Week Nine: Goulash, Grinzing, and Composers' Graves

Grüß Gott! (a common Viennese greeting)!


I hope this blog post finds everyone well - I can't wait to see many of you soon!  So much has happened in the past week that I felt I must blog about it - plus, blogging will be a good study break from paper writing and finals studying! 


The first highlight of Week Nine was a trip to the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien to hear another clarinet studio recital.  I love hearing students my age play clarinet, and conservatory clarinetists here in Vienna are ridiculously talented.  Before the recital, Matt and I ate at a little Italian restaurant called "Da Capo."  As Austria borders northern Italy, the Italian cuisine in Vienna is quite good. Matt and I had promised ourselves that we would go on a "date night" at a cute restaurant while we were in Vienna, so it was nice to relax in Da Capo's garden while eating delicious pizza and pasta.  


On Tuesday, we visited the Museum of Military History.  Although I was not particularly interested in looking at the old rifles and cannons housed in the museum, I was fascinated by the museum's depiction of Austrian military history and the often complex role Austria played in conflicts such as World War II.  It was interesting to explore military history from a non-American perspective.  This museum also contains the car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed in 1914 (the incident that sparked World War I) as well as Franz Ferdinand's deathbed.  Once again, memories of my high school history classes (and one of my history teacher's dramatic recreation of this scene from history - hi, Katie Miller!) again floated into my memory as I saw the information I learned brought to life.  

The Franz Ferdinand car

On Wednesday night, we attended the Vienna Symphony's performance of Mahler's Fifth Symphony at the Musikverein.  This was a particularly emotional concert for me: not only was the orchestra playing Mahler, whose symphonies often bring me to tears, but it was our group's last concert in the Musikverein.  I have so loved being able to attend numerous concerts at the Musikverein - hailed by many as the best hall in the world - so this concert was particularly sad.  At the end of the fifth movement of the Mahler, I started bawling, as the incredible orchestration of this symphony combined with my own sadness about leaving the Musikverein really impacted me...and earned me many confused looks from other audience members as I walked out of the Musikverein sobbing!  

Musikverein, Großer Saal

I finally indulged in a treat during intermission!

Luckily, that evening was also Richard's birthday, so my mood quickly improved when my FSP-mates and I threw him a surprise party.  Matt baked him a delicious cake, and we all hid around the flat and jumped out at Richard when he walked in.  After the party, we all headed out to the Prater for a late-night bumper car outing, but all of the rides were closed.  Yet, we were determined to help Richard celebrate, so a few of us went to the Donauinsel (the bank of the Danube river) and sat on a dock in the dark.  Richard and a couple of others jumped into the freezing cold water while I decided to remain on the dock, resisting Richard and Remy's attempts to throw me in.  Although I was not brave enough to swim at midnight, it was nice to sit on the dock and gaze at the city lights in the distance.  

Richard's surprise

The cake Matt baked for Richard

The next day, I had my last lesson with my clarinet teacher (so sad)!  We worked on my scale and articulation exercises as well as my piece for the final recital, the Honegger Sonatine.  After the lesson, our teacher took me and Matt out for lunch (at a delicious falafel restaurant to which we have since returned) and gelato (at our new favorite spot).  It was great to talk to our teacher about life as a clarinetist in Vienna, the transition from a liberal arts college to a conservatory, and our goals for future clarinet playing.  I feel so fortunate that my lessons in Vienna worked out so well; my teacher has helped and encouraged me so much, and I can't wait to further apply the techniques he has taught me.  We have our final recital on Wednesday, and I am excited to show what I have learned!


After the lesson and lunch, Matt and I went to Simmering (at the end of an U-Bahn line) to the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna to visit the graves of Beethoven, Schubert, (Johann) Strauss, and Brahms.  In tribute to our beloved composers, Matt and I walked from grave to grave with a laptop, playing a segment of a piece by each composer.  Thank goodness no one else was around, or else we would have gotten a ton of weird looks, but it was really meaningful to be able to hear the brilliant music of these composers at their resting places. 

The sign indicating the musicians' corner of the Zentralfriedhof

Me by all of the composers' graves

Beethoven

BRAHMS!

Afterwards, we went to the Austrian National Library, which I had read was one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and was thus determined to see before I left.  Although the reading room was, in fact, gorgeous and covered in books on all sides, it was more like a museum than a library.  Display cases and posters were everywhere, and I didn't get the same kind of cozy "library" feeling that I experienced at the abbeys in Melk and St. Florian.  Nonetheless, I am more than happy in any room filled with thousands of books!

