Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde

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Conservatory of Vienna in Gustav Mahlers days
Musikverein
Musikvereinsplatz No. 1.

The Wiener Musikverein, (Viennese Music Association), commonly shortened to Musikverein, is a concert hall in the Innere Stadt borough of Vienna, Austria. It is the home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO).

The “Great Hall” (Großer Saal, Musikvereinssaal) due to its highly regarded acoustics is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world, along with Berlin’s Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and Boston’s Symphony Hall. None of these halls was built in the modern era with the application of acoustics science and all share a long, tall, and narrow shoebox shape.

This building is located on Dumbastraße/Bösendorferstraße behind the Hotel Imperial near the Ringstraße boulevard and the Wien River, between Bösendorferstraße and Karlsplatz. However, since Bösendorferstraße is a relatively small street, the building is better known as being between Karlsplatz and Kärntner Ring (part of Ringstraße loop). It was erected as the new concert hall run by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, on a piece of land provided by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in 1863. The plans were designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen in the Neoclassical style of an ancient Greek temple, including a concert hall as well as a smaller chamber music hall. The building was inaugurated on 06-01-1870. A major donor was Nikolaus Dumba whose name the Austrian government gave to one of the streets surrounding the Musikverein.

The Großer Musikvereinssaal, or Goldener Saal (Golden Hall), is about 49 m (161 ft) long, 19 m (62 ft) wide, and 18 m (59 ft) high. It has 1,744 seats and standing room for 300. The Skandalkonzert of 1913 was given there, and it is the venue for the annual Vienna New Year’s Concert. Its lively acoustics are primarily based on Hansen’s intuition as he could not rely on any studies on architectural acoustics. The room’s rectangular shape and proportions, its boxes and sculptures allow early and numerous sound reflections. The original equipment comprised a historic pipe organ built by Friedrich Ladegast, the first organ recital was held by Anton Bruckner in 1872. The present-day organ was originally installed by the Austrian firm Rieger Orgelbau in 1907, highly esteemed by musicians such as Franz Schmidt or Marcel Dupré, and rebuilt in 2011.

16-12-1877 Vienna: The second version of the Symphony no. 3 of Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) (53) is performed for the first time at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Musikverein), conducted by the composer. Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), a substitute conductor, is unable to conduct his work properly. The musicians play bad and the audience is divided. Many of the audience gets up during the latter part. Only about 25 visitors, including Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) and a number of his fellow students, remain. The musicians leave soon after the end of the concert. See 21-12-1890 at the Year 1890. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) is commissioned to write a piano version (to be published in 1880).

Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Musikverein, Musikvereinsplatz No. 1).