’s Requiem was performed.

Haydn is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms. He was also instrumental in the development of the piano trio and in the evolution of sonata form.

Haydn’s 76th Birthday Celebration held at the Old University Hall in Vienna. Haydn is pictured sitting in front of the crowd.

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Wolfgang AmadeusMozart

Mozart, born in 1756, began to receive his musical education from his father at the early age of four. At the age of five he was presented as an infant prodigy and performed his first musical tour through Europe. Mozart's career was closely linked to the city of Vienna. At age 6, he performed for the Austrian royals at the Hall of Mirrors at Schloss Schönnbrunn and enchanted Empress Maria Theresa and her family with his talent and his liveliness. On this tour through Europe it became clear that Mozart was not only an excellent performer, but was also interested in composing music. In 1765, his first sonatas were published in Paris. Next

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Mozart moved to Vienna in 1781 at age 25 after having a disagreement with his previous employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg. Mozart resigned his secure employment at Salzburg and opted for a freelance career in Vienna.Mozart's first months in Vienna were spent in a small pension in the direct vicinity of St. Peter's Church, a beautiful baroque church in the first district. There, the composer fell in love with Konstanze Weber, daughter to the establishment. The success of his opera The Abduction from the Seraglio enabled him to marry - at St. Stephen's Cathedral. Two years later, Mozart and his family moved into the "Mozarthaus,” now a major tourist attraction for the city of Vienna. Mozart was respected and successful as a musician and happy in his marriage. His years at “Mozarthaus” would be the most productive period in his life. He composed many great works during his time in Vienna, including piano concerti, numerous chamber music works and the famous and enduring opera The Marriage of Figaro.

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Though Mozart lived at a dozen different addresses in Vienna, the only apartment that has survived to this day is the “Mozarthaus”--at Domgasse number 5. The composer lived at this address from 1784 till 1787. His apartment on the first floor was positively grand, with four large rooms, two small ones and a kitchen.

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A year before his death, Mozart and his family moved into another first district apartment. In spite of his success the family was heavily in debt and Mozart worked frantically to earn more money. "The Magic Flute" was composed in this time as well as his famous unfinished Requiem, left unfinished as Mozart suddenly took ill and died on December 5, 1791. His remains received his last blessings in the 'Kruzifixkapelle' in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Parts of the Requiem were performed for the first time during the wake at Michaelerkirche. Then, Mozart was buried at St. Marx Cemetery. 60 years after his death a monument was erected at this cemetery to commemorate the great musician, and 100 years after his death this memorial was moved to the “Graves of Honor.” First district's Burggarten features an impressive Mozart memorial.

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Mozart Memorial in Burggarten

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Ludwig van Beethoven

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Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany on December 16, 1770, although his birthday is often celebrated on December 17, the day of his baptism. Like many composers before him, his first music teacher was his father, himself a court musician in Bonn. Beethoven’s musical talent manifested itself early. His father, aware of Leopold Mozart's successes in this area (with son Wolfgang and daughter Nannerl), attempted to exploit his son as a child prodigy, claiming that Beethoven was six years old (while he was actually seven) on the posters for Beethoven's first public performance in March 1778.

Portrait of Beethoven at 13 years old

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Beethoven's childhood was difficult, and his father, an abusive alcoholic, beat him often when he did not perform up to his standards. Still, others soon recognized his great musical abilities, and in 1787 while in Vienna he got the opportunity to play for Mozart. He was given a job and music lessons by Christian Gottlob Neefe and sponsorship by the German court to play and study music. His career was halted slightly when he was 17, and his mother fell ill, forcing him to care for two younger brothers. However, Beethoven’s career began in full force soon after, with his permanent move to Vienna.

Home of the Beethoven family in Bonn

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Beethoven’s career as a composer is usually broken into three periods for study. The periods are not characterized by descriptive names, but are merely called Early, Middle, and Late. These periods coincide with changes in his compositional styles and priorities, as well as with some elements of Beethoven’s life events. Choose a period below to learn about each one.

The Early PeriodThe Middle Period

The Late Period

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The Early Period

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In 1792, Beethoven moved to Vienna to train with Joseph Haydn. Unfortunately, Haydn did not appreciate Beethoven's unconventional music ideas and irritable temperament and eventually stopped lessons. Despite this minor set-back, Beethoven quickly became known in Vienna for being a piano genius as well as a composer, though the composing came much more slowly. In the 1790's, Beethoven decided upon the career of a freelance musician, rejecting the idea of working for a church or a court, and supported himself through public performances, sales of his compositions and grants and stipends from noblemen willing to support his work and talent.

