Beethoven's Vienna

Back in Vienna for the last time was bittersweet. We were able to see new things and watch more performances, but it also meant it's time to go home. From coming full circle by watching our first and last performances in the same concert hall, and begining and ending in the same city. This made it a lot more real that we were about to go home and back to our normal college lives. Vienna brought some wonderful surprises that were so fun to go to. However, as absolutely incredible this trip has been, I think it was the right amount of time and I'm ready to go home. That didn't stop me from enjoying every last moment from our last few days.

The night we arrived in Vienna brought my absolutely favorite concert of the whole trip. It was the Vienna Symphony with a piano concerto, and a full Dvorák symphony. I got to say, anytime there is piano involved, I'm enthralled and invested. The soloist, Jasminka Stancul, was absolutely amazing, especially with my front row view. I was able to look up and see her hands move at lightning speed for her runs, arpeggios and massive chords.

The view from our seats

I was stunned and in love with how she played the piece. An interesting but very well done encore she gave was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and she played it with so much restraint and beauty that you couldn't help but be sucked into the music. I absolute loved every minute she was on stage.

The next day was also really cool because we had dinner at a winery Beethoven would go to when he had a couple summers in Vienna. A few blocks away was the actual house Beethoven stayed at and is now a museum.

3D painting of him at his house

To say I was nerding out is a bit of an understatement. Beethoven is the composer I've listened to all my life and have played so many times. To not spoil anything, there were a lot of really cool artifacts on display and the music selections that we could sample was some very recognizable ones. I was a bit iffy about my views of Vienna when we were there the first time, but those couple of days changed my mind and I suddenly had more appreciation for the city that held some incredible composers.