DAVID L. NELSON Includes 2 Musical Walks: Mozart The Sound of Music ENGLISH VERSION SALZBURG MUSIC GUIDE SALZBURG S TOP Musical Sites MOZART SITES IN OLD TOWN & NEW TOWN THE SOUND OF MUSIC IN & AROUND SALZBURG SALZBURG THE FESTIVAL CITY SITES AROUND SALZBURG From Mozart to The Sound of Music, this is the perfect guide to see Salzburg s musical sites. ATTERSEE GMUNDEN MONDSEE ST. GILGEN OBERNDORF BAD ISCHL HALLEIN Includes maps, contact information, visiting tips, suggested itineraries Doblinger 09 731
Contents Author s Welcome & How to use this Book... 4-5 Mozart in Salzburg... 6-7 Mozart and Salzburg... 8-9 Mozart s Birth House... 10-13 Mozart s Residence... 14-17 Mozart Square... 18-19 Salzburg Cathedral... 20-23 St. Peter s Church, Cemetery, and Courtyard... 24-27 St. Sebastian s Cemetery... 28-29 Little Magic Flute House...30 Mozart Monument on Kapuzinerberg...31 University Church...32 Other Mozart Sites... 33-35 Aula Papagenoplatz Café Tomaselli Constanze Home Music History on Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse The Sound of Music and Salzburg... 36-37 The von Trapp Family... 38-39 Mirabell Palace and Gardens... 40-43 Leopoldskron Palace... 44-45 Hellbrunn Palace and Grounds... 46-47 Frohnburg Palace... 48-49 Nonnberg Abbey... 50-51 Residence Square... 52-53 Other The Sound of Music film sites... 54-57 Mozartsteg Winkler Terrace Herbert von Karajan Square (Karajanplatz) Felsenreitschule (Summer Riding School) University Square Original Trapp Villa in Aigen Cathedral and Capital Squares Salzburg The Festival City... 58-59 Salzburg Festival... 60-63 Salzburg s Other Festivals... 64-65 Mozart Week Salzburg Biennale Salzburg Easter Festival Salzburg Pfingstfestspiele Jazz & The City Salzburg Adventsingen 2 Contents
Contents Other Musicians and Musical Sites in Salzburg... 66-67 International Mozarteum Foundation and Mozarteum University Salzburg... 68-71 Salzburg Marionette Theater... 72-73 Landestheater... 74-75 Herbert von Karajan s Birthplace...76 Michael Haydn...77 Franz Schubert s 1825 Visit to Salzburg...78 Heinrich Biber...79 Silent Night The Beloved Hymn... 80-81 The Story of Silent Night... 82-84 Silent Night Sites... 84-85 Music in the Salzkammergut... 86-87 Bad Ischl... 88-89 Mahler s Composing House in Steinbach am Attersee... 90-91 Gmunden on Traunsee... 92-93 Basilica of St. Michael in Mondsee... 94-95 St. Gilgen on Wolfgangsee... 96-97 Two Musical Walks... 98-99 Mozart and Other Classical Music Sites... 100-103 The Sound of Music... 104-107 Index of Names and Musical Personalities... 108-109 Acknowledgements...110 Contents 3
Author s Welcome Author s Welcome Salzburg is a beautiful town with musical history on practically every street. Mozart walked on all of the charming streets and lanes that visitors experience today. The story that became The Sound of Music took place in Salzburg, and the movie was filmed throughout the town. Salzburg also presents spectacular music performances. n SALZBURG THE CITY WITH MUSIC ON EVERY STREET There is something special when you walk on the same streets that Mozart walked on and see the same buildings that he saw every day. How many times must he have strolled on Getreidegasse, entered the Cathedral, crossed the Salzach, and enjoyed the serenity of Mirabell Gardens? We experience the same thing with recent performers. Not only can you hear Anna Netrebko, Evgeny Kissin, Simon Rattle, and other world-class musicians in the Salzburg Festival or other festivals throughout the year, but you also see them walking back to their hotels after a performance or enjoying a cup of coffee in one of the city s many cafes. Mozart s town is home for musicians and music aficionados alike. For lovers of The Sound of Music, Salzburg is equally rich. The producers of the film made Salzburg a backdrop for many scenes. You may even wish to sing and dance through Mirabell Gardens just like Julie Andrews and the children! When you enjoy Salzburg, you are enjoying centuries of music history. Best regards, David L. Nelson David L. Nelson is a music professor, author, tour leader, and photographer. He has written two books on the musical sites of Vienna: Vienna for the Music Lover (2006) and Vienna Music Guide (2013). In 2008, the City of Vienna awarded him with the Golden Medal of Honor, which is the second-highest award ever given to an American; Leonard Bernstein received the highest. Nelson leads music-oriented tours to Vienna and other cities through his company In Mozart s Footsteps (www.inmozartsfootsteps. com). He teaches at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Be sure to check out Nelson s Vienna Music Guide, also published by Doblinger. 4 Author s Welcome
