Musikverein

Vienna, Austria

The Wiener Musikverein is a concert hall in the Innere Stadt borough of Vienna. It is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. The 'Great Hall' (Großer Saal), due to its highly regarded acoustics, is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world, along with Berlin's Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and Boston's Symphony Hall. With the exception of Boston Symphony Hall, none of these halls were built in the modern era with the application of architectural acoustics, and all share a long, tall, and narrow shoebox shape.

The plans were designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen in the Neoclassical style of an ancient Greek temple, including a concert hall and a smaller chamber music hall. The building was inaugurated on 6 January 1870. A major donor was Nikolaus Dumba, industrialist and liberal politician of Greek descent, whose name the Austrian government gave to one of the streets surrounding the Musikverein.

The Great Hall's lively acoustics are primarily based on Hansen's intuition, as he could not rely on any studies on architectural acoustics. The room's rectangular shape and proportions, its boxes and sculptures allow early and numerous sound reflections.

Today Musikverein is the most used venue for the annual Vienna New Year's Concert.

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Founded: 1870
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Austria

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4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Pj (5 months ago)
We attended a concert at the Musikverein Wien and it was a truly memorable experience. The building itself exudes an artistic atmosphere, with its grand architecture and rich history creating the perfect setting for classical music. The hall was beautifully designed, capturing the elegance and sophistication that Vienna is known for. We listened to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Mozart’s works, performed with incredible skill and passion. The acoustics were outstanding, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the music. This is a must-visit venue for any classical music lover
Wei Kiat (5 months ago)
A great night of classical music pieces by the group. Highly recommended when visiting Vienna. We bought the 15 Euro ticket and still enjoyed the experiences.
Charikleia Filippatou (6 months ago)
It was an amazing once in a lifetime experience! There were many coordinators to help the guests and the orchestra was perfection. The only downside was that they put many people on the last row of the balcony and they could see almost nothing unless they stand up. That was unfair even for those who paid the less expensive ticket. I suggest you pick your seats instead advance if possible.
Yasmina Todorova (6 months ago)
Overall it was great besides the fact it was too hot without ventilation. I bought the ticket for Mozart concert a month in advance.
Idris Evans (7 months ago)
Came to this beautiful location to see a Vienna Mozart Orchestra concert in the Golden Hall. It was a great concert in a spectacular location and well worth a visit when in Vienna. There are a range of prices and seats from the stalls to upper balcony and all seemed to have good, but different views. My wife is a musician, so being in the front balcony gave a great view of the orchestra, albeit the soloists were slightly obscured. The programme differs each night, but they all seem to give examples of the breadth of his work, from opera to marches and much more.
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