:: wikimiki.org ::

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of Romantic music, who predominantly lived in Vienna, Austria. Brahms was considered by many to be the "successor" to Beethoven, and his first symphony was described by Hans von Bülow as Beethoven's tenth symphony (the nickname is still used). Hans von Bülow

Life

Brahms was born in Hamburg. His father, who gave him his first music lessons, was a double bassist. Brahms showed early promise on the piano and helped to supplement the rather meager family income by playing the piano in restaurants and theaters, as well as by teaching. Although it is a widely-told tale that Brahms had to play the piano in bars and brothels, recent research, for example that by Kurt Hoffman¹, suggests that this is probably false. For a time, he also learned the cello, although his progress was cut short when his teacher absconded with Brahms's instrument. The young Brahms gave a few public concerts, but did not become well known as a pianist (although in later life he gave the premieres of both his Piano Concerto No. 1 in 1859 and his Piano Concerto No. 2 in 1881). He also began to compose, but his efforts did not receive much attention until he went on a concert tour with Eduard Reményi in 1853. On this tour he met Joseph Joachim, Franz Liszt, and later was introduced to the great German composer Robert Schumann. Reményi was, however, offended by Brahms' failure to praise Liszt's Sonata in B minor wholeheartedly on a visit to the Court of Weimar where Liszt was the court musician where Brahms, instead, fell asleep during a performance of the recently-composed work. Many of Brahms' friends cited that Reményi, being the polished courtier, had expected the younger Brahms to conform to common practice of politely applauding a celebrity's piece which Brahms either failed to do or appeared to do with condescending compliment. He told Brahms that their friendship must end although it was not clear as to whether Liszt felt offended or otherwise. Joachim, however was to become one of his closest friends, and Schumann, through articles championing the young Brahms, played an important role in alerting the public to the young man's compositions. Brahms also became acquainted with Schumann's wife, the composer and pianist Clara, 14 years his senior, with whom he carried on a lifelong, emotionally passionate, but always platonic relationship. Brahms never married. Clara In 1862 he settled permanently in Vienna and began to concentrate fully on composing. With work such as the German Requiem, Brahms eventually established a strong reputation and came to be regarded in his own lifetime as one of the great composers. This may have given him the confidence finally to complete his first symphony; this appeared in 1876, after about ten years of work. The other three symphonies then followed in fairly rapid succession (1877, 1883, 1885). Brahms frequently traveled, both for business (concert tours) and pleasure. He often visited Italy in the springtime, and usually sought out a pleasant rural location in which to compose during the summer. He especially enjoyed spending time outside, where he felt that he could think more clearly. In 1890, the 57-year-old Brahms resolved to give up composing. However, as it turned out, he was unable to abide by his decision, and in the years before his death he produced a number of acknowledged masterpieces, including the two clarinet sonatas Op. 120 (1894) and the Four Serious Songs (Vier ernste Gesänge) Op. 121 (1896). While completing the Op. 121 songs Brahms fell ill of cancer (sources differ on whether this was of the liver or pancreas). His condition gradually worsened and he died on April 3, 1897. Brahms is buried in the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna.

Works

Brahms wrote a number of major works for orchestra, including four symphonies, two piano concertos, a Violin Concerto, a Double Concerto for violin and cello, and the large choral work A German Requiem (Ein deutsches Requiem). The last is notable in not being a traditional, liturgical requiem (Missa pro defunctis), but a setting of texts which Brahms selected from the Luther Bible. Brahms was also a prolific composer in the theme and variation form, having notably composed the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Paganini Variations, and Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, along with other lesser known sets of variations. Brahms also wrote a great deal of work for small forces. His many works of chamber music form part of the core of this repertoire, as does his solo piano music. Brahms is also considered to be among the greatest of composers of lieder, of which he wrote about 200. He also wrote a set of chorale preludes for organ shortly before his death, which have become an important part of the standard organ repertoire. Brahms never wrote an opera, nor did he ever write in the characteristic 19th century form of the tone poem. Brahms strongly believed in absolute music, that is, music that does not rely upon a concrete scene or narrative as the tone poem does. For a list of works, see List of compositions by Johannes Brahms.

