Vienna Centre (Innere Stadt)

The capital of Austria is proud of its high rank in the musical world. More than 80 star-shaped tablets with the names and signatures of composers from Bach to Boulez, besides of conductors and singers have been put into the pavement of the city centre, following a track (Musikmeile) from Stephansdom to Theater an der Wien; no visitor can fail to notice them. This site confines itself to addresses with a more direct relation to facts or persons from the musical history.

From  the end of the 18^th century, Vienna was for several decades  the world capital of music and from that time onwards the extant traces of the musical history are plenty, while those of  the music from the preceding centuries are extremely rare.  Vienna’s rich heritage includes medieval church music, liturgical drama and Minnesänger songs. From 1500 the Franco-Flemish polyphony flourished  (Finck, Senfl, Isaac, de Monte a.o.). Of the masters, active in Vienna during the baroque era (Draghi, Schmelzer, Cesti, Fux, Caldara), the footsteps have been erased too.

Vienna Cathedral (Stephansdom), built in the 13^th century and since then centre of church music.

Tombstone of the Minnesänger Neidhart von Reuental (c. 1200) ─Grave of the Slovenian composer Georg Slatkonia (1456-1522), founder of the Hofkapelle (1498) and bishop from 1513.

Marriages of Haydn (1760), Mozart (1782) and Joh. Strauß jr. (1862) - Funeral of Mozart (1791), #T outside.

Haydn member of the choir, 1740-49, lived in the Kapellhaus (demolished).Present seat of the Cathedral Choir is the Churhaus, Stephansplatz 3a.

In the Comesinahaus Mozart lived from 1784 until 1787 in temporary wealth. Instrumental music and Le Nozze di Figaro were composed here. Fine museum. In the basement the present Bösendorfersaal.

At the opposite side of the Comesinahaus, the Bohemian composer Jan Křtitel (Johann Baptist) Vanhal lived until his death in 1813.

In the seat of the Order of German Knights, Mozart, staying there in the service of the Salzburg Prince-Archbishop Colloredo , was fired on 8.VI.1781 and thrown out with the infamousFußtritt (kick) by Colloredo’s servant, count Arco.

Mozart plaque and another one with the honorary members of the Vienna Mozart Society.

In 1864 Brahms lived temporarily in a 4^th floor room.

Former Fähnrichshof. House of Wenzel Müller (1767-1835), composer of 200 light operas. From his opera Die Mädchen von Prag Beethoven chose the merry theme for the finale of his Pianotrio op. 121a.

Former Dompropsteihaus, in which the organist and composer Joh. Georg Albrechtsberger died in 1809. He was a skilled craftsman and a teacher of Beethoven in 1793-94.

At the inn Zu den drei Hacken Schubert and his friends are mentioned as its ‘illustrious guests’, but without conclusive evidence. Still the house is attractive.

Hugo Wolf, then critic at the Wiener Saisonblatt, lived in 1884 in the Bechlerhof, built in 1824.

At nr. 9-11 Strauß sr. died in 1849; plaque.

In Zum grünen Anker, today an Italian restaurant, Weber lived in 1822. At that time one of the meeting places of the Schubertians; Brahms also visited this inn.

The poet Franz Grillparzer, friend of Beethoven and Schubert, lived here (1800-12); later on he lived next door (nr.10, plaque).

The 16^th century church of the Franciscans disposes of the oldest organ of Vienna, in 1642 built by Johann Wöcherl; 2 manuals and pedal, 20 stops, beautiful front.

Beethoven lived during the winter 1820-21 in Zum Blumenstock, a meeting point of dissidents. This inn was at nr. 3; its successor at nr. 6 was built in 1850.

Mozart died in 1791 in a house that was demolished in 1874. Today an ugly department store occupies the premises; a plaque outside and a small exhibition on the top floor reminds us of the sad event.

In one of the finest streets of old Vienna a small concert hall was managed by Hoftraiteur Ignaz Jahn. Here Mozart conducted his arrangement of Händel’s Acis & Galatea in 1788, in 1792 his Requiem, completed by Süßmayr, was performed for the first time. In 1797 Beethoven was involved in two public concerts.