Austrian National Library

Secret passageway!

This past weekend, we traveled as a group to Budapest, Hungary.  I was excited for this trip, as we would have the opportunity to visit another city, learn about its history, eat its food, and hear its music.  After a three-hour train ride from Vienna to Budapest, we began our visit with a bus tour of the city.  We stopped at Hero's Square (a large monument in the center of Budapest commemorating the great leaders of Hungary) and drove by other sites such as the stunning Parliament building and old bath houses.  Budapest actually has two separate sides, Buda and Pest (which were once two separate cities) separated by the Danube.  Most of the tourist attractions are on the Pest side, with the exception of the Buda Castle on the Buda side.  It was neat to see the many Turkish influences (such as the bathhouses and building styles) in Budapest, as the city was occupied by the Turks hundreds of years ago.  After hearing a fascinating lecture about Hungarian music (focusing on composers such as Liszt, Bartók, and Kodály), we ate dinner at a restaurant called Régi Sipos Halászkert Étterem, where we ate goulash and listened to live Hungarian folk music.  The food was delicious, and it was nice to hear more ethnic music (although the musicians did play an arrangement of "I Could've Danced All Night," which was a little disorienting to hear)!

The musicians - a violinist, bassist, and dulcimer player

Goulash

Hungarian honey cakes

The next day, we toured both the Franz List house.  At the Liszt house, we saw many of Liszt's pianos and other artifacts.  Although the museum only consisted of three rooms, it gave a thorough portrayal of Liszt's life and works.  

We had to wear these booties on our feet before walking around the museum

Liszt's manuscripts

One of Liszt's pianos (and the most gorgeous music stand ever)

Afterwards, we visited the House of Terror, which was obviously a completely different experience.  This museum houses exhibitions and artifacts dealing with both the Nazi and Soviet occupations of Hungary.  This was honestly one of the best museums I have ever visited, as it instilled in me a understanding of the profound negative impact of these occupations on these Eastern European countries.  I left the museum emotionally drained but well-informed and deeply moved.  




Upon returning from Budapest, Matt, Amy, and I rushed to Cafe Hawelka, where we had previously arranged to meet Elizabeth, who was visiting us for the weekend from Prague.    We were lucky to be able to spend the entire day on Sunday with her!  Our day began with a trip to the "Pancake Palace" restaurant where we first tried the Kaiserschmarm (the torn-up pancakes with plum sauce).  As Elizabeth is an excellent dessert partner-in-crime, we had to take her!

Kaiserschmarm

The best part of the day was our trip to Grinzing (a little town just outside of Vienna) to visit the grave of Gustav Mahler.  Elizabeth, Amy, Matt, and I perched next to his grave and played the DSO's recording of Mahler's Second Symphony from our concert last spring.  In the middle of the piece, we realized that it was the exact one year anniversary of the DSO concert on which we performed this piece - May 29.  This made the moment all the more magical!  Before leaving, we each took a small chunk of grass from the area near Mahler's grave.  Although this sounds totally weird, we had been planning to do this for a while.  At our last rehearsal before the concert last spring, our DSO conductor pulled out a small teacup with grass from Mahler's grave that he had picked on the DSO's tour to Central Europe the year before.  It was so nice to sit with my DSO friends and pay homage to one of my favorite composers.  

Mahler

Taking my grass

With our clumps of grass

Afterwards, we sat in a park in Grinzing and had a picnic consisting of falafel sandwiches and pastries.  It was a gorgeous day, and it was wonderful to sit and enjoy each other's company.  Although Matt, Amy, and I had to go to an opera that evening, we met up with Elizabeth afterwards and went once again to the "Pancake Palace," as we wanted to try different kinds of pancakes.  This day was a great way to relax and enjoy the calm before the storm of finals, and of course it was wonderful to see Elizabeth again!

Picnic

This is probably one of my last blog posts, as I return to the States on Saturday!  I cannot believe I am leaving so soon.  I love this city and cannot wait to return.  Not only will I return home a better clarinetist and listener of classical music, but also as a more empowered individual; voyaging around Europe has instilled in me a new confidence and lifelong love of travel.  


But, before I can get too sentimental, I must finish a ton of work!  Tomorrow, we have our Music History final and final recital (I am performing the Honegger Sonatine, and Matt and I are performing the Krommer Double Concerto, mvts. 1 and 2).  On Thursday, we have our final paper, journal, and quiz due for our "Perspectives in Performance" class.  Lots to accomplish!


As always, thanks for reading!