Influences on Brahms

Brahms venerated Beethoven, perhaps even more than the other Romantic composers did. In the composer's home, a marble bust of Beethoven looked down on the spot where he composed. His works contain a number of apparent imitations of Beethoven. Thus, the beginning of Brahms's First Piano Sonata is very close to the opening of Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata; and the main theme of the finale of Brahms's First Symphony is reminiscent of the main theme of the finale of Beethoven's Ninth. (When the latter resemblance was pointed out to Brahms, he replied, "Any ass can see that.") Brahms also loved the earlier Classical composers Mozart and Haydn. He collected first editions and autographs of their works, and also edited performing editions. Brahms's affection for the Classical period may also be reflected in his choice of genres: he favored the Classical forms of the sonata, symphony, and concerto, and frequently composed movements in sonata form. Although Brahms is oftened labeled as the most "Classical" Romantic composer, this label does not reflect his works. It was his public divide between the musical schools of Richard Wagner and himself that gained him this label, as he often criticized Wagner's "lack of counterpoint" in his compositions. If one closely examines the work of Brahms, they will notice that he is fully Romantic in style, blurring the lines of compositional form as much as any other composer was doing at the time. The rivalry between Brahms and Wagner, however, left a large divide in the musical community, those who were on the side of Brahms, and those who favored Wagner's music. Although Wagner was a fierce rival of Brahms, later in his life, Brahms admitted how much he respected Wagner's compositions. A quite different influence on Brahms was folk music. Brahms wrote settings for piano and voice of 144 German folk songs, and many of his lieder reflect folk themes or depict scenes of rural life. His Hungarian dances were among his most profitable compositions, and in orchestrated versions remain well known today. Brahms was almost certainly influenced by the technological development of the piano, which reached essentially its modern form during his lifetime. Much of Brahms's piano music and many of his lieder make use of the deep bass notes and the pedal to obtain a rich and powerful sound.

Brahms's personality

Like Beethoven, Brahms was fond of nature and often went walking in the woods around Vienna. He often brought penny candy with him to hand out to children. To adults Brahms was often brusque and sarcastic, and he sometimes alienated other people. His pupil Gustav Jenner wrote, "Brahms has acquired, not without reason, the reputation for being a grump, even though few could also be as lovable as he.[http://members.aol.com/abelard2/jenner.htm]" He also had predictable habits which were noted by the Viennese press such as his daily visit to his favourite 'Red Hedgehog' tavern in Vienna and the press also particularly took into account his style of walking with his hands firmly behind his back complete with a caricature of him in this pose walking alongside a red hedgehog. Those who remained his friends were very loyal to him, however, and he reciprocated in return with equal loyalty and generosity. He was a lifelong friend with Johann Strauss II though they were very different as composers. Brahms even struggled to get to the Theater an der Wien in Vienna for Strauss' premiere of the operetta Die Göttin der Vernunft in 1897 before his death. Perhaps the greatest tribute that Brahms could pay to Strauss was his remark that he would have given anything to have written The Blue Danube waltz. An anecdote dating around the time Brahms became acquainted with Strauss is that the former cheekily inscribed the words 'alas, not by Brahms!' on the autograph score of the famous 'Blue Danube' waltz. Starting in the 1860's, when his works sold widely, Brahms was financially quite successful. He preferred a modest life style, however, living in a simple three-room apartment with a housekeeper. He gave away much of his money to relatives, and also anonymously helped support a number of young musicians. Brahms was an extreme perfectionist. For instance, it is thought that the symphony we know as the First may not have been the first he composed, since Brahms often destroyed completed works that failed to meet his standard of quality. Another factor that contributed to Brahms's perfectionism was that Schumann had announced early on that Brahms was to become the next great composer like Beethoven, a prediction that Brahms was determined to live up to. This prediction hardly added to the composer's self-confidence, and may also have contributed to the delay in producing the First Symphony. However, Clara Schumann noted before that Brahms' First Symphony was a product that was not reflective of Brahms' real nature as she felt that the final exuberant movement was 'too brilliant' as she was encouraged by the dark and tempestuous opening movement when Brahms first sent to her the initial draft. However, she recanted in accepting his sunny Second Symphony and was a lifelong supporter of that famous work in D major, one of Brahms' rare key usage. As for Brahms's place in musical history, which so concerned him, he would no doubt be gratified in knowing that posterity has indeed placed him among the three great "Bs" of German composers — Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.

Portrayals in film and popular culture

As one of the central composers of the classical music tradition, Brahms and his music have have appeared widely in film and other works of popular culture. For examples, see Johannes Brahms in film and popular culture.

Books

- Johannes Brahms: Life and Letters, ISBN 0198162340 by Brahms himself, edited by Styra Avins, translated by Josef Eisinger (1998). A biography by way of comprehensive footnotes to a comprehensive collection of Brahms's letters (some translated into English for the first time).
- Brahms, His Life and Work, by Karl Geiringer, photographs by Irene Geiringer (1987, ISBN 0306802236). A bio and discussion of his musical output, supplemented by and cross-referenced with the body of correspondence sent to Brahms.
- Charles Rosen discusses a number of Brahms's imitations of Beethoven in Chapter 9 of his Critical Entertainments: Music Old and New (2000; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, ISBN 0674177304).
- Johannes Brahms: A Biography, by Jan Swafford. A comprehensive (752 pages) look at the life and works of Brahms. (1999; Vintage, ISBN 0679745823)

Notes

- ¹ Kurt Hoffman, Johannes Brahms und Hamburg (Reinbek, 1986) (in German: includes detailed refutation of the traditional story of Brahms playing piano in brothels, using the writings of those who knew the young Brahms, as well as evidence of the Hamburg's close regulation of those places, preventing the employment of children)
Media

