Musikverein Vienna

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Musikverein Vienna: the golden temple of classical music in Vienna


Behind the unpretentious name 'Musikverein Wien' hides no traditional brass band, but it is the short form of the most traditional and world-famous concert hall of the Vienna Musikverein. Its famous golden Musikverein hall is considered one of the most beautiful and acoustically best halls in the world. The Musikverein, also called the 'House of the Vienna Musikverein', is located in Vienna's 1st district, Innere Stadt, on Musikvereinsplatz.

The Vienna Musikverein was founded in 1812 as the "Society of Friends of Music in Vienna" and originally held its concerts at the Tuchlauben, then in old Vienna the district of the cloth- cloth merchants. Today, nobler cloths from Dior, Gucci and the like are traded there, as the district is now part of the Golden Precinct, one of the most expensive addresses in the Republic.

The Hall at that time, despite its 700 seats, however, very quickly became too small for the concerts of the Musikverein, and so it was decided under Emperor Franz Joseph I to build a concert hall opposite the Karlskirche, no less magnificent than the church. The building is strongly influenced by the Greek classicism and the columns and gable reliefs, which are inspired by the antique models, make this concert hall of international reputation a true temple of music, which simply knows how to enchant with its red-gold decorations. 

In 1870, the concert hall with its famous Golden Hall and with the smaller Brahms Hall for chamber music, was inaugurated with the first concert and the excellent acoustics, which are still considered unique in the world, quickly became known throughout the world. This is remarkable because it was not until some 50 years later that the first scientific studies of room acoustics began. The Danish architect, Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen, had to rely on his intuition, his experience, and perhaps a bit of luck. The acoustic parameters, the volume of the room in relation to the number of only 2000 seats, and the sound-diffusing balconies, boxes and decorative plaster elements, all combined to create a perfect concert hall with a reverberation time of two seconds, which is almost ideal for classical music.

It is therefore not surprising that the Vienna Philharmonic regularly performs here. The undisputed annual highlights are their New Year's Eve and New Year's Day concerts.

To attend a concert here is to feel Viennese classical music with all your senses. To experience it once is a must for every classical music enthusiast. Unfortunately, most of the end-of-year events are booked up well in advance, so as an alternative we recommend attending one of the many other top-class concerts at the Vienna Musikverein.