Concert

In Salzburg we attended a concert in the ornate Marble Hall at Mirabell Palace.

The Marble Hall is an example of Baroque architecture and one of the most significant concert halls in the country. It was originally built between 1721-1727 as part of a major redesign of Mirabell Palace, commissioned by Prince-Archbishop Franz Anton von Harrach. The hall gets its name from its opulent marble decorations, featuring marble pillars and elaborate stucco work. Its ceiling once held a fresco by Martino Altomonte and Gaetano Fanti, painted in 1723, but this was unfortunately destroyed in the city fire of 1818. Despite this loss, the hall still retains much of its original Baroque splendour.

Mozart, along with his father Leopold and sister Nannerl, performed concerts for the archbishops in this room. For our visit, five sets were played

1. Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809), Divertimento für zwei Violinen, Viola und Basso D-Dur Hob III:3, Adagio – Menuetto – Scherzo (Presto) – Menuetto – Finale (Presto)
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791), Divertimento F-Dur KV 138, Allegro – Andante – Presto
3. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Quintett für Horn, 2 Violinen, Viola und Violoncello Es-Dur KV 407, Molto Allegro – Andante – Menuetto – Rondo (Allegro)
4. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Konzert für Horn Es-Dur KV 447, Allegro – Romance – Rondo (Allegretto)
5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Serenade in G-Dur „Eine kleine Nachtmusik” KV 525, Allegro – Romance (Andante) – Menuetto. Trio – Rondo (Allegro)

As the music played, I could not help but think about how this scene of serenity and civilization juxtaposed against the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, reminding me of the musicians who played in concentration camps during the previous European War.