In the quarter between Himmelpfortgasse and Walfischgasse many composers lived: Haydn, Süßmayr, Beethoven, Weber, Czerny, Schubert and even Vivaldi. Their houses have all been demolished in the 19^th century. Only a plaque on the (rebuilt) house of the dancer Fanny Elßler reminds us of the musical past. She was the daughter of Haydn’s secretary Johann Elßler and a celebrity in her time.

In the house of archduke Karl, whose army defeated Napoleon in 1809, later on lived the composer and founder of the Wiener Philharmoniker, Otto Nicolai (plaque); the teacher of Bruckner, Simon Sechter, died in 1867 in the rear part of this building (= Annagasse 20).

Haus der Musik, an informative and interactive museum about music and musical life, has been established here.>www. hdm.at

A former nunnery (nr. 8) today serves as a department of the musical high school; nr. 4a houses the Konservatorium derStadt Wien.

At nr. 18 of the same street Haydn taught Beethoven in 1792; the latter lived at nr. 1 in 1824-25. Both houses demolished.

This hotel has been devoted to Franz Lehár; his portraits and melodies adorn the walls.

On the premises once the concert hall Mehlgrube stood and Haydn’s Kaiserhymne - now the melody of Germany’s national anthem - was composed.

Hugo Wolf lived temporarily in the house of jeweller Köchert, whose wife Melanie was a good friend. The fine baroque building and the jewel shop have survived.

In the lobby of this hotel a plaque mentions famous guests, among whom Wagner, Liszt and Grieg.

In the house on nr. 2 (demolished) lived Strauß for some years, beginning 1862.

In the Göttweiherhof (nr. 11) Schubert lived with his friend Schober, 1822-23, and composed his ‘Unfinished Symphony’. At the other corner he got free lessons in composition by Antonio Salieri; his house was rebuilt. Plaques on both houses.

The German composer Conradin Kreutzer, conductor in Vienna from 1822 until his death year 1849, lived at nr. 10.

Opposite side: Doblinger, the best music shop of Vienna since 1857; also first editor of Bruckner and Mahler, and of many operettas. The fine building originates from the baroque era.

Haydn often worked and stayed in the Viennese palace of his patrons Esterházy (nr. 4).

A Schubertiade in 1821 took place in Palais Geymüller (nr. 8). During the Napoleontic era the French ambassador, Count Bernadotte, lived here and inspired Beethoven to his Eroica.

In 1872 the Bösendorfersaal was inaugurated by Hans von Bülow. It was used as a concert hall until

its demolition in 1913; many musicians appeared here, of which only Liszt is honoured by a plaque.

In a now demolished building at nr. 9 Chopin lived during his stay in Vienna, 1830-31 #T. Also the composer Anton Diabelli settled here with his music shop and publishing house.

The Michaelerhaus next door (nr. 11) is more interesting. It was the home of the famous librettist of countless operas Pietro Metastasio and the composer Nicola Porpora. The young Joseph Haydn, just expelled from the Choir of the Stephensdom, lived here in a cold attic room. Porpora gave singing lessons to his heir Marianne de Martines - also living here ─ and to Haydn lessons in composition, whilst the latter on his turn taught Marianne in piano playing. Other inhabitants: the piano maker Ludwig Bösendorfer, † 1819, and the mother of Nikolaus Esterházy, Haydn’s future patron.

The librettist Pietro Metastasio († 1782) was buried in the Michaelerkirche.

In this church some parts of Mozart’s Requiem were performed five days after the composer’s death.

The fine organ by Joh. Daniel Sieber from 1714 (3 manuals, pedal,40 stops) has preserved its original state.

The Hofburg, centre of the Habsburg empire and now of the Austrian government, has a building history of over 700 years. (> 34, 35, 42, 43, 44, all belonging to the premises)

Oldest part is the Schweizerhof with the court chapel from c. 1450. Choristers (Wiener Sängerknaben), a male choir and instrumentalists take care of the church music since 1498. Organists included Albrechtsberger, Bruckner a.o. Most famous Sängerknabe: Schubert.Sunday Mass is accessible for visitors.

The baroque Leopoldinischer Trakt is called after emperor Leopold I, musically skilled like his father and some of his descendants; archduke Rudolph was a gifted pianist and composer and a pupil of Beethoven.

