The Land of the Waltz

This small land-locked country bordered by both western and eastern European countries has given the world some of our best known composers. Haydn and Mozart both composed and performed for Viennese royalty. Beethoven, though born in Germany, achieved great fame with Austrian audiences. The father and son team of Johan Strauss and Johan Strauss, Jr. composed music for a very popular dance in the 19th century called the waltz.

Vienna has it's own famous philharmonic called (can you guess?) the Vienna Philharmonic. Gustav Mahler used to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic before coming to New York to direct the New York Philharmonic. One of the oldest boy choirs in the world is also located in Vienna. The Vienna Boys' Choir was founded in 1498 with just 12 boys. The composer, Franz Schubert, sang with the choir when he was young. When rehearsing his masses with the choir, Anton Bruckner would reward the boys with cake if practice went well.

You can always find a festival in Austria to celebrate the beginning of each season. Fall harvest festivals mark the end of the growing season and new wine is served out of huge barrels to mark the occasion. The Christmas holidays begin on December 5, and while good children are visited by St. Nicholas, bad boys and girls get teased by a monster call Krampusse! Dancers parade through villages wearing costumes and large, unusual hats to perform the phantom dance which celebrates the beginning of spring.