How to use this Book How to use this Book The Salzburg Music Guide has all the information you need to discover musical Salzburg. Two suggested itineraries will help you plan your time. n FINDING THE SITES The maps in the inside front and back covers show you the musical sites in the center of Salzburg. Mozart and other classical music locations are in the front map; the sites for The Sound of Music are in the back map. Salzburg is small, so you can walk to all of these sites. The other sites can be reached on bicycle or bus (Leopoldskron, Frohnburg, Hellbrunn), by train (Oberndorf or Hallein for Silent Night), or by car (Salzkammergut). n ADDRESSES, WEBSITES, AND PHONE NUMBERS Websites have the best information on upcoming performances, purchasing tickets, and opening hours. (Opening hours can vary widely, so be sure to check ahead.) Phone numbers are usually for ticket offices. n TWO WALKING TOURS One walking tour will guide you through the Mozart in Salzburg locations. The other walking tour will show you The Sound of Music sites. All you need to do is follow the dotted lines on the maps. n SALZBURG S MUSICIANS On page 109, you can learn a little about the composers, performers, and personalities mentioned in the book. n TWO DAYS OF MUSIC IN SALZBURG u DAY 1: GETTING TO KNOW MOZART Morning Start at the Cathedral (p.20-23) to see where Mozart was baptized. Experience St. Peter s Church and Cemetery (p.24-27). Spend an hour or two in Mozart s Birth House (p.10-13). Afternoon Visit the Mozart Residence Museum (p.14-17). Stroll through Mirabell Gardens (p.40-43). See the Mozart Family grave in St. Sebastian s Cemetery (p.28-29). u DAY 2: EXPERIENCE THE SOUND OF MUSIC ON FOOT AND BY BICYCLE Morning Start in Mirabell Gardens (p.40-43) for the scenes from Do-Re-Mi Go to Residence Square (p. 52-53) and splash water in the fountain where Julie Andrews sang I Have Confidence Walk up the Nonnberg Stairs to Nonnberg Abbey (p.50-51), where the real Maria and Georg were married, and where some prominent scenes were filmed Afternoon Return to Mozart Square (p.18-19) and rent bicycles to take you to: Leopoldskron Palace (p.44-45), Frohnburg Palace (p.48-49), and Hellbrunn Palace (p.46-47) You can also see these sites on any of The Sound of Music Tours EVERY EVENING Attend as many of Salzburg s wonderful musical performances as you can! How to use this Book 5
Mozart in Salzburg Mozart and Salzburg... 8-9 Mozart s Birth House... 10-13 Mozart s Residence... 14-17 Mozart Square... 18-19 Salzburg Cathedral... 20-23 St. Peter s Church, Cemetery, and Courtyard... 24-27 St. Sebastian s Cemetery... 28-29 Little Magic Flute House...30 Mozart Monument on Kapuzinerberg...31 University Church...32 Other Mozart Sites... 33-35 Aula Papagenoplatz Café Tomaselli Constanze Home Music History on Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 6 Mozart in Salzburg
Mozart in Salzburg Mozart s Birth House as seen from a restaurant on Hagenauerplatz Mozart was born in Salzburg, and this is where his genius was discovered. The great composer walked on virtually every street on both sides of the river. Music lovers can learn about his life in the two Mozart museums, and experience many sites where he performed and socialized. Visiting Salzburg is visiting Mozart. Mozart in Salzburg 7
