The Great Tours: Music Masters of Vienna

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01: Vienna, the City of Music

Discover how Vienna became a glorious center of musical culture in the 18th and 19th centuries. Trace the history of the city, and study three pivotal events that illustrate Vienna's evolution as a multicultural, multi-ethnic society, and a mecca for artists and intellectuals of all stripes. Grasp how music became the city's favored art form, producing the Viennese Classical Style.

02: Mozart, Vivaldi, and St. Stephen's Cathedral

Relive the story of Mozart's early life in Vienna. Learn about his first home there, and the fraught circumstances surrounding his engagement and marriage to Constanze Weber. Then, delve into the later life of Antonio Vivaldi in Vienna. Visit the site where Mozart's wedding and Vivaldi's funeral both took place, the great St. Stephen's Cathedral, for centuries the spiritual heart of Vienna.

03: Joseph Haydn: From Choirboy to Composer

Follow in the footsteps of Joseph Haydn; the events of his youth in Vienna, and the hardships and multiple musical roles he experienced as he honed his craft. With the patronage of the illustrious Esterhazy family, witness his ascent to become the most famous and popular composer in Europe. Visualize key locations in his life, such as the Großes Michaelerhaus and the Palais Esterhazy.

04: Haydn Buys a House in Vienna

Explore the rich architecture of St. Michael's square, and its multiple landmarks of Vienna's cultural life. Trace the arc of Haydn's extraordinary career, his 29 years working for the Esterhazy family, and his two extended residencies in London, which brought him major acclaim. Then, tour Haydn's house in Vienna, now a museum, and learn about his daily schedule and the events of his later years.

05: Music and the Hapsburg Empire

Reflect on the complex infrastructure that Vienna's musical culture demanded, comprising a powerful patron class, composers, musicians, performance venues, and training institutions. Observe how Viennese music-making was inextricably linked with the Habsburg monarchy, reflecting its self-image of "enlightened" rule, based on reason, modernization, and doing the greatest good for the people.

06: Opera in Josephine Vienna

Take an overview of the reigns of the Empress Maria Theresa, herself an accomplished musician, and of her son Joseph II, and the role they both played in building Vienna's musical culture. Learn about the place of opera in Vienna's musical pantheon; the popularity of Italian opera with the nobility, and Joseph's championing of German language opera, and creation of a German National Theater.

07: Mozart and the Figaro House

Visit Mozart's home at Domgasse 5, now a museum. Tour the rooms of this sumptuous apartment, and visualize Mozart's busy life there, filled with visitors, friends, and family. Take account of the exhibits about Mozart's life in the house, historic meetings that took place there, and the great wealth of masterworks he wrote in this apartment, including his epochal opera, The Marriage of Figaro.

08: Mozart's Many Moves in Vienna

Delve into Mozart's early life as a touring prodigy. Learn how his visits to Vienna and his difficult relationship with the prince-archbishop of Salzburg led to his permanent move to the city. Trace the composer's rise to fame in Vienna and locate performance venues and apartments where his legendary career unfolded, culminating with his final home and the circumstances of his death and burial.

09: Beethoven and Prince Lichnowsky

In 1792, Beethoven made his way from his native Bonn to Vienna, with a letter of introduction to the Prince Karl Lichnowsky. Follow Lichnowsky's patronage of Beethoven, from taking the composer into his home to providing later professional support. Witness Beethoven's developing career, the premiere of his Opus 1 Trios, and the dramatic incident that nearly cost him his friendship with the prince.

10: Beethoven Finds Artistic Freedom in Vienna

Take a deep look at Beethoven's abrasive personality, and the role it played in forging his personal vision of music. Trace the composer's relationship with Prince Joseph Lobkowitz, one of his greatest patrons. Encounter performance venues that were important in Beethoven's life, such as the Palais Lobkowitz and the Theater an der Wien, which saw numerous premieres of major Beethoven works.

