Baroque concerts

Posted by JB_TX (Grapevine, Texas) on 03/14/18 01:29 AM

While I am not a baroque music expert, it is my favorite classical music style. In reading some of the RS information, it appears there are two main options -

Concerts at the Mirabell Palace
Concerts at the Hohensalzburg Fortress

Any advice on these? I know the Mirabell concerts are held in a baroque setting vs. the gothic fortress (with Mirabell perhaps having better musicians?)...

I thought we could also go to the fortress as a stand alone sight (without the concerts), but was looking for anyone who might have attended either of these settings or might have other suggestions!

Thanks, Jay

Posted by Marika

Ontario, Canada

03/14/18 01:54 AM

368 posts

We went to both in Sept and surprisingly loved the concert at the fortress by far & highly recommend it. There was an older gent playing the cello that was just mesmerizing.
Mirabell was disappointing. The room was way overcrowded as they used every available space to pack as many seats in .. nothing like the brochure pic! Didn’t help that two young ladies came in late & proceeded to continually take pictures, selfies & videos. A staff member finally spoke to them towards the end of intermission. For ambience the fortress wins hands down and we preferred their musicians.

Posted by Laura B

San Francisco Bay Area

03/14/18 02:22 AM

5697 posts

FYI, there are also short recitals (often soloists) in churches and the old residence. Small audience, lower cost, often earlier times.

Posted by Tim

Wyckoff, NJ, USA

03/14/18 02:59 AM

7982 posts

Since a huge number of Salzburg concerts are "tourist" concerts, I would suggest that the credentials of the performing group are a better indicator than the location of the venue. I would also venture that a 55-minute concert with no intermission, or a concert with food and drink is, to me, suspect. We heard (years ago) a great concert in the Marmoreansaale (sp.? Marble room) that was just fabulous. The ensemble was connected to the Mozarteum. It can be hard to evaluate an unfamiliar name.

Posted by JB_TX OP

Grapevine, Texas

03/15/18 12:18 AM

27 posts

thanks for the information - more homework for me!!

Posted by Janet

Boise, ID, USA

03/16/18 01:59 AM

2329 posts

I don't know what month you're going, but you might also check what's on at the Mozarteum (music conservatory). It's near the Mirabell gardens.

Posted by Christine

California

03/17/18 03:46 PM

785 posts

Although not live music, we loved the Salzburg marionette theater. http://www.marionetten.at/

Posted by Paul-of-the-Frozen-North

Sioux Falls, SD, USA

03/20/18 03:27 AM

3113 posts

We went to the concert at the Mozarteum. It was charming, a small room with good acoustics - a quartet I think (it's been 4 years). It was not expensive. At half time, we bought an inexpensive glass of wine. All in all, enjoyable.

Posted by Dave

Southeast US

03/23/18 03:31 AM

4065 posts

I'm just a guy who likes music. I have little formal knowledge/training with respect to classical music. In fact, the word "Baroque" always makes me chuckle because I think of the old Bugs Bunny line before I think of anything else. Having said that, I do hold season tickets to my local philharmonic orchestra.

I did the dinner and a concert thing at Hohensalzburg and enjoyed it. I have not been to a concert at Mirabell Palace. I REALLY enjoyed performances by the Vienna Philharmonic and Concentus Musicus Wien at the Großes Festspielhaus as part of the Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele) in 2014.

If you're looking for a non-touristy concert in Salzburg, check out...

The Salzburg Cultural Association website (click on the different venues in the menu on the left)

The Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation website

The Salzburg Festival website (Pricey!)