Days #20-21: The Return to Vienna

Punk Mozart! "No one understands me..."
"You're not the only composer in Vienna, Mozart."
"No, but I'm the best!"

This weekend was our first self-planned as in non school-planned trip, so what better way to spend it than in an area that one is already familiar with, but still has so much to offer! Vienna, the city of music! (Besides Salzburg, of course). We didn't leave until Saturday, so Friday I got to catch up on some homework, study for a German test on Monday, and take a walk through Gaming.
Saturday morning we left bright and early for Vienna. We took a bus from Gaming, then caught a train to Vienna. The train ride was a little nerve wracking, as the first ticket machine refused to work. We were afraid to get onto our next train as we didn't have tickets but we thought it would have a ticket machine like the previous train, but it didn't, so we got ready to get off. Nathan got off, and went back to get a few girls from Franciscan that were traveling to Vienna as well. But at the urging of the conductor we jumped on the train without tickets and Nathan and the other girls. The conductor didn't realize we didn't have tickets until he came around with his ticket puncher. We explained the situation to him, and he was gracious enough to help us. Nathan called us and we decided to wait for him at the train station until he could catch the next train. So our plan was slightly readjusted, but still running smoothly.
Once we reached Vienna, we got Austrian fast-food from a franchise titled Snitzel Land. Snitzel is breaded chicken or pork.
We did homework until Nathan caught up with us, then we went on our way to the Central Cemetery, the largest cemetery in Vienna and the burial ground for some of the greatest composers that ever lived: namely, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, and Strauss. There is also a monument to Mozart, albeit he is not actually buried there. We had to walk quite a distance to get there (but we were being stubborn and not taking the metro to save money, and regretting it). We entered the cemetery by Entrance #1, when we wanted Entrance #2. But the man at the gate pointed us in the right direction. It turned out to be very neat as we wandered through the cemetery. I found a few graves with my family's names on them! A lot of the graves were very beautiful, with heartrending statues and Catholic images and symbols. The day was absolutely perfect for cemetery visiting as well. It was blustery and rather chilly, but not terribly cold. The trees were bare because of the winter, but there was no snow on the ground. Trees lined the paths which would go on forever and ever, like an eerie painting or movie. The sunlight came and went as the clouds blew across it. It felt like fall on All Hallows' Eve. It took a while, but we finally found the musicians part of the graveyard. It was so wonderful to stand amongst them! We took lots of pictures, and said a prayer for their souls and in thanksgiving for the beauty they had created for man's wonderment and God's glory.

The cemetery!

Some cool tomb stones

A lovely statue on one of the tomb stones

There may be a thousand princes, but there is only ONE Beethoven.

Mozart's Monument

Schubert!

Then it was off to find our hostel. The hostel was located in a gloomier part of the city, as was the cemetery - makes sense, I suppose.  We couldn't check in yet, though, so we meandered until we found a small but classy Cafe for dinner. There was a statue of the Madonna and Child above the bar, and they were playing a lot of 1940's and 50's music, like the song from Cars, "Life Could Be A Dream, Sweet Heart." We spent a good two and a half hours there. I got a pancake like dish with plum sauce, and a peach wine (it was a little under 10 euro altogether), and caught up on some journaling. The food was very good! But the peach wine at the Keller in Gaming is still my favorite.
We took our time going back to the hostel. We admired a few dress shops which displayed some lovely gowns and some very flashy tuxes in the windows. The hostel was definitely aimed at youth who want to break free and party, so it had a bit more of a darker feel than the family friendly hostel we stayed at in Salzburg. However, the staff was very friendly and spoke English. The rooms were clean, too. We got a free drink at the bar with our room, so once we settled in we went down to get a drink, then we settled down to read Locke, read Philosophy of the Human Person, or study German - that was me. It was an early bedtime though, as we would have to wake up early for Mass... with the Vienna Boys Choir!
We left the hostel bright and early a little before seven, and took the underground to the center of Old Vienna, back to familiar territory from our previous visit. We wandered the streets looking for a pastry shop or somewhere cheap to grab breakfast. All we could find though was a McDonald's, so a parfait and potatoes served as our breakfast.