11: Beethoven's Crisis in Heiligenstadt

Uncover the events of Beethoven's 1802 summer and fall at the spa town of Heiligenstadt, where his hearing loss pushed him into deep depression, followed by a passionate resolve. Visit the composer's favorite home away from home, the spa town of Baden bei Wien. Then investigate the events of 1812-1813, which brought Beethoven a failed love affair, a spectacular professional success, and torturous family conflict.

12: The Pasqualati House and Beethoven's Last Days

In a final look at Beethoven, visit some of the composer's later homes, highlighting the Pasqualati House, the home of a friend where Beethoven was always welcome. Visualize the vanished Kärntnertor Theater, where Beethoven's 9th Symphony premiered, extant restaurants Beethoven knew, and his final residence. Learn about Beethoven's death and reflect on the events and impact of his funeral while visiting his original gravesite.

13: Schubert, Salieri, and the Stadtkonvikt

Enter Franz Schubert's life at his birth house, and the Lichtental church, where the composer received an extraordinary musical education. Follow Schubert's evaluation by the composer Antonio Salieri, and his enrollment in the Stadtkonvikt, the Imperial and Royal Seminary, completing his education. Witness how, with the support of friends, Schubert embarked on his meteoric composing career.

14: Schubert's Death and Final Resting Place

Trace the arc of Schubert's musical life; his incessant composing, and the astonishing number of masterworks he produced within his 31 years. Learn the circumstances under which he contracted syphilis, and how he managed to keep composing despite horrible symptoms, depression, and despair. Note the events of his final days, and how he achieved his wish to be buried at the side of his idol, Beethoven.

15: The Ring and Its Construction

Here, travel the Ringstraße or Ring, a core artery of Vienna since the mid 19th century. Study the history of the Ring, built as a grand boulevard encircling the formerly-walled First District. Visit the majestic buildings of the Rathaus quarter, arrayed on the Ring, such as the City Hall, Burgtheater, and Vienna University. Also, note the Ring's beautiful parks and luxurious apartment buildings.

16: Brahms Finds Vienna

In this first look at Brahms, review the events of his first 29 years. Experience the dramatic story of his early life, from the hardships of his impoverished youth in Hamburg to his first musical tour, the challenges of his burgeoning fame, and his love for Clara Schumann. As he settled into life as a choral conductor and composer, grasp the factors that led to his permanent move to Vienna.

17: Brahms at the Top of the Viennese Music Scene

Seek out the haunts of Brahms as he made Vienna his home, beginning with the Prater, a wooded park, where he walked, ate and drank, and interacted with a wide spectrum of people. Witness how Brahms lived, simply and austerely, though he became very wealthy through his work. Assess Brahms's character, his extreme self-criticism in the face of huge acclaim, and his enigmatic and harsh exterior.

18: Brahms's Life and Death in Vienna

In this lecture, take a detailed tour of Brahms's final home in Vienna, where he spent the last 25 years of his life. Through photos, watercolors, and the descriptions of many people, envision the life Brahms led at Karlsgasse 4, and the ambiance and key furnishings of his living room, bedroom, and library. Reflect on Brahms's death, his funeral, and the legacy of his life and work.

19: A New Infrastructure for Viennese Music

In 1812, the founding of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna changed the face of musical patronage in the city. Explore this visionary organization, which was directed not by the Imperial court or aristocracy, but by dedicated middle class music lovers and musicians. Learn about its Conservatory, archive, choral society, concert series, and magnificent performance venue, the Musikverein.

20: The Strauss Family and the Viennese Waltz

Grasp the deep identification of the Viennese people, and the city itself, with the waltz. Uncover the 18th century origins of the waltz as a dance and music form, at first highly controversial, and see how it became the rage in Vienna, and subsequently across Europe. Trace the career of Johann Strauss, Sr., one of the first major waltz composers, whose work significantly popularized the waltz.

