Day 227: Austrian “class” in the keller
36yearsago.com
Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing &
friends.
Day
227 — Austrian “class” in the keller
16-March-1972
(Donnerstag–Thur.)
TRANSCRIPT
Another typical day. Ended differently.
At 6:00 saw an electronic music lecture by Kaufmann.
Showed possibilities of “live electronic” [music].
Afterwards, went out with him and a small group to
this place called “Antiqua Keller”—very nice
keller,
with atmosphere. What I liked was that we heard
Dvorak’s New World
Symphony and other classics. Later
in the evening, a bass [soloist] sang a few arias
from some operas. I got a big kick out of it—Austrian
“class.” However, Kaufmann said that it wasn’t really
typical Austrian. It was nice though.
Also had a really good discussion with Kaufmann about
my ideas. That’s always what happens when there’s a
little too much to drink.
REFLECTIONS
Live
lecture. Prof.
Kaufmann gives a lecture on the use of “live”
electronic music, as in performing and creating the
electronic music live, a specialty of Kaufmann’s. (I
enjoy Prof. Kaufmann’s teaching a lot.) In the
journal, I actually write “Life Electronic.” I
thought that this meant we went out to this cabaret
to experience “life” electronic music. No.
Keller.
Keller
means
cellar. These are Austrian restaurants, often with
live entertainment, that are located in basement
cellars. I believe this particular keller had a
wonderful brick décor, brick archways, and overall
ambience. I suppose that I had never seen a similar
type restaurant in the U.S.
Class
in the keller. I am good
at clever titles. Here, a small group of our
electronic class goes with Prof. Kaufmann to an
Austrian keller
and we
experience an evening of classics as background
music, and then a live performance of opera arias by
a wonderful bass. Austrian “class”
(in the
artistic sense) at its best.
Then Prof. Kaufmann tells me that this is not typical
entertainment in Viennese cabarets.
Pleasurable
memories. I remember
this night and the ambience and décor of this
underground keller. And in those days, I’m certain I
had a glass of Austrian Grinzing wine. Good ambience,
food, wine, conversation, friends, and discussion.
What a pleasure!
John
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