The Hapsburg palace, bright and early in the morning!

We found the church where the Boys Choir sang - the church had been pointed to us on our tour of Vienna during our day trip. We were the first in line, so we waited for about an hour watching the little boys hurrying in for rehearsal. They all had matching navy blue coats and sailor hats and sailor suits! So cute! We also perused the schedule for the various Masses they would be singing over the next few weeks. Hassler's Missa Secunda was on the list - Elizabeth and I remembered that one very well! Yay Schola! We got seats for 5 euro. We were directed to a box like room - it felt almost like a theater. But if one went up to the edge of the "box" you could see down below the altar and the really expensive seats. There was a mirror so I could sort of see the Choir Loft where the boys and the orchestra and the organ were located. The "box" was also equipped with a TV monitor so you could watch the altar and/or the boys depending on which part of the Mass it was.

One of the Choir Boys. He's the one closest to the camera, by the woman in the bright blue coat.

The altar at the Vienna Boys Choir' Church

The schedule. If you find 5.2.2011, Joseph Haydn's Harmonie Messe, that's the one we attended!

The Mass itself was quite interesting - it was like a combination of the Extraordinary Form and the Ordinary Form. There was a group of men who chanted the Introit, the Gradual, the Offertory, and the Communion Antiphon. The Choir was performing Haydn's Harmonie Messe. There were only two readings, the Epistle and the Gospel, like in the Extraordinary Form, but the Mass was said mostly in German, save for the Liturgy of the Eucharist which was in Latin. The priest said Mass "ad orientum," facing the altar. It was a very beautiful Mass, and the chant and the singing was all very beautiful.  At the end of Mass, the organist played a Handel piece and the boys went downstairs into the sanctuary where they sang a version of the Ave Maria. I'm so glad we got to hear them, they sang like angels!

The main sanctuary of St. Stephen's

After Mass, we took our time wandering the streets of Vienna. We traced our steps back to St. Stephen's. As we were passing by, we could hear the organ sounding through the walls, which gave me this great image. St. Stephen's is meant to look like a forest on the inside, so I pictured the organ like this great majestic beast trumpeting its might through the forest. So we ran back in to hear the end of Mass. It was amazing!!!! The organist was doing some sort of improvisation on what sounded like the "Ite Missa est." When Mass was over we got to go up close to the sanctuary, which we hadn't been able to do during our day excursion. It was then we found out that there were two more organs. One was located on the side close to the sanctuary, built into the wall - which was why we had heard it through the wall. Then there was a small one on the other side further back from the sanctuary. That church has got to be one of my favorite ones so far. The sanctuary is absolutely gorgeous, and the way the sunlight was streaming in the windows, it was stunning!!! Purely mystical!!! Mozart got married in this church, actually.

The organ we heard through the walls of St. Stephen's. A glorious instrument!

The rest of the day was spent wandering through the city. We counted people with shiny puffy winter coats, sat in front of a natural history museum and washed little kids take pictures on a baby elephant statue in front of the museum, then we spent some time at a park, which was located in front of a butterfly museum (we couldn't go in b/c it was closing soon). Then we made our way to the opera house for the third major event of our trip: Puccini's La Boheme. La Boheme has become quite famous recently because it is the basis of the musical Rent. After reading the plot, I could see how the writer of Rent could have made so many changes to it, as it is a very basic plot. The sad part of it is that so much that was sweet and endearing about La Boheme was perverted in Rent. No, I have not seen Rent, but I have heard the plotline and the characters. Not a good musical in my opinion. But, back on topic.

The Opera House!

La Boheme!

