or...as you might know them, the VIENNA BOYS' CHOIR! ;)
Here we are at the Musikverein. The concert hall was built by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, on a piece of land given by Emperor Franz Joseph, and it was opened on January 6, 1870. A historic organ was installed in it by the Austrian firm Rieger, in 1907. The Musikverein is famous for its acoustics and is considered to be one of the three finest concert halls in the world, along with Boston's Symphony Hall and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. It is the home to the Vienna Philharmonic.
But today we won't be in the 'Grosser Saal' (big room), we're going to be in the Brahms Saal (Brahms Room) for the Wiener Knaben and their little voices...
When I was little I watched a Disney movie about the Vienna Boys' Choir and my Mom started then to be like 'do you want to do that?' So I did, I wanted to be in the Vienna Boys' Choir and I admit it!
Remember our little historical plaques with the flags = IMPORTANT building....at least this one is :)
Purdy ceiling-dome....
Interesting what a camera can do....in a not 'sunset' mode...this is what the ceiling looks like at the entrance....I just liked it...
here is our little historical plaque to let us know that his Majesty, Kaiser Franz Josef I was here ;)
The ceiling again....just like it, don't you?
And here we are! The Brahms Saal where we will hear the Wiener Knaben sing their stuff!
Purdy, huh?
So this is during the break....
I'm going to leave my comments about the choir until later, for now just enjoy...
Hello Herr Brahms....thanks for allowing us all to fall asleep to your lullaby ;)
So right next door to the Brahms Saal I could hear The Große Musikvereinssaal, or Goldene Saal (Golden Hall), is forty-eight metres long, nineteen metres wide, and eighteen metres high. It has 1,744 seats and standing room for 300. Every year, the Vienna New Year's Concert is held here.
Purdy ceiling...
I am showing you all of this cuz HINT-HINT this room might be in our future...
So when we came back from our break, the Choir had been joined by the Viennese Chamber Orchestra! Suweet!
They REALLY made a difference, in a positive way....I don't know if I should, but I'll just say this...I saw the Vienna Boys' Choir in Vienna in 2004 - they weren't good (remember my 'dream' to be part of them?)...so I came today and again...it's like it took about 5 songs before they got into 'ok' category. And sure, they're kids and I should back-off, but still, it is THE VIENNA BOYS' CHOIR! not the local elementary kids singing a Christmas concert...which, in some ways....but listening to them I also learned the key also to a good choir - you have to have good 'choir' voices. Some of the boys would sing solos here and there and they were quite good...a few were even REALLY good...but then together, their voices just didn't seem to mesh....me on the other hand (and to my consternation), I have a wonderful 'choir' voice...for some reason when I sing in a choir, it is something positive...but, do I sing well 'solo-wise'? No! Grrr....
So the point is, I think the boys have GREAT voices individually, but as a choir it just doesn't work well...I was less than impressed....that is, until the Chamber Orchestra show up and suddenly...I don't know if it gave the Boys more 'depth'....not sure, but suddenly it started to sound really good! Listen to an example below (I usually don't ever do this, but people were taking pix like crazy throughout the concert and the staff never said 'no', etc., and I didn't see any 'no pix' in the Brahms Saal, so....point is, please everyone take this as FREE PUBLICITY for the Vienna Boys' Choir! ;) I don't charge for this...just want everyone to see a peak!):
So did you enjoy that? Like I said, once the Orchestra arrived, it really started to get good!
So did you enjoy that? Like I said, once the Orchestra arrived, it really started to get good!
And suddenly there were none! It was quite an abrupt end to the concert - I guess the Boys had to get home (it was 6pm)...
The last song was sung/played and then there were a few bows and then they all left (usually in Vienna, if there is enough applause, and it almost seems like the performers 'expect' it, there is a maybe an 'encore' song or something like that...these people weren't have it! They left the stage 'goodbye!')
One more look at the dazzling Brahms Saal's ceiling....wow.....
And the audience departs....
Hope you enjoyed the concert! At least this time you actually got to see a piece of it ;)