An encounter with Mozart in the streets of Salzburg Mozart and Salzburg Mozart and Salzburg are synonymous with one another. It is hard to imagine one without the other. You see images of the great composer everywhere you look in this small city. On the streets and in the shops are Mozart books, postcards, gifts, and, of course, thousands of Mozart chocolates. And his music is performed daily. 8 Mozart in Salzburg n MOZART S FAMILY Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born in what is now Getreidegasse 9. His father, Leopold (1719-1787), was the son of an Augsburg bookmaker and came to Salzburg to study philosophy and jurisprudence in 1737. There he met Anna Maria Pertl (1720-1778) and the two married in 1747. In this building they had seven children, only two of whom survived: Maria Anna (known as Nannerl), born on July 30 or 31, 1751 and Wolfgang, born on January 27, 1756. Leopold was a talented musician who became deputy Kapellmeister of the court orchestra. Aside from being the father and teacher of two supremely talented children, he is known for his Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing, which is still used today to teach the 18th-century style of violin playing. n THE CHILD PRODIGY Stories of little Wolfgang s amazing talent abound. When Mozart was four, he tried
Mozart in Salzburg his hand at composing a concerto. Leopold looked at the scribbles that his son had written, initially could not make sense of it, but then recognized the musical notes on the page. He said to another musician who was visiting their home, See how correctly and properly it is all written, only it can t be used for it is so very difficult. Wolfgang s response was That s why it s a concerto; you must practice it until you get it right. Today, many people are only aware of Wolfgang s talent, but his sister, Nannerl, was also a gifted performer and composer. She may have even played keyboard better than her more famous brother. n TRAVELS TO OTHER EUROPEAN CITIES Leopold recognized the innate musical ability of both of his children and took them on many tours where they performed for the nobility of Europe. One of the most famous stories from these trips occurred in Vienna during the Mozarts first appearance there. When Wolfgang was six, he performed for the royal family. The Emperor jokingly challenged the boy to play with only one finger and then with a cloth covering the keyboard. Mozart was unfazed, and was able to do both with great skill. Events like this caused Leopold to write, Everyone is amazed, especially at the boy, and everyone whom I have heard says that his genius is incomprehensible. During one of the Italian trips, Leopold and Wolfgang heard the Vatican choir perform in the Sistine Chapel. The choir often sang a uniquely ornamented version of Allegri s Miserere which they were forbidden by threat of excommunication to share with outsiders. After only hearing this twice, Wolfgang remembered exactly what the choir had sung and transcribed it. He was 14. Between ages 6 and 25, about half of Wolfgang s life was on the road. Mozart was celebrated by the elite of Europe. He visited the grandest palaces in Europe, played for royalty and the aristocracy, learned several languages, and heard the latest music. n DISCONTENT IN SALZBURG Unfortunately, when he returned home after these trips, he often found Salzburg small and lacking in culture. There is no stimulus for my talent, he once wrote. When I play or when any of my compositions are performed, it is just as if the audience were all tables and chairs. Of course, this is hardly the case today, as Salzburg is the home of some of Europe s most sophisticated audiences. n ARCHBISHOP HIERONYMUS COLLOREDO For Mozart, the worst aspect of returning to Salzburg was Hieronymus Colloredo, the man who became Archbishop in 1772. The new ruler did not appreciate the talent of Wolfgang or Leopold, and treated musicians as no better than common servants. Mozart later wrote, The Archbishop cannot pay me enough for that slavery in Salzburg. The culmination of bad feelings between Mozart and Colloredo came to a head in Vienna in 1781. After several contentious meetings between the composer, the Archbishop, and his assistant, Count Arco, Mozart s service to Colloredo finally ended. But even this was not without drama, as Arco called Mozart a clown and a knave, and literally booted the composer out of the room with a kick in the arse. Mozart s years in Salzburg were officially over. n MOZART AND SALZBURG TODAY These days, Mozart is revered in the city of his birth. The airport is named after him, two Mozart museums receive thousands of visitors a year, and the supremely gifted composer is one of the main reasons that Salzburg has become one of Europe s musical capitals. Mozart and Salzburg are a perfect match. Mozart in Salzburg 9