We got standing room seats for 3 euro. (The opera house was cheaper than the Vienna Boys Choir. :-P) The music was very beautiful, of course, and the singers did a fabulous job, of course. The soprano who played Mimi had a gorgeous voice. She soared to these high notes so softly and with such grace! She had so much control and so much talent, it was wonderful to watch! I loved it when the arias would come begin that I was familiar with, especially Rodolfo's when he is telling Mimi about himself, and then Mimi's aria telling about herself. It was interesting though, as after each act the main characters would come out after the close of the curtain and bow, instead of waiting until the end. At the end, still, only the main characters came out, as opposed to including all of the extras. Furthermore, the audiences here don't do standing ovations. I guess they are so accustomed to good music that it's not a big deal to them when something is done well. It was interesting. But it was definitely worth the 3 euro plus the 4,80 I spent on the program.
The trip back went very smoothly, albeit we did get back late - around 2:15 am. But we were expecting that, so that made it a little easier. A wonderful first free weekend! This following weekend is also free, so I'm going hiking in the Alps tomorrow and then to Prague on Saturday! Pray for me!

A clock in a little trinket shop. Made me think of you, Eddie!

One of the parks in the museum area of Vienna

A cute elderly couple visiting a museum. We were sitting on the steps of  a science museum, so I was people watching.

The elephant statue

Some sisters getting Kebabs!

Mozart, yet again. He can't get enough of himself in this city!

Day #7: Vienna!

Yesterday we took a day trip to Vienna! We departed at 7:30, drove about an hour and a half, during which I did my best to figure out the best means of transportation to the Zentralfriedhof - The Central Cemetery - where lies the great Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, and Johann Strauss I & II. I sat near Sister Joan Paul, so she was able to offer some excellent advice.
When we arrived we had Mass at the Kapuzinerkirche, the Capucchin Church. It was decorated in a more modest Baroque style, and depicted a great deal of the Franciscan saints. Beneath the Church is buried a great many of the Hapsburg family members, such as Maria Theresa and Emperor Joseph II. Apparently his tomb is a just a black box with a gold cross on it, as opposed to the ornate tomb of Maria Theresa. Exactly as he deserves. I told Sister I hoped he was out of purgatory by the time I got there, otherwise I'd have a couples bones to pick with him. When one of the Hapsburgs was going to be buried in the Church, they would bring the casket to the Church and knock on the door. The first time they knocked they would ask the monk to permit the Emperor/Empress into the Church, listing all of his/her primary titles, to which the monk would reply, "We do not know him/her." Then they would knock a second time, listing all of the emperor/empress' secondary titles, to which the monk again would reply, "We do not know him/her." A third time they would knock, this time saying, "Emperor/Empress so-and-so, a humble sinner, wishes to enter." Only then would they allow the Hapsburg into the Church.
Outside the Church was the statue of a Capucchin friar who organized the battle to defeat the Turks in the Battle for Vienna.

The main altar of the Capucchin Church

The Capucchin Monk who saved Vienna, with Father Brad telling the story

When Mass was over, we were divided up into different groups and taken on tours to see some of the main sites of the city. What a city! There were horses and carriages weaving in and out of pedestrians and a few automobiles, street actors and artists, and brightly colored Christmas decorations strung between the buildings above our heads. We saw the Hapsburg palace, the National Library ( I think this may have been depicted in Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade), as it was on the library balcony where Hitler gave his address stating that the Nazis had taken over Austria. John Paul II was there in the year 2000 as well. We also saw the Spanish Riding School, home to some of the best horses in the world. During World War II, to protect them from the Nazis, they transported them to the United States until the war was over. These horses are born black but turn white in about 8-9 years. They were taught to rear up on their hind legs in battle to protect their riders.

The riding school

One of the horses!

The opera house! Home of the Vienna Philharmonic! Not gonna lie, it does look like a train station 

VIVALDI WAS HERE. Right next to the Sacher Cafe and the Opera House!

The library... doesn't this look familiar?

We saw the Vienna opera house! The building is not that spectacular looking from the outside; when it was first built the patron told the architect it looked like a train station, and so the architect threw himself from the roof of the building. It was nearly destroyed in World War II, but was restored. The themes on the inside of the building are taken from Mozart's The Magic Flute, which is a signature opera of the opera house, along with the song "The Blue Danube." Several balls are hosted here between Christmas and Ash Wednesday. Beside the opera house was a plaque stating that Vivaldi had once lived there. :-D
We also saw two of the most famous Viennese churches, St. Peter's Church and St. Stephen's Cathedral. St. Peter's was decorated in the Baroque style and is run by Opus Dei. There is a shrine to St. Josemaria Escriva at one of the side altars. The paintings and the organ were absolutely gorgeous! We could only spend ten minutes within the Church, however, so we didn't get a very close look.

