A quaint rural town 45 minutes southeast of Vienna, Eisenstadt is the capital of Burgenland province, known for its outstanding red wines, sunny climate and sweeping landscapes. But as the hometown of Joseph Haydn, classical music giant and court composer for the local Esterházy princes, the town also draws top musical talent from all over the world. The highlight of the year is the world renowned Haydn Festival every September.
The Haydn Festival is at the center of an international renaissance of Haydn and his works. If you are a fan of classical music, the Haydn Festival may well be the highlight of your trip to Austria. Not only will you be able to listen to outstanding concert performances, but you’ll also gain insights into the composers life and his time. Haydn, one of the most famous and prolific composers of classical music, spent the greater part of his life in Eisenstadt, where he was employed as the court composer by the immensely wealthy and influential Esterházy family in 1761. He composed many of his works specifically for the excellent acoustics of the concert hall at the Esterházy palace.
The beautiful “Haydn Saal” is used for recordings by ensembles from all over the world. All this makes the Esterházy Palace the ideal setting for the Festival (often also called the Haydn Days) which takes place annually in September (September 4 to 14, 2014). This year’s program focuses on the relationship of Haydn and his contemporary Mozart. “Haydn & Mozart” explores the musical development of the two composers who were friends during their lifetime. As a bonus, the audience will have the rare opportunity to compare the sounds of period instrument ensembles with those of modern orchestras. Beyond the festival, concert series take place at the Haydn hall throughout the year. Other performance venues include nearby Eisenstadt Cathedral and the Mount Cavalry Church, which is an important Haydn memorial, and for which Haydn composed several masses.
If you are a Music Lover and a Haydn fan you may take advantage of one of our tours to Austria and Central Europe to offer you a special day in Eisenstad and to enjoy a performance. Tourcrafters suggests :
8 Days & 7 Nights Highlights of Austria visiting Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck
8 Days/ 7 nights Imperial Capital Package Visiting Vienna, Prague & Budapest
Or a 4 days Vienna Welcome package
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