Ode to Joy

       It's Midterm's week, and yesterday I took my "Arts and Nations" midterm. After writing a passionate essay on "music and patriotism", I was asked to identify 20 different artists/musicians/authors/time periods/important events/any terms that fall under the beautiful umbrella of "arts and nations" (namely, anything that relates to nationalism and its role and prevalence in art forms..it's a really interesting class actually!) 


       Anyways, one of the terms was: "Ode to Joy" And we all know this special little number. (SERIOUSLY, ASK ME ABOUT IT. Part of Beethoven's 9th symphony, 4th movement. Lyrics by Friedrich von Schiller, national anthem for European Union, speaks of JoY and the FuTuRe...) Ask me Beethoven's birth and death dates!! I can recite them!!!!!!! ASK ME!)


       So in honor of this midterm, and in honor of my detailed description of the Ode to Joy (I only gave you the sparknotes version) I present to you, my personal ode to all the composers associated with Vienna that I've taken pictures with! Enjoy:


(Bitte listen to this, while viewing the rest of this blog post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnT7pT6zCcA FEEL THE JOY! Cheers!)

While we're on the subject of Beethoven...the man himself! Is there a way I can get something like this in my bedroom? I think having a wall devoted to Beethoven would be a completely acceptable addition. Who's with me?

Meghan and me with the famous Johann Strauss statue in Stadtpark! This man writes a mean waltz. I'd also like one of these in my bedroom please. Although, I'd settle for a cardboard cutout. 

Strauss again.... 

Franz Schubert! Also was on my miterm. Also...he rocks.

Bruckner. (Yet another statue/bust in Stadtpark...I think it's a fact that Stadtpark has the most statues out of all the parks in Vienna. But don't quote me on that.) 

Meghan and me with Mozart(!!!!) outside of the Neuburg.

Wax statue of Otto Nicolai in the Haus der Musik. He was the founder of the Vienna Phil! Definitely deserves a shout-out for that. Also, he was a composer--of operas, lieder, orchestral works, and some pretty fine horn duets..

Obviously, there are many more statues, monuments, and an obscene amount of street signs that represent the composers and a time period that Vienna's most proud of. These are just a few examples. I will find more composers though! And I will take pictures and pay tribute! Never you fear!