Home where the von Trapp family lived The von Trapp Family Many thousands of visitors a year come to Salzburg to see where The Sound of Music was filmed. The real Maria Kutschera and Georg von Trapp had made this beautiful small city their home, and their story captivated audiences on the stage and then on the big screen. Here is a short history of how the von Trapp Family Singers came to be. 38 The Sound of Music and Salzburg n MARIA KUTSCHERA Maria Kutschera was born on January 26, 1905 on a train from her parents home in Tyrol to Vienna. There, she studied to be a teacher, but it was Vienna s rich musical life that captivated her. She immersed herself in the city s musical offerings, sometimes hearing four different musical masses on Sunday mornings. During a hiking trip in the Alps, Maria saw a spectacular sunset. She took this to be a gift from God. To repay Him, Maria decided never to see such a sunset again, and joined a strict convent. She chose Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg. n GEORG VON TRAPP Georg von Trapp (1880-1947) came from a naval family. His father commanded a ship in the Austrian Navy during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and was knighted (earning the von in his name) by Emperor Franz Josef for distinguished service. Georg entered the Naval Academy when he was 14.
The Sound of Music and Salzburg While living the naval base at Fiume, Georg met Agathe Whitehead (1890-1922), the granddaughter of the inventor of the torpedo, and early in 1911, they were married. During World War I, von Trapp commanded one of Austria s six submarines and was later awarded the Military Order of Maria Theresa, Austria s highest military honor. Agathe and the children moved to peaceful Zell-am-See, near Salzburg, and after the war, the entire family moved to Klosterneuburg, near Vienna. It was here that tragedy struck. An epidemic of Scarlet Fever hit the area, and several of the von Trapp children and their mother caught the dreaded disease. The children all survived, but Agathe could not recover and died at age 32 on September 2, 1922. n MOVING TO SALZBURG Georg had liked the area around Salzburg, and, in 1925, moved his family to Aigen on the outskirts of Salzburg. The von Trapp Villa was a large, remodeled home with 22 rooms, standing on richly wooded land. When one of his daughters, the 12-yearold Maria, began to show signs of exhaustion, the captain contacted Nonnberg Abbey for a private tutor. The Reverend Mother Abbess gave 21-year-old Maria Augusta Kutschera a 10-month assignment with the von Trapps. n MARIA AND THE FAMILY Maria Kutschera not only tutored little Maria, but also became a friend and oldersister figure to the other children. She sang with them while the family played musical instruments. Georg had been thinking that she would make a wonderful second wife, and when Maria s 10 months with the family were coming to a close, Georg surprised her by asking her to marry him. The wedding took place on November 26, 1927 at Nonnberg Abbey. In the hard financial times of the 1930s, von Trapp converted several rooms of the villa into apartments. One guest was a young priest from Upper Austria who heard the family sing in 1935. Father Wasner was a highly skilled musician and recognized the family s musical potential. He became their musical leader. By the end of 1937, they were performing throughout Europe. The Captain did not sing, but gave his total support to the family from backstage. In all, there were 10 children: seven from Georg s first marriage, and three with Maria. n CHALLENGES DURING THE NAZI ERA Life changed for the family as the Nazis came to power in Germany, and eventually annexed Austria on March 11, 1938. The Nazis made several requests of the captain and his family. They wanted him to take command of a German submarine, requested that he display the Nazi flag, and asked that the family sing for Hitler s birthday. All requests were denied. Saying no to the Nazis caused problems for the singing family. When the von Trapps could no longer book halls