Centre of the Universe

Donald Macleod explores the incredible impact of the Congress of Vienna on the city’s fortunes. Meanwhile, Schubert is falling in love.

Of all Europe’s major cities, perhaps Vienna is the one with the reputation as the most comfortable, the most sophisticated, and the most musical. In fact, has any other city been home to so many great composers as Vienna? Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and Salieri all spent their best years working there. Yet none of those starry names was born in the city, none were true Viennese. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod explores Vienna through the lens of arguably the greatest home grown composer the city has ever produced – Franz Schubert – a man whose short life spanned a crucial period in Austrian history, a time of crisis and much change. In his company we’ll explore Vienna’s churches and theatres, its parks, coffee houses and taverns, and also glimpse the darker side of the city too – the excesses of Europe’s aristocracy and the all seeing eyes of Vienna’s secret police.

In Tuesday’s programme, as Austria started to recover from the impact of Napoleonic wars, Donald explores the incredible Congress of Vienna which reignited the city’s fortunes. Hundreds of dignitaries and aristocracy from across the continent descended upon Vienna. For Schubert it must have felt like he was in the centre of the Universe, even if he wasn’t involved in the accompanying music making. However, there were other important matters for the budding composer at this point – he was falling in love.

6 Moment Musicaux, Op 94, D780 (No 3 in F min)
David Fray, piano

Mass No 1 in F Major, D105 (Gloria)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Wiener Sängerknaben,
Chorus Viennensis
Bruno Weil, conductor

Grande Marche Funebre, D859
Christoph Eschenbach, Justus Frantz, piano

Symphony No 2 in B flat Major, D125 (4th mvt,Presto)
B’Rock Orchestra
René Jacobs, conductor

Rosamunde, D797 (No 5 ,Entracte No 3 in B flat Major: Andantino)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Claudio Abbado, conductor

Licht und Liebe, D352
Janet Baker, Mezzo Soprano
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone
Gerald Moore, piano

Produced by Sam Phillips ford BBC Audio Wales and West

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