One of the side altars in St. Peter's

The main altar in St. Peter's

The final stop before lunch was St. Stephen's Cathedral. This was a stark contrast to the Baroque St. Peter's, as this church was decorated in the Gothic style. The Gothic style is meant to elevate the heart and the mind to God by drawing the eyes upwards, whereas the Baroque style is meant to draw us to look around vs. up, focusing on how God is present among us and emphasizing the humanity of Christ. The Gothic Church had huge arches and pillars that soared up into the darkness, with lofty windows, stained in pale colors save for the tops where vivid reds, blues, purples, golds, and greens were used instead. The roof is unique in that it has ceramic colored tiles - unusual for a Gothic Church. The stonework looks so light, like lace. St. Stephen's Church is the tallest building in the central part of the city with its huge tower. It houses an adoration tower, and an icon of the Blessed Mother and Child that has been known to cry real tears.

St. Stephen's Catheral

The organ at St. Stephen's. By the looks of the wood the organ looked like it was either restored or  a completely modern instrument.

Cafe Sacher

After lunch, I went with some of my household sisters to a palace/museum once home to a French general that had assisted the Hapsburgs/Austrians in a war. The palace was known for housing the famous Klimpt painting, "The Kiss." There was Baroque, Medieval, Classic/Romantic Period art. We saw a medieval painting of St. Catherine's Mystical Marriage, in which the Child Jesus, sitting on Mary's lap, is putting a ring on Mary's finger. There were paintings of St. Joachim and Anna, depicting Joachim as a shepherd. I loved the portraits and the still life paintings from the Baroque period! They were stunning, and the fine details were so intriguing to look at! For dinner we went to the Cafe Sacher, one of the most famous cafes in Vienna, and known principally for its Sacher torte (pronounced Sacker Tor-teh), which is a chocolate cake with a layer of apricot in the middle and a chocolate icing. It's dry, but I had it with a Hot Chocolate, which was the best I have ever tasted! The foam on the top was like drinking a warm, light, chocolate cloud, and the chocolate itself was very sweet, so sweet it was making me sugar sick.
We finished the day with purchasing a few souvenirs. One day was far too short a time to spend in such an excellent city! We were told during the tour that the quality of life in Vienna is very good: there are very few poor people (which was true, as I don't recall seeing any homeless or beggars in the district we were in). Austrians also tend to be very laid back people (according to a survey, the people in Vienna walk the slowest out of all the major cities). I think Vienna may have been my favorite city I have ever encountered. I wasn't able to find Brahms and Beethoven though, as I ended up separated from the people I was planning to go with. However, a weekend trip to Vienna is hopefully in the works, so it will be a MUST on the itinerary for that weekend, along with the Vienna Boys Choir and seeing an opera at the Opera House, which if you get standing room seats is about 3 euro, and a nose-bleed seat is about 9 euro. What a deal! Ich liebe Wien!

P.S. We may not have seen Brahms and Beethoven, but we did make some very interesting finds!

Herr Mozart!

Master Liszt!

I know that guy! Arvo Part's Adam's Lament!!!! In a music shop in Vienna!!!! 

P.P.S. My favorite parts of the day was: A) St. Stephen's Cathedral. Now that I think about it, it reminded me of that epic scene when they reach the remains of the dwarf city in the Mines of Moria, where Sam says, "Well there's an eye opener and no mistake!" It was so vast, and so sacred, I wish that we could have spent a week in that church. There was a free organ concert going on that night, too! :-(

B) Walking the streets where the great composers walked! Annie and I were wondering what it would have been like to see them wandering the streets of Wien. Of course, I imagined Mozart in Amadeus, swaggering around in his pompous little wigs and frock coat, dashing to and fro amidst the crowd. Beethoven I think would have been off in his own little world, humming to himself, some dazzling melody in his head, and Brahms, a little more social with candy in his pocket for children, a gruff look on his bearded face but a twinkle in his eye.