Great Festival in Salzburg

Well today was Pentecost Monday and it is the last day of the Pfingstfestspiele in Salzburg under the direction of Cecilia Bartolia. A brilliant success, we saw some wonderful performances by great artists, orchestras and great conductors.

Today was started the day at 11am with a concert with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre orchestra, violinist Vadim Repin in a piece by Sofia Gubaidulina composed in 1981 Offertorium, we listened to her revised version of 1986. Program Notes were prepared by our friend David Nice a broadcaster and lectured on BBC Music Magazine and on the Arts Desk. Thank you David for those helpful and interesting notes on this work.

Vadim Repin violinist and Maestro Valery Gergiev

The second piece played at the Felsenreitschule was Dimitri Shostakovitch Symphonie no.13 Babi Yar with bass Mikhail Petrenko and the chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre. A powerful piece heavy in criticism of the USSR based on poems by Yevgeny Yevtushenko. It was wonderful a stunning piece, very moving. Sung in Russian by Petrenko, such a voice.

Mikhail Petrenko, basso

I will pass on the afternoon offering with the Hagen Quartet and Alfred Brendel, boring is all I can say of this piece The Seven Last Words by Haydn. Very poor indeed.

This evening we went to the Grosses Festspielhaus to listen to the Deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms with the chorus Wiener Singverein and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a creation of Maestro Daniel Barenboim. Soloist Cecilia Bartoli and René Pape.  A beautiful work, very well done.
The funny moment in this rather serious work was when it became quite apparent to us in the front rows that Maestro Barenboim was loosing his pants. He was trying to tug them up desperately at one point he said something to Cecilia Bartoli and she gave him a funny smile. Something had gone wrong with his suspenders. In the end all ended well and no ones dignity was damaged. The Wiener Singverein a choir of about 100 members first performed this work on its debut in 1869.

Cecilia Bartoli, René Pape and Maestro Daniel Barenboim in Salzburg.


A standing ovation was given for this great work and the artists involved.

We returned to the Bristol for dinner in the Sketch Bar.

Sketch Bar at Hotel Bristol Salzburg.

Czar fillet of Salmon with tomato emulsion, salted chocolate square and balsamic vinegar

Leek tart with bouquet of salad and garlic cream and chives.

Filet mignon with pan seared goose liver paté and black truffles in an emulsion of Balsamic vinegar and red onions sautéed in red wine.

Decaf espresso

We had an excellent Austrian Red Wine by Zull,  Cuvée Schrattenthal 9.

Tomorrow we take the train to Fussen in Germany, it appears that rain is in the forecast.




  

On our way to Salzburg

This morning we took the train from Munchen to Salzburg, a direct OBB Railjet doing the liaison from Munich to Budapest. After Salzburg the train becomes more regional and will make several stops as it goes Eastward towards Hungary, stopping in Linz and Vienna. Though we cross 2 borders there are no inspection or stops for immigration anymore, the Shengen Treaty Zone means that when we arrived in Frankfurt we entered the zone and went through the only immigration custom control for Shengen Zone, several EU countries are signatory to the Treaty.

Our hotel in Munich the Eden Hotel Wolff in front of the train station was very nice, clean and quiet. Lots of businessmen stay there because it is central to everything, the train, the connection airport bus, all attraction of the old centre of the City. The food at the hotel restaurant was very good with a menu of Bavarian Specialties and great wine selection. The Hotel is not new, built in 1900 by Mr. Wolff it was completely rebuilt in 1950 after suffering devastating bombings by the Allies at the end of WWII. The hotel is said to be ''Die Gute Adresse im Munchen'', its true.

So now we are on the road or rail, going East crossing vast green meadows, dark green pine forests, brooks and rivers. Just after crossing the Austrian border we approach the Tyrol mountain range which are smaller mountains than the Alps beyond which we can see the snow cap peaks. To get to Salzburg from Munich there are no mountain range to cross. This sort of puts the lie to the final scene of the Sound of Music saga when you see the Von Trapp climbing mountains, where are they going? Unless they are going south to Innsbruck towards the Brenner Pass into Italy. But still a very long distance from their home on foot, not credible for 1938. Interesting to note that in Salzburg they are seen more as a fairytale story which makes a good musical or movie.

The OBB has a restaurant car and also for the first class passenger a service at your seat. The menu is quite extensive and all of it is served on real china, no paper cups here please and all for the same price as in Canada on Soviet Style service VIA RAIL. You have to wonder how they do it.