The 19^th century Michaelertrakt occupies the site of the former Court Opera (until 1888), with premières of opera’s by Gluck and Haydn. #T

The composer Gottfried von Einem had permission to stay in a Hofburg apartment, where he died in 1996; his opera Dantons Tod caused a sensation in 1947.

The ballrooms of the court and the Spanische Reitschule (horse riding school) were in the 18^th and 19^th c. sometimes used as concert halls, especially during the Wiener Kongreß in 1814-15, e.g. with Beethoven’s Der glorreiche Augenblick and Wellingtons Sieg. Also the first Philharmonische Konzerte from 1842 took place here.

In Palais Palffy the young Mozart appeared with his sister in 1762; on 1.V.1786 he played the whole score of Le Nozze di Figaro here privately just a few hours before the première.

The Figarosaal is still used as a concert hall.

Palais Pallavicini was the home of count Moritz von Fries, a financial adviser of Beethoven. The 7^th symphony and some otherworks were dedicated to him. In his palace the curious contest between Beethoven and the braggart Steibelt took place.

In the Evangelic church (16^th c. convent church, since 1783 evangelic) the brothers Franz and Ignaz Lachner were organists in the 1820-30s.

The funeral services of Brahms (1897) and J. Strauß jr. (1899), the baptism of Schönberg (1898) and the wedding of Alban Berg (1911) took place in this church.

On the nr. 3 of this street a plaque refers to Max Brod, not only friend of Kafka but advocate of Janáček and translator of his operas into German.

Prince Lobkowitz was one of Beethoven’s benefactors; the Eroica was dedicated to him and got its first and second performance on one evening in his palace, under the baton of the composer, already hard of hearing (1804). Three years later followed the FP of the 4th Symphony. Today Austrian Theatre Museum, with many references to the musical history. Its dependance at Hanuschgasse 3 houses memorial rooms for Kálmán and Ziehrer.

Today Austrian Theatre Museum, with many references to the musical history.

Schubert appeared as Sängerknabe in the church of St. Augustin and conducted in 1815 his Mass in F. Bruckner conducted in 1872 the FP of his Mass in f-minor; instead of getting a decent renumeration he had to pay the musicians...

Splendid Musikmessen on every Sunday.

Music department of the National Library in the Albertina, former palace of count Albert von Sachsen-Teschen.Over 100.000 volumes, among which countless MSs of the famous Austrian composers. A real goldmine. (> www.

Burggarten (court park) with Mozart monument by Victor Tilgner from 1896.

The Neue Burg houses two museums: the Kunsthistorisches Museum, that accommodates a nice collection of musical instruments, among which several from the property of composers, and the Museum für Völkerkunde, with a collection of folkloristic and non-European instruments.

The monument of empress Maria-Theresia by Kaspar Zumbusch (1887) contains the figures of Haydn, Gluck and the young Mozart.

Alma Mahler (in fact: Alma Schindler, widow of Mahler, married with Franz Werfel) lived here from 1918 until 1931. A fascinating woman, whose autobiography is as interesting as are the more objective biographies about her by other authors. Visitors in her house included Pfitzner, Berg, Ravel and Casella.

At nr. 16 the last great operetta composer Robert Stolz lived (1935-38 and 1946-75).

Die Schöne Galathéin 1860 was the starting point of the Viennese operetta. Its composer Franz von Suppé died here in 1895.

The famous Staatsoper was opened in 1869, severely damaged during the war but in 1955 restored to its original state. Room for 2200 spectators, a quarter of which on cheap standing places. Luxuriousfurnishings, incl. busts of R.Strauss and of Mahler (by Rodin) in the foyer and wall paintings of opera scenes by Moritz von Schwind (without Verdi or Wagner, only of older composers). Soloists, choir and orchestra on the highest level. Legendary premières. Turbulent history, especially during the directorship of Mahler, 1897-1907.

The Staatsoper has its own museum. >www.wiener-staatsoper.at

The yearly Opernball is a high rank society event.

On the site of hotel Sacher, where now prominent conductors and singers stay, the Kärntnertortheater was the first public opera house of Vienna, in operation from 1763 until 1868. Weber, Flotow, Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi introduced themselves here to the Viennese public. Schubert could realize a performance of his opera Die Zwillingsbrüder, because his friend Vogl worked as stage manager.

On this site was also the house in which Antonio Vivaldi, staying in Vienna for ‘business’, diedin 1741. Plaque.