21: Johann Strauss Jr. and The Blue Danube

Immerse yourself in the lore of the Viennese waltz, through the life of Johann Strauss Jr., known as The Waltz King. Witness how Strauss Jr. exceeded his father as both composer and performer. Learn the story of how he created the most iconic Viennese waltz. Reflect on how the social culture of the waltz served as an escape for the Viennese at a time when the Habsburg Empire was crumbling.

22: The Vienna Opera House and Gustav Mahler

Learn the history of Vienna's majestic, neo-Renaissance style Opera House, opened in 1869, and today the busiest opera house in the world. Trace the life of one of its most esteemed music directors, Gustav Mahler. Explore the hardships of his childhood, his obsessive immersion in music, and his extraordinary career, which would see him rise to greatness as both a conductor and composer.

23: The Secession and Arnold Schoenberg

Investigate the artistic movement of the Viennese Secession of 1897, a group of artists who protested the entrenched Viennese art establishment, advocating the blooming of a modern art that reflected the contemporary world. Then, travel into the life of the groundbreaking composer Arnold Schoenberg, who rejected traditional musical tonality, becoming a massive influence on 20th century music.

24: The End of an Empire

Track the story of Arnold Schoenberg's music, and the incredible metamorphosis that led him to reject the traditions of musical melody and harmony, forging the daring new music of the Second Viennese School, in tandem with Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Conclude with a look at the demise of the Habsburg Empire amid the catastrophe of World War I, and an appreciation of Vienna as it is today.

Overview Course No. 80810

From the 18th century to the early 20th, Vienna was the home and workplace of a Who’s Who of musical giants—a pantheon including many of history’s greatest composers.

In these 24 enthralling lectures, you’ll visit locations such as The Mozart House, where Mozart wrote many of his greatest masterworks; The Palais Lobkowitz, where Beethoven often performed; Schubert’s final residence; and The Casino Zögernitz, where orchestras performed the Viennese waltz.

In Dr. Greenberg’s brilliant presentation, you’ll explore the phenomenon of Vienna’s musical greatness through subject matter such as

A Musical Fountainhead. Examine the factors within the Habsburg monarchy that linked music with its imperial identity; observe how the people of Vienna took the helm of its musical life.
Haydn and Mozart. Walk in the footsteps of Joseph Haydn and visit his house in Vienna; enter the world of Mozart, and the concert venues and homes where his career unfolded across Vienna.
Beethoven’s Vienna. Visualize key performance venues associated with Beethoven’s works, various of his homes in Vienna, and witness the poignant unfolding of his life.
A Majestic Cityscape. Travel the magnificent boulevard of the Ringstrasse, with its monumental imperial buildings and mansions; take in the opulent Habsburg palaces, and the historic quarter of the First District.
Schubert and Brahms. Discover the life of Franz Schubert in Vienna, from his birthplace and schooling to his short but prodigious career; and travel deeply into Johannes Brahms’s Vienna—the places where he lived, walked, ate, and performed.
The Viennese Waltz. Explore the lives of the iconic waltz composers, Johann Strauss Jr. and Sr., and the story of the waltz as a cultural and social phenomenon.

The Great Tours: Music Masters of Vienna invites you to savor the magnificence of this glorious city, and the story of its most brilliant musicians, who have given us many of Western art’s greatest expressions of the human spirit.

About

Robert Greenberg, PhD

For thousands of years cultures have celebrated themselves through their music. Let us always be willing and able to join that celebration by listening as carefully as we can to what, through music, we have to say to one another.

ALMA MATER

University of California, Berkeley

INSTITUTION

San Francisco Performances

Robert Greenberg is Music Historian-in-Residence with San Francisco Performances and the composer of more than 50 works for a variety of instrumental and vocal ensembles. He received his PhD in Music Composition from the University of California, Berkeley, where he also served on the faculty. He has lectured widely, including for the San Francisco Symphony, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the Van Cliburn Foundation. His honors include three Nicola de Lorenzo Composition Prizes and a Koussevitzky commission from the Library of Congress, and he is a Steinway Artist.