I was in the market for some music in one of the famous halls in Vienna. In particular, the “Musikverein Golden Hall”. Here, there is orchestral music on a regular basis. It is known to many as the location for the famous “New Year Concert” televised every 1st January.
The concerts that answered my research very much seemed in the “touristy” vein, and something I was looking to avoid. Also, I already had a plan to see something more “classic” in another location. More of that later.
Scrolling past all concerts I was not interest in turned up the Gala Concert of the 15th World Peace Choral Festival. This is an annual gathering of choirs in Vienna, with a big concert at the end of the 4 days. I likened it to the final concert we present at Tinto Summer School, if on a grander scale. I bought a ticket.
My feet took me to the venue after my customary pre-shopped-for Sunday bacon roll. The seating was unassigned, so I found myself a comfortable aisle seat in the 16th row in the stalls. I noted a family across the isle with United Kingdom flags to wave. I also spotted from a T-Shirt one of them was wearing that they were in support of the Farnham Youth Choir, based in Surrey. The programme had them listed as the second choir performing. I also noted choirs from China, Canada (representing a Canadian/Philippine community), Romania, and of course Austria to name a few.
The venue was utterly spectacular. There was a huge pipe organ at the front, chandeliers, abundant gold (leaf?) carvings, and other intricate details. The ceiling was particularly impressive with paintings of Apollo, and the Muses amidst even more gold, and maroon patterns. I was glad to be in this place, and glad I had perhaps picked this concert. I surmised that I was probably near-unique as a visitor with no particular agenda amidst a room that mostly held proud parents, and families.
The concert was excellent. Many of the choirs were youth choirs. The highlights were:
🇬🇧The English choir singing a song that seemed completely random and had no time signature. How the conductor was keeping them together I have no idea.
🇪🇸A Spanish choir in school uniform singing “Revolting Children” from Tim Minchin’s “Matilda”, in Spanish.
🇮🇹An Italian choir singing “I Will Follow You” as sung in “Sister Act”.
🇷🇴A Romanian choir in traditional dress performing while doing laundry.
🇨🇳A choir of Chinese children in the 8-12 age range, with one little person who looked about 3.
🇨🇳An ensemble of traditional Chinese instruments playing with an Austrian male voice choir.
It felt like a cross between “The Eurovision Song Contest”, and the final scene in “Sister Act 2”. This was particularly so when a choir sang a song featured in the first of those movies.
At the end, there were awards presented before all the choirs sang the anthem of the festival. It took quite some time to get them all on stage. I estimated that given the number of choirs, and the meme parsnip of each there were some 400 – 500 singers involved in the final song.
It was a splendid afternoon, and I was glad to have experienced the venue in this more unusual, and community-based way.
Dinner was had on the balcony.