In hotel Bristol the visitors’ book mentions Anton Rubinstein, Puccini and Caruso.

Wagner and his family and servants lived in 1875 for two months in seven rooms of the luxury hotel Imperial. The shy youngster Hugo Wolf was briefly received by the master. Many world stars stay here.

At nr. 12 of the same street the operetta composer Carl Zeller lived.

One of the best and finest concert halls in the world is the Musikverein. The building after the design of Theophil Hansen was erected in 1869-70, nearly simultaneously with the Staatsoper. Seat of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, est. in 1812 as initiator of the public musical life in Vienna, organizing concerts and musical education, besides building up of a collection of sources, sheet music, documents an objects . >www.musikverein.at(First building:> 70).

Heart of the building are the large concert hall Goldener Saal─ famous by the worldwide broadcasted New Year concerts ─ and the Brahmssaal for chamber music. Main orchestra: the Wiener Philharmoniker, as the musicians of the Staatsoper call themselves when they appear outside the opera, est. 1842 by Otto Nicolai. >www.

Other inhabitants: shop of violin maker Othmar Lang, headquarters and showroom of Bösendorfer pianos and the publishing house Universal Edition, leading in Central European music of the 20^th century and of Urtext-editions. > www.

Beethoven monument by Kaspar Zumbusch, 1880; on the socket an image of Prometheus.

The Gymnasium at nr. 1 honours its former pupil Schubert (in fact not here, but in its preceding building at Bäckerstraße 20; > 61).

In the Stadtpark monuments of Schubert (Kundmann 1872), Lehár (Coufal 19..), Stolz (Friedel 1980), Strauß (Hellmer 1923, famous!) and Bruckner, of which the original (Tilgner 1899) was severely damaged by hooligans in 1984 (see picture) and partly restored in 1987.

In the Kursalon and the accompanying Pavilion the Strauß family frequently appeared.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold lived here in 1925-28. (original house? plaque?)

At nr.1 the former Stadtkonvikt , where Schubert in 1808-13 was educated in singing, at the same time studying at the Academic Gymnasium (Bäckerstraße 20), then connected with the convict by a catwalk. Also Beethoven’s foster child Carl studied here.

At nr. 2 the Alte Universität (now Academy of Science). In the splendid hall in 1809 the 85^th birthday of Haydn was celebrated with a performance of Die Schöpfung under the baton of Salieri. A great social event, and Haydn’s last appearance in public.-FP 7^th Symphony by Beethoven, 1813.-Today concerts.

House of Robert Schumann during the winter of 1838-39; composed the Humoresque op. 20 and discovered Schuberts 9^th Symphony, until then unknown. FP 1839 in Leipzig, conducted by Mendelssohn.

Next door (9) Die Schmiede, an old forgery turned into a centre of contemporary music and literature.

In the former hotel Post Leoš Janáček stayed in 1918 on the occasion of the Austrian FP of Jenufa, translated by Max Brod.

Today seat of the Wiener Kammeroper (chamber opera), est. in 1953 by Hans Gabor. >www.

On the FleischmarktJoh. Joseph Fux died in 1741 (14), the Mozarts stayed in 1762 during Wolfgang’s first Vienna trip in Zum Weißen Ochsen (28) and Schubert’s friend Mayrhofer committed suicide (19, the former Zensuramt where he worked). No traces left. Extant is the Toleranzhaus in which Carl Ditters, later Ditters von Dittersdorf, was born in 1739 (18). Behind the gate at the opposite side the picturesque inn Griechenbeißl(11) proudly mentions Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner and Strauß as its guests, but without conclusive evidence. The visits by the folksinger Max Augustin (17^th c.) are more likely.

Johannes Brahms lived here in the 1860s.

The houses of Mozart and Schubertin this street were all demolished; only one plaque:at nr. 2 Schubert wrote the Trout Quartet and the Quartettsatz (1818-20, living with Mayrhofer).

Extant is the gothic Salvatorkapelle of the old town hall; here the brothers Josef and Michael Haydn appeared as choristers (nice ambiance).

Neidhart-Fresken-Haus. During building operations in 1979 a series of gothic frescoes was discovered, all inspired by songs of the MinnesängerNeidhart von Reuental (c. 1200). Access possible.

