Viennese night by National Symphony Orchestra
Harry Nazarudin, Contributor, Jakarta | Sat, 03/29/2008 11:12 AM
Vienna has long been famous as an important center for culture and classical music.
It is also known as the capital of Waltz, referring to the times of Johann Strauss Sr. and Jr., who lived and worked in Vienna.
An example of Vienna's long lasting history in music is the New Year's Concert (Neujahrskonzert) by Wiener Philharmoniker; the concert always features Strauss's "On the Beautiful Blue Danube", echoing the beautiful scenery along the Danube River that flows through Vienna.
Viennese classical music can be considered the "easy-listening" of the classics. It consists of simple, harmonious melodies that can be enjoyed by anyone. This is because most of the works are based on traditional folk and dance songs, which are more down-to-earth compared to those of say, Wagner or Liszt.
Some Viennese classics, including "The Fledermaus", consist of music and comedy that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.
The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has chosen the theme "Viva Vienna" as the opening for their 2008 concert circle. Led by Ms. Aida Swenson as executive director, the NSO will feature three of the most important works of Viennese classical music culture: Johann Strauss Jr.'s "The Fledermaus", Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Symphony no. 41 in C major-Jupiter" and Franz Schubert's "Symphony no. 9 in C major-The Great".
The concert will be conducted by Hikotaro Yazaki -- music director and NSO's guest principal director -- who has an excellent track record from Japan, Thailand and throughout Europe.
The concert will be held on March 29 at 7:30 pm, in the Balai Sarbini Concert Hall, Semanggi, South Jakarta. Tickets are available at Balai Sarbini (Ph: 021-25536341), Aquarius Mahakam (Ph: 021-7208413), Aksara Plaza Indonesia (Ph: 021-3107711) and NSO (Ph: 0816 891631). Tickets will also be available at the door.
For those interested in a light, enjoyable night of classical music, do not miss this concert. It will be a great opportunity to get a taste of the rich culture and music of Vienna.