The Early period of Beethoven’s work is considered to last until 1803.

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Beethoven’s personal life, in general, was often troubled. During the Early period of his career Beethoven immersed himself in the wealthy community of Vienna in spite of his own financial troubles. He was consistently attracted to unattainable (either aristocratic or married) women, undoubtedly part of why he never married. Around 1796, Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He suffered a severe form of tinnitus, a "ringing" in his ears that made it hard for him to perceive and appreciate music; he also avoided conversation. As early as 1801, Beethoven wrote to friends describing his symptoms and the difficulties they caused in both professional and social settings (although it is likely some of his close friends were already aware of the problems). Beethoven, on the advice of his doctor, lived in the small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt, just outside Vienna, from April to October 1802 in an attempt to come to terms with his condition. There he wrote his “Heiligenstadt Testament,” a letter to his brothers which records his thoughts of suicide due to his growing deafness and records his resolution to continue living for and through his art.

Ear horns used by Beethoven to try to improve his hearing. Beethoven’s ear horns were designed by Nepomuk Malzel, argued to be the inventor of the metronome. These ear horns can be seen in the Beethoven-Haus Museum.

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During his Early period, Beethoven’s compositions and playing style reflected the greats of classical music, including his former teacher Haydn and Mozart, while he simultaneously experimented with new stylistic avenues and finding his own voice. It was during this time that he composed his first and second symphonies, along with the first six string quartets, two piano concertos and twenty piano sonatas, including two of his most famous, Pathetique and Moonlight.

Manuscript page of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata

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The Middle Period

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The Early period of Beethoven’s work is began in 1803 and lasted through 1814.

Beethoven's return to Vienna from Heiligenstadt was marked by a change in musical style, now recognized as the start of his Middle period, sometimes called the "Heroic" period. According to Carl Czerny, Beethoven said, "I am not satisfied with the work I have done so far. From now on I intend to take a new way." This "Heroic" phase was characterized by a large number of original works composed on a grand scale. The first major work employing this new style was the Third Symphony in E flat, known as the "Eroica" Symphony. While other composers had written symphonies with implied programs, or stories, this work was longer and larger in scope than any previous symphony. When it premiered in early 1805 it received a mixed reception. Some listeners objected to its length or misunderstood its structure, while others viewed it as a masterpiece.

Portrait of Beethoven in 1804

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In the Middle period, Beethoven’s deafness settled in in full effect. His personal life was was addled with health issues and failed love affairs. In the summer of 1812, advised by his physician, Beethoven went to the Czech resort Teplitz. Even though the summer spent here didn’t have any positive influences on his state of health, it was very fruitful in memorable and interesting encounters. Most important is that this summer of 1812 is when Beethoven wrote a set of mysterious letters that created numerous commentaries and assumptions among Beethoven scholars. The letters are known as “The Immortal Beloved” letters. While there are no certainties regarding the subject, there are a number of preferred candidates for the Immortal Beloved title. These are Giulieta Guicciardi, Thereza von Brunswick, Amalia Seebald and Antonie Brentano. All of these women are known to have been the object of Beethoven’s affection at one time or another. The letters were found in Beethoven’s effects after his death. The letters detail the difficulties of the couple’s love and their inability to be together, and are concluded with the famous phrase: ever thine, ever mine, ever ours

The final page of the “Immortal Beloved” letters.

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Beethoven composed ambitious works throughout the Middle period, often heroic in tone, extending the musical language Beethoven had inherited from Haydn and Mozart. The Middle period work includes the Third through Eighth Symphonies, the string quartets 7–11, the Waldstein and Appassionata piano sonatas, the opera Fidelio (Beethoven’s only opera), the Violin Concerto (Beethoven’s only composition of this genre as well) and many other compositions. During this time Beethoven earned his living from publishing and performances of his work, and from his patrons.

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More Resources

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Part One Part Two

Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times discusses the Vienna Four in two video installments:

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Vienna: City of Music Website. This website contains resources about current events as well as the past music, musicians, and composers of Vienna.

A transcript of Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved” Letters

A transcript of Beethoven’s “Heilegenstadt Testament”

This website provides valuable information about the composers of Vienna

Statue of Mozart in Vienna

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Recording of Movement One of Beethoven’s Sonata Pathetique

Video performance of Haydn’s String Quartet Opus 77, No. 1 (First movement)

Video excerpt of Mozart’s Opera Marriage of Figaro

Video performance of Der Lindenbaum from Schubert’s Song Cycle Winterreise

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