The whole Tuchlauben was demolished in the course of the 19^th century: houses of Mozart (nr. 6) and Schubert (nr. 20), the inns Zum blauen Igel, where Schubert wrote Winterreise, (nr. 14) and Zum roten Igel (nr. 12), where in 1812 the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde or Musikverein was established (> 55). Here a public concert of works by Schubert took place in 1828. Brahms was a frequent guest of the house; the Igel (hedgehog) became his mascot.

The only house with a plaque is the successor of the Schönbrunnerhaus, the birthplace of Alban Berg, *1885.

Nr. 6 was the house of the family of Fridolin Weber (remotely uncle of Carl-Maria) and Marie Caecilia Stumm; their daughters Josepha, Aloysia, Constanze and Sophie all played a large role in Mozart’s life; Constanze became his wife. After his dismissal (> 04) he lived during summer 1781 in this house, called Zum Auge Gottes.At nr. 8 (= Milchgasse 1) Die Entfürung aus dem Serail was written later in that year. #T

At nr. 10 Czerny lived, at 11 Beethoven during winter 1802-03. All houses were demolished.

Mozart address in 1783, with plaque. In 1789-90 he lived at nr.4. Both houses demolished.

As a six year old boy Mozart appeared for the first time in Vienna, at a concert on 9.X.1762 in the palace of count Collalto.Antonio Vivaldi visited the same palace in 1741, shortly before his death.

In the nearby church, Kirche der neun Engelschöre, Johann Strauß jr. made his debut in 1844 as the composer of a pious Graduale.

Mozart stayed here with his father during his rather unsuccessful visit in summer 1773; no child prodigy anymore...An earlier Mozart address (nr. 16, 1762) was demolished.

In the Greinersche Haus on this site Beethoven lived probably during 1796-1800, the mosaic mentions falsely ‘1815-17’ with some works from that period.Also at the nrs. 10 and 24 were Beethoven addresses. All were demolished.

In the former Zum Römischen Kaiser (partly rebuilt) the Schupanzigh quartet played Beethoven’s quartets. Beethoven lived here during winter 1816-17.

First public appearances of Schubert: in 1818 his Ouverture im Italienischen Stil was performed, in 1919 for the first time one of his songs, Schäfers Klagelied.

In Palais KinskyMozart appeared in 1762 and Beethoven probably several times; prince Ferdinand Kinsky was one of Beethoven’s benefactors. Schubert won praise by princess Charlotte Kinsky after a song recital here in 1828; he blushed, not accustomed to compliments by such a highly placed person...

In the former, medieval building of the Schottenstiftthe composer Heinrich Finck died in 1527; around 1700 Joh. Joseph Fux lived here and in the late 18^th century Haydn’s intimate friend and support Marianne von Genzinger. At the gymnasium in the present building the brothers Strauß and Alban Berg studied. Liszt stayed several times in the Schottenstift during the period 1869-86.

The 11 year old Carl Ditters played the violin in the orchestra of the convent church; a noble family took him under its wing (> 3.30) - later he became Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf.

From 1877 Anton Bruckner lived on the fourth floor of this house; his housekeeper Kathi Kachelmayr occupied another room. In 1895 the stairs had become too troublesome and so he moved to a ground-floor apartment (> 2.36).

The most important house of Beethoven is at the fourth floor of the Pasqualatihaus that he occupied twice and for a relatively long time: 1804-08 and 1810-14 - in total he moved within Vienna 28 times! In between (1808-10) he lived in the Klepperstall, at the nearby Teinfaltstraße and after leaving in 1814 he lived for a short time next door at nr. 10 (both houses not extant). The Pasqualitihaus is the finest Beethoven museum of Vienna.

At the University Bruckner and his adversary Eduard Hanslick both taught music. Later Guido Adler established a department of musicology (now Universitätsstraße 7). Busts in the Arkadenhof.

Monument of Joseph Lanner and Johann Strauß sr. (Oehrly/Seifert 1905). Her the two rivals are wrapped up in a friendly conversation.

House and plaque of the youngest of the Strauß family, Eduard, ‘schöne Edi’.

Music department of the city library; rich collection.www.

Victor Sokolowski established in his house (1942-†1982) in 1960 a studio and company, dedicated to the work of the ‘real inventor of the twelve-tone music’, Josef Matthias Hauer.