Sidd on the train to Salzburg

We are also traveling with our friend Sidd, he is a gnome and has gone around the world. Will takes him with us and he has been to Amsterdam, London, sailed the Baltic and Russia, now he is going to Austria. He has previously been to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lybia, South Africa and many other places, lucky little gnome. He even gets to sit in the cockpit of planes with the Captain. Funny how a gnome will make you popular with people.

Sidd in our suite at the Bristol amongst the fruit basket.

The scenery on this 90 minute train ride is quite lovely, beautiful churches, old castles, mountains, valleys and forests, cows with those big bells around their necks and peasants driving BMW and Audi.

The railway station in Salzburg is completing a total refit, rebuilt and renovated, very modern, its stands just outside the City as not to disturb the historical beauty of this small town. Only the historical mean hall and entrance of the old station in Art Nouveau style has been kept with its mosaic murals of the countryside of Salzburg.

Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo soprano, director of the Whitsun Music Festival Salzburg

We arrived at Hotel Bristol and were met my the owner Theodor Magrutsch and staff, this is how it is done here at the Bristol, a family run hotel. It is just as lovely as ever and we got our old suite the Tuscany which we love. The Maitre d'hôtel Mr. Peter is still here and a new barman Mr. Gabor. They also have new elevators but just as elegant as the old ones with silk damask panels. Mr. Christian Lackner the manager and cousin is also here. This hotel is quite special and unlike any other I have ever stayed at. I note that their dining room in now in the Gault et Millau. 

While Will took a nap I went looking around, I went to Schubert next to the hotel to buy some socks and bought 2 shirts also. The selection is unbeliveable, the most beautiful stuff, ties and bow ties too, its a very small shop, but the quality. Came back to the hotel and had tea in the Sketch Bar which is very well prepared using mountain stream water that is super hot with quality tea served in beautiful porcelaine. Their strudel is also wonderful made fresh everyday by the pastry chef and served warm with real whipped cream.

Love black marble and mirrors

Around 7pm we walked to Café Bazar and had a drink and then the weather being so nice and sitting by the river looking at the Castle and the old city as the sun was setting we decided to have dinner. The food of the Café Bazar is quite good and reasonably priced. They also have a good wine list of Austria and German wines.

Laurent with Proseco

Today Thursday is a quiet day, the Festival starts tomorrow.

View of old Salzburg from the Café Bazar

Empress Marie-Thérèse Life Style

When I visited the Innsbruck Hofburg yesterday I never imagined living the Roccoco lifestyle of Empress Marie-Thérèse of Austria. We arrived in Salzburg today with fresh snow on the ground. The city is quite lovely in winter. We went directly to our hotel The Bristol Salzburg, see www.bristol-salzburg.at
we asked that they give us a different room this time, in the past we always stayed in the Tuscany Suite on the first floor. This time they gave us the Makart Suite on the third floor, I was not quite prepared for what we saw when we entered the room accompanied as is the tradition of this hotel by the Front Office Manager followed by the bellhop with the luggage. We will probably see the owner later on during our stay because, he always makes a point of speaking with guests. The welcome was quite warm since we are known and returning guests to this hotel. We even met our new bartender who at the Sketch Bar has replaced the irreplaceable Gunther. The new fellow's name is Ben, like the Pope.

The Bristol is a very special hotel and old fashion in all it does, this is what makes the absolute charm of this hotel and really puts it into a niche all its own. Nothing is ordinary here and our room exceeds all our expectation including the spectacular view.

Bathroom, window side

Bathroom shower side

A picture taken in May of the Bristol Hotel with the old Austrian Imperial flag.

The room itself is quite large 10 meters by 12 meters.

The bathroom alone is 6 meters long by 4 meters wide. I have never seen such a large bathroom done in Roccoco style, marble floors, larged marbled mirrors, crystal chandelier, enormous bathtub, a separate shower stall the size of an elevator, etc... not to mention the special soaps, the room itself is also magnificient.

You have a look for yourself, I am enchanted by this room, I could live here forever.
After undoing our luggage, we went downstairs to the Sketch bar to meet our new barman for our stay and had champagne to calm ourselves.

The view form our room, with the old city and the Archbishop's palace up on the hill.

