Symphony in Vienna at Christmas

Look at the website for the Musikverein . In addition to The Vienna Philharmonic , The Vienna Symphony and many visiting orchestras perform there . The Musikverein is arguably the best concert hall anywhere . Writing from Vienna now , having just returned to my hotel from hearing The Cleveland Orchestra perform Mahler's Sixth ( The Tragic ) . Absolutely spectacular !

Also , The Musikverein is unique on several counts : the hall is , itself , a fine instrument ,and the clarity it imparts to a performance is truly remarkable . The audience , is a refreshing experience as well . The sensitivity to a performance and the impeccable manners they display makes a performance there without peer .

Thanks Steven. Very happy for you.
I must be reading the site incorrectly as I see just the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich playing Mahler?

Sounds great from your description. They don't have the detailed program for December dates yet, right? December 28-29 for example.

Are there other orchestras that would have tickets available also?

«Beethoven: Symphonien Nr. 2 & 9»
Samstag 30 Dezember 2017 20:00 Uhr
Vienna Konzerthaus
Grosser Saal
Lothringerstraße 20
1030 Wien
https://www.konzerthaus.at/konzert/eventid/54722

W. A. Mozart: "Requiem" at Karlskirche
Thu. 28 Dec 2017, 8:15 p.m.
Sat. 30 Dec 2017, 8:15 p.m.
St. Charles' Church (Karlskirche)
Karlsplatz
1040 Wien

Schoenbrunn Palace Concerts (Daily buy not sure if it is a smorgasbourg)
https://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/visitor-information/palace-concerts/

The concerts on the 28th and 29th are Silvestre programs , very likely similar to the Vienna Philharmonic programs beginning on the 30th . These are New Years concerts , usually with a good selection of pieces by the Strauss family , and composers of the late nineteenth century . Look on YouTube and search Vienna New Years concert to get an idea of what comprises these programs . Silvestre is the term for New Year in Vienna .

Thanks so much to both of you. Always a great forum for helping people.

The Beethoven program above is Vienna Symphony Orchestra , also a first rate ensemble . The second and the ninth would be a great evening .

Seating Question please.

In the Konzerthaus there are seats on the side. Do these face forward to the stage or at they facing the main seats in the middle. In the seat map at the bottom you can see some yellow seats on the side for example.
Also the seats on the side balconies. Are they fixed seats facing towards the crowd or are they facing the stage?

Konzerthaus

You have to click the Karten Kaufen link and then the Saalbild mit Kategorien ansehen link
Pardon my ignorance. Thanks.

Just checked for images online and it looks like all seating is fixed and the side seats do face into the crowd.

When I went to a tourist concert a couple of years ago the seating system just used plain chairs.

Sorry to be picky, but it is Silvester, not Silvestre.

Sorry to be picky as well , but a rather mercurial spell check on my tablet . ;--)

A few good choices -

Dec. 28 and 29 - Tonkuenstler Orchestra (excellent) in the Grosser Saal of the Musikverein:

https://events.wien.info/en/rx4/tonkunstler-orchester/

Dec. 28 and 29 - Strauss Festival Orchestra at the Vienna Konzerthaus:

https://events.wien.info/en/s85/strauss-festival-orchester-wien/

While the December 28 and 29 programs don't fit your request for extended works , the programming on them is wonderful and given the season , very appropriate . I would not dismiss considering them , and being performed at the Musikverein is an added plus , both visually and aurally . Off to do some laundry now ; -- )

Thanks again for the tips. And that looks like a really useful site Emily.

Related issue.
Any websites that helps one understand classical music so that one is better prepared to enjoy Beethoven's 2nd and 9th? Something that would explain the themes and how he achieves the desired effects, etc. I am watching an online course from Yale so I have some idea. But other resources would be nice too. Thanks.

Writing from Munich , no specific sites that I can suggest but recordings of both are ubiquitous ,and repeated listening will serve well to familiarize you with them . Biographical information about Beethoven will also be advantageous . That said , the second is early in Beethoven' s work and has a distinctly classical flavor recalling some of Mozart' s later works . The ninth , however , is more advanced and starts to bridge the evolution from classical to romantic style . The ninth also adds a choir and vocal soloists in the final section , Schiller' s Ode to Joy .

Thanks Steven. Enjoy Munich!

Something else just occurred to me. In the fifties and sixties , the great composer and conductor , Leonard Bernstein , did a whole series of narrative programs as " young people's concerts " . They were absolutely brilliant , and despite the title , anyone , young or not so young , benefited immeasurably from them . To this day , at the age of 71 , they are fascinating and uplifting . They are out there , and undoubtedly , programs on Beethoven exist . Nothing , would be of greater benefit .

Just out for the day , but one other item that will help . Some of Beethoven' s music is programmatic ( tells a story ) . One such composition is the Sixth , or " pastoral " Symphony . Read about , listen to it as the four movements evoke distinct emotions from the listener . Finally , watch the section ( although , greatly abridged ) in Disney's 1938 animated film , " Fantasia " . While Beethoven evoked the emotion , the animators did a remarkable , and poetic job of translating it into a visual experience , that you will not soon forget .

Thanks Steven. That Bernstein series seems very good. Found some on Youtube and from that I found a Great Composers series (BBC?).