Any recommendations about which seats to purchase at this venue? We don't need perfect seats, but also don't want to diminish our experience just for the sake of economy.
Thank you!
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5494 posts
I'd suggest posting this question on Trip Advisor where there are great experts on music and music venues in Vienna. The experience on this forum with such a specific question will be anecdotal at best.
Posted by
OP
Ithaca, NY, USA
738 posts
Thanks, Emily -- I'll do that!
Posted by
Green Bay
21118 posts
If you've ever seen the inside of the Musikverein, like from the New Years Day concerts, I don't think there are any seats that would diminish your experience.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Wien_Musikverein_innen_2010_2.jpg
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4161 posts
As Sam says , there are no second rate seats in The Musikverein , arguably considered the greatest concert hall anywhere , I spent my working career as a bassoonist in NYC , and have enjoyed a number of programs at The Musikverein , most recently Mahler Sixth last October with The Cleveland Orchestra . The level of aural detail in the hall is the most striking feature , giving the performances a degree of transparency and detail , that is unmatched . Get the best seats you can , it is money well spent ! PS , part of my education many years ago , was at Ithaca College . By the way , what programs are you considering ?
Posted by
Southeast US
4035 posts
I'm not a classically-trained musician -- just a guy who enjoys classical music, who tries to catch a classical concert on most trips to Europe, and who has season tickets to my local philharmonic orchestra. The Musikverein is easily my favorite place to see a classical concert. It has very nice acoustics and an interior that is Habsburg wonderful. I've seen two performances there. For the first, I sat in the front row far right where my favorite conductor walked 10 feet from me as he entered the stage (which, I hate to admit, made me feel like a middle-school girl at a boy band concert). For the second performance, I sat in the rear balcony. Both were good seats (though front row was definitely better!). When I sat in the balcony, I scanned the crowd, and it looked like the people in the rear row or two of the side balconies were doing some leaning forward and neck craning, appearing to try to improve their view of the performance. I do agree with Stephen -- get the best seats you can. It's definitely money well spent.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4161 posts
Dave , Being a trained musician is certainly not a prerequisite for being able to enjoy good music . I am retired after thirty five years , but as part of the audience , the thrill goes on . Summers in New England , on the great lawn at Tanglewood , in Lenox , Massachusetts , with a picnic , a bottle of wine , and the Boston Symphony Orchestra are one of the great joys of life , We need more audiences , like you , to keep this alive .
Posted by
OP
Ithaca, NY, USA
738 posts
Thank you -- I am thrilled we are going to be able to experience this venue. Steven, we will be in Vienna for several days at the beginning of June, and I am looking at evening performances on June 3rd (Vienna Symphony program including Dvorak Symphony #8 and a Schumann violin concerto) or June 5th Tonkunstler Orchestra (also Dvorak Symphony #8 plus Haydn and Ravel). We have a neighbor who teaches voice at IC, and another who is an accompanist. I, myself, am not musical....but I do enjoy living in a musical neighborhood!
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4161 posts
Ruth , both of these programs are wonderful . My personal choice based on the programming , is the June fifth concert . The Haydn symphony 102 is one of the series of the twelve " London " symphonies , and a fine example of true " classicism " in late eighteenth century music . The Ravel G major piano concerto written about 1930 is truly French , but was heavily influenced by American jazz idioms , particularly the work of George Gershwin . Finally , the Dvorak Eight in G major , is " Romantic " style , written late in Dvorak's life , only slightly less well known than the ninth or " New World " symphony . Again both choices are good , but I have a weak spot for the Ravel and Dvorak , and the substance of this program is a great compendium of Classical , Romantic , and Twentieth Century masterworks . I wish I were there !
Posted by
2221 posts
As noted before the acoustics of the "Grosser Saal" is outstanding, so it does not matter where you sit if you just want to listen.
Here you have the seating layout, showing seats in color with restricted or no view at all:
https://www.musikverein.at/CustomResources/pdf/Saalplan/cacde015-795b-4492-a992-8bdaa43e2222.pdf