Pentecost Sunday

A beautiful day today, hot and sunny, concert this morning with Les Arts Florissants with Paul Agnew. An excellent group who through the years have amassed a large following under William Christie who is now retiring slowly. Les Arts Florissants is known for its early Music repertoire and Baroque music of the 1600 and 1700.
This morning was Neapolitan music and as Paul Agnew explained to the audience, this was the period when Neapolitan music and genre was dominating the world stage. The concert was devoted to music of the Roman Catholic Church played during the Passion period and entitled Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah. The music is written in the antique style, meaning that as church music it is not accompanied by an orchestra. The stile moderno on the other hand is secular music and is with orchestra but would not be performed in a church.

Here we had cello, theorbe and organ continuo and the choir of Les Arts Florissants. The concert last about one hour and 40 minutes all together. The pieces span the period 1660 to 1757, by authors Alessandro Scarlatti, Leonardo Leo and Antonio Caldara.

Afterwards we went to Herzl the restaurant of the Goldener Hirsch Hotel (www.goldenerhirschsalzburg.at)
They have nice Austrian food and it is beautifully presented. We had Zander, which is a white fish with green asparagus and mashed potatoes. Since Will is not feeling well, a slight cold, he went to bed after lunch and I went walking about town. Today is quiet, tonight no concert, so we will have dinner in the hotel restaurant.

One thing about this Music Festival, first when you come to one of the concert halls, no one checks your ticket, you simply walk in. The ushers may take a cursory look at your ticket but they are there to help you find your seat. The whole thing is an honour system, it is assume that if you do not have a ticket, you would not try to sneak into an event. Same thing at intermission, in the Karl Böhm hall, they will often have champagne on offer and an area for the special guests, again it is assume that if you are not a special guests of the sponsor, you will not try to barge in and take something that is not yours. The idea is that if you are caught the shame of it would make you loose face in public. You know it works here.

This morning a non-European tourist in an expensive rented car tried to drive the wrong way down a one way street passing in front of the Festival hall, the police stopped him and asked for ID.
The officer then told the driver that he could go no further. The driver argued with the officer that he only wanted to go to the next intersection about 600 meters away. The officer told him NO turn around or park right here. Tourist was having none of it but at the same time realize that the stern look on the officer’s face meant NO and that is it. He finally turned around.

At the festival people dress well, you will not see casual wear, it’s not done. Women are very well dressed and so are men, for an 11am concert men wear tie and jacket and women have nice outfits, nothing loud but in good taste. I find that women here look feminine, dress in an under stated way but with elegance, even ladies who do not attend the festival dress well.

The other thing Will and I noticed is the number of wealthy looking older gentlemen with younger companions. There are quite a few here, nephews no doubt.

Also people attending the Festival will not be seen between concerts, where do they do? I have no idea.
It seems that people simply visiting Salzburg belong to one group and people at the Festival are another distinct group, a bit like groupies or conventioneers.

another music day in Salzburg

Well we had quite a day today, first the weather, turned out sunny and warm despite all predictions that it would rain all day.
The crowds came out everywhere in the squares and all along the river banks of the Salzach. Our morning concert at the Mozartheum was very beautiful, though the concert hall tends to be very warm due to poor air circulation. I also noticed a naked statue of Mozart in the lobby, he appears under the form of Apollo, god of music. We had lunch in a very good Japanese restaurant, not surprised given the number of Japanese here. I discovered that Kirin Ichiban Beer is owned by Heineken and made in Russia under licence. We then went to Demel for coffee and pastries. The late afternoon we saw the opera Piramo and Tisbe by Johann Adolph Hasse composed around 1768 is an obscure piece and maybe it should stay that way. We left after the first act, pretty music but boring, it is the old theme along the lines of the Romeo and Juliette story. We returned to the hotel for dinner and Gunther our barman, who we believe to be the best barman in the world, served us dinner, Will chose from the Austrian Imperial menu, which are favorite foods of the Kaiser Franz Josef, wiener schnitzel and I had veal cutlets in morel sauce with white asparagus. To start we had goose liver paté, a personal favorite with a coulis of red pimento and strawberry.

We then went to the movies, as part of the Festival this year they had a 1927 silent movie called Naples is a song, accompanied with techno music. The movie was great, it had a scene shot at the top of the Vesuvius, which was smoking with a huge plume back in those days. The street scenes of Naples were very interesting and funny.

