Did you know that Sunday mornings from mid-September through June, the Vienna Imperial Court Music Ensemble — “Wiener Hofmusikkapelle,” consisting of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, members of the men’s choir of the Vienna State Opera and the Choralschola — perform together during the mass at the Imperial Chapel?
There is a funny story behind how I ended up there this morning for mass, but as a lapsed Catholic, I’m not quite ready yet to share it publicly.
I do want to share how stunning the music was (video below).
I also want to share a thought I had while listening, which is how much artists of all types inspire each other through shared company. If you think of so many of the great moments of artistic innovation throughout time, it is often a collection of artists who know each other, and are inspired by the company or the competition or both to do their best. The Impressionists, the American writers of the 1920s who gathered in Paris, the Second Viennese School of composers…
When I gather with my writing friends, I often do my best work. Part of it is wanting to be good enough to stay in their company. Part of it is knowing that they are as human as I am (with perhaps a few exceptions!) Part of it is simply the discipline of company: When I think I’ve done a good job for the day, I look up and see my friends still writing, and I put my head down and add words to the page.
So here is my little iphone recording of the Vienna Boys Choir singing the end of the Ave Maria, perhaps my favorite piece of music in the world. I wish I could share it live. It literally made me weep with how beautiful it was.
Meg