to perform concerts, they knew they had to leave their beloved Austria. Under Nazi rule, exiting the country would have been nearly impossible, but the von Trapps luckily had Italian passports because their former home near Fiume was now part of Italy. n LEAVING AUSTRIA The Italian family was able to leave Austria for a vacation in Italy. From there, they traveled to England where they boarded a ship for the United States. Over the years, the Von Trapp Singers grew to become one of the most sought after performing groups in the United States, and then the world. They finally settled in Stowe, Vermont, where the Trapp Family Lodge is a popular year-round resort. The Sound of Music and Salzburg 39
Salzburg The Festival City Salzburg Festival... 60-63 Salzburg s Other Festivals... 64-65 Mozart Week Salzburg Biennale Salzburg Easter Festival Salzburg Pfingstfestspiele Jazz & The City Salzburg Adventsingen 58 Salzburg The Festival City
Salzburg The Festival City Intermission of opening night of the opera at the Salzburg Festival Salzburg is the home of one of the greatest annual music festivals in the world: the Salzburg Festival. In July and August, world-class performers present a wide variety of operas, concerts, recitals, and stage plays. The city also hosts several other festivals throughout the year. Salzburg The Festival City 59
Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf The Story of Silent Night The story of Silent Night is the story of Franz Gruber and Joseph Mohr. Visitors can see sites in Oberndorf and Hallein that are dedicated to the hymn and these two friends. 82 Silent Night The Beloved Hymn u HIGHLIGHTS Oberndorf s Silent Night Chapel Hallein s Silent Night Museum Gruber s guitar and grave n JOSEPH MOHR AND FRANZ GRUBER Silent Night was the collaboration of two good friends. Joseph Mohr, who wrote the text, was the young parish priest at St. Nikolaus Church in Oberndorf. Franz Xaver Gruber, who composed the music, was a local school teacher and the church organist. Joseph Mohr was born in Salzburg on December 11, 1792. His father was a soldier and was away most of the time, and his mother was quite poor. Even his godfather was not a happy figure in the child s life, because he was Salzburg s executioner. Things began to improve for Joseph when he was six and met the
Silent Night The Beloved Hymn Silent Night Museum and Gruber s Grave in Hallein cathedral choir s curate. The boy sang in the choirs of St. Peter s Church (p.24-27) and the University Church (p.32), and then went on to further studies and ordination. One of his first posts, from 1817 to 1819, was in Oberndorf. Franz Gruber was born on November 25, 1787 in the village of Unterweizberg in Bavaria near the source of the Salzach River. His father was a poor weaver who initially resisted his son s desire to learn music, but relented when Franz s teacher convinced him to let the boy attend teacher training college and take music lessons. By 1816, Franz had become the schoolmaster in Arnsdorf and the organist at nearby Oberndorf s St. Nikolaus Church. n THE ORIGIN OF THE HYMN In 1816, Mohr wrote a six-stanza Christmas poem. Two years later, on December 24th, 1818, he asked Gruber to set it to music to be performed in church that night. The music was for two male voices (Mohr and Gruber), choir, and a guitar accompaniment that Mohr would play himself. Gruber later described the result: On the very same evening, I fulfilled the musical curate s request, and this simple composition was immediately performed on the holy night to the acclaim of everyone present. No one knows why Mohr wanted this music to be written, or even why he wrote the six-stanza poem. Many have speculated that it was composed for guitar because the church s organ was broken, but there are no records to support this. One of the more delightful tales was that mice ate through the organ s bellows, making the instrument unplayable. Or perhaps the guitar was used because the mass ended with the hymn being sung in front of the outdoor manger. Following their collaboration in 1818, Gruber continued as a teacher and organist. In 1835, he fulfilled his career dream of being solely a musician when Silent Night The Beloved Hymn 83