We came back around midnight and Gunther the Bar man had night caps for us.
Tomorrow we have a concert at 11 am and then we are free. We will probably go to the Goldener Hirsch (golden stag) for dinner.
It is one of the best hotels in the world and their restaurant is very nice. Hopefully tomorrow which is Pentecost and a major holiday here in this very Catholic country, we will have sunny weather again.

Morning rush

This morning after a night of very heavy rain, the sky seems to want to clear. Hopefully the weather will be warmer, though it is not unpleasant. We went down to the breakfast room, really good offering for breakfast and they have those really nice pork sausage with herbs that I like so much and all kinds of other good stuff. Had a little chat with the hotel owner about the festival and exchanged views about the artists this year and last. He took over from his mother who has retired, a very charming fellow.

His background is not hotel business but music he was for many years with the Vienna ensemble and now he runs this beautiful hotel. I took a few pictures of the hotel public rooms, what a lovely place it is. This morning or today is going to be a busy day, 2 concerts and a silent movie from 1928 called Naples is a song. Remember this festival is devoted to Naples of the baroque era 1660-1770, when it was music capital of the world reknown for its Music schools and violin teachers and virtuosis like Geminiani, Matteis, Porpora, Scarlatti and Barbella.

We will hear Giuliano Carmignola, violin, Riccardo Doni, Ivano Zanenghi and Francesco Galligioni playing as an ensemble though they are single artists.

So off we go to hear and see all this wonderful art.

Opening night

This Evening we went to the opening of the Whitsun Festival in Salzburg at the Haus fur Mozart one of the 3 halls in the Festival complex the other known hall the Felsenreitschule that appears in the movie the Sound of Music, it is all carved in the rock face of the mountain. The hall we were in is an addition. The opening work this year is an opera by Mozart, he composed at the age of 15 on a libretto by Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782), it is the story of Judith and Olofrenes. Story taken from the old Testament which tells how the widow Judith saved the Jewish people by killing the leader of the Assyrians, Olofrenes. It is a theme in classical painting that comes back all the time, Judith is seen using Olofrenes's sword to chop his head off while he is sleeping. She is the hand of God liberating his people (the Jews) from the oppressor, in this case the Assyrians or Persians. It is a story of Faith, Love and Hope and of the conversion of the Amonite Prince Achior to Judaism when he sees a defenseless woman win alone against a mighty foe with the help of the one true God.

Beautiful score which shows that Mozart as a child was a musical genius, Maestro Riccardo Muti, (my favorite conductor) did a superb job as always with his orchestra. The theme of this opera was very well received by the Austrian Emperor who saw in this score of the deliverance of the Jewish people an allegory to the liberation of Vienna from the Turkish menace in 1683. Faith in God the All mighty frees his people, the Turks being savages and godless barbarians. In the Felsenreitschule the Karl Böhm hall which use to be the setting for jousting matches and is now use for receptions, on its ceiling a large fresco of a match where Christian Princes are watching galant knights behead rather stylishly Turkish prisoners.

The audience is composed at the Festival of regulars, same people each year really, mostly Europeans and a lot of wealthy Japanese who appear to be guests of the official sponsor the watchmaker A.Lange & Sohne of Dresden, Germany (www.lange-sohne.de)

May program

In May we will be going to Salzburg for the Music Festival. This year marks the 90th Anniversary of the Whitsun Festival, a beautiful program of music awaits us, see the site of the Festival for an idea of what we will be hearing and seeing, www.salzburgerfestspiele.at
This Festival is dedicated to a period of time in the history of Music and the director of the Festival is Italian Maestro Riccardo Muti, he titled it ''Naples, Metropolis of Memories''.

We fly this time to Vienna with Alitalia, a short flight and will spend a day there, we would usually take the train to Salzburg via Innsbruck but the schedules are all changed and the Eurostar trains have been replaced by Regional trains which makes the journey longer from Rome. No matter, we have not been to Vienna for about 10 years and it is a beautiful city. We will then take the train from Vienna to Salzburg a journey of about 2 hours through the Austria countryside, always picturesque.

You could say this is a musical vacation since we have 2 musical events per day, it will also be a formal wear weekend, even for morning concert, men wear dark suit and tie. I have never seen anyone in jeans or casual wear, it is not done. All the venues are beautiful. We are staying at the Bristol Hotel, which is a gem of an hotel, the way hotels use to be 50 years ago, with professional staff, it is a family owned hotel and they know how to provide service.

BUT before I go to Salzburg I have to go to Albania a completely different kettle of fish. I leave this weekend for a week.