Sunday, February 4, 2018

Mozart's Birthday

On Mozart's birthday we traveled to the quaint town of Salzburg to celebrate in the musical festivities. The train ride from Berlin had a gorgeous view of the alps all the way to Salzburg. We arrived to our hostel under the impression that all of the girls would be sharing one room. To our surprise, we discovered the Jufa hostel had arranged rooms for groups of threes (and one group of two). This was by far the most luxurious hostel experience. There were even fresh towels in our bathrooms and a beautiful view of the mountains from our window. It was a nice change of pace coming from the busy city of Berlin. The Vienna Philharmonic concert that evening was among the most memorable for me. Mozart's spirit truly lived in the music performed that night. The concert opened with a Concerto for Violin in B minor by Edward Elgar. The violin soloist Renaud Capucon was a true virtuoso. His artistic excellence blew away the entire audience. I will never forget the way my ears felt like they were dancing. I was so invigorated by the music, I could feel my energy blossoming as each movement took me on a journey. The conductor Robin Ticciati was spectacular. It was if the air was a canvas and he was painting the music with each rhythm and vibration, truly bringing the ensemble to life. He was the most unique in conducting style out of all the concerts I have seen. When he conducted the Jupiter Symphony I noticed that he chose not to use a baton. It felt very personal for him. I could feel how special this piece was in honor of Mozart's birthday. 

The next morning we attended Catholic Mass in the Cathedral where Mozart was baptized. The ceremony was so special. The intricacies of the detail inside the church was overwhelming. I visited this church four times during my stay in Salzburg. The architecture and history was breathtaking. 

 

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