External links

-
- [http://www.measure.demon.co.uk/sounds/Brahms.html The Voice of Brahms] and [http://www-ccrma.stanford.edu/~brg/brahms2.html Brahms at the Piano]. Information about the recording made by Thomas Edison in 1889 of Brahms playing part of his Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor.
- [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=41:7094 Brahms page at AllMusic], including a complete list of works (click on "Works" tab and then select a Genre)
- [http://newyorkphilharmonic.org/programNotes/Brahms_Sym1.pdf Program notes] on Brahms's First Symphony by Michael Steinberg, mentioning the "any ass" remark quoted above.
- [http://www.w-o-deutsch.de/brahms], Wilhelm Otto Deutsch, Der Tod und Johannes Brahms. Death as a major theme in Brahms' work (1997).
- [http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?query=brahms&queryType=%40attr+1%3D1 Brahms cylinder recordings], from the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara Library. Brahms, Johannes Brahms, Johannes Brahms, Johannes Brahms, Johannes Brahms, Johannes Category:Viennese composers Brahms, Johannes Category:Eponymous people ko:요하네스 브람스 ja:ヨハネス・ブラームス th:โยฮันเนส บราห์ม

May 7
May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). There are 238 days remaining.
Events

- 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I immediately orders the dome rebuilt.
- 1429 - Joan of Arc leads a French attack on English bridgeheads on the south side of the Loire River.
- 1274 - In France, the Second Council of Lyons opens to regulate the election of the Pope.
- 1697 - Stockholm's royal castle (dating back to medieval times) is destroyed in a huge fire (in the 18th century, it is replaced with the current Royal Palace).
- 1763 - Indian Wars: Pontiac's Rebellion begins - Chief Pontiac begins the "Conspiracy of Pontiac" by attacking British forces at Fort Detroit.
- 1824 - World premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria. Work was conducted by Michael Umlauf, under the deaf composer's supervision.
- 1832 - Greece is recognised independent by the Treaty of London. Otto of Wittelsbach, Prince of Bavaria is chosen King.
- 1840 - The Great Natchez Tornado strikes Natchez, Mississippi, killing 317 people. It is the second deadliest tornado in U.S. history.
- 1847 - In Philadelphia, the American Medical Association (AMA) is founded.
- 1864 - American Civil War: The Army of the Potomac, under General Ulysses S. Grant, breaks off from the Battle of the Wilderness and moves southwards.
- 1895 - In Saint Petersburg, Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovich Popov demonstrates an invention which became the prototipe of radio. In the former Soviet Union this day is celebrated as Day of Radio.
- 1896 - H. H. Holmes is hanged in Philadelphia.
- 1915 - World War I: a German U-boat sinks the RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people.
- 1920 - Polish-Bolshevik War: Polish-Ukrainian troops capture Kyiv during the Kiev Offensive.
- 1937 - Spanish Civil War: The German Condor Legion, equipped with Heinkel He 51 biplanes, arrive in Spain to assist Franco's forces.
- 1945 - World War II: General Alfred Jodl signs unconditional surrender terms at Reims, France, ending Germany's participation in the war. The document will take effect the next day.
- 1946 - Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded with about 20 employees.
- 1947 - Kraft Television Theater debuts, running for the next 11 years.
- 1948 - The Council of Europe is founded during the Hague Congress.
- 1952 - The concept for the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by Geoffrey W.A. Dummer.
- 1954 - Indochina War: The Battle of Dien Bien Phu ends in a French defeat (the battle began on March 13).
- 1960 - Cold War: U-2 Crisis - Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that his nation is holding American U-2 pilot Gary Powers.
- 1964 - A Pacific Air Lines Fairchild F-27 airliner crashes near San Ramon, California, killing all 44 aboard; the FBI later reports that a cockpit recorder tape indicates that the pilot and co-pilot had been shot by a suicidal passenger.
- 1992 - Michigan ratifies a 203-year-old proposed amendment to the United States Constitution making the 27th Amendment law. This amendment bars the U.S. Congress from giving itself a mid-term pay rise.
- 1992 - Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on its maiden voyage.
- 1992 - Three employees at a McDonald's Restaurant in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, are brutally murdered and a fourth permanently disabled after a botched robbery. It is the first fast-food murder in Canada.
- 1998 - Apple Computer unveils the iMac.
- 1998 - Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for US$40 billion and forms DaimlerChrysler in the largest industrial merger in history.
- 1999 - Pope John Paul II travells to Romania becoming the first pope that had visited a predominantly Eastern Orthodox country since the Great Schism in 1054.
- 1999 - A jury finds The Jenny Jones Show and Warner Bros. liable in the shooting death of Scott Amedure, after the show purposely deceived Jonathan Schmitz to appear on a secret same-sex crush episode. Schmitz later killed Amedure and the jury awarded Amedure's family US$25 million.
- 1999 - Kosovo War: In Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, three Chinese embassy workers are killed and 20 wounded when a NATO aircraft mistakenly bombs the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.
- 1999 - In Guinea-Bissau, President João Bernardo Vieira is ousted in a military coup.
- 2002 - A China Southern Airlines MD-82 plunges into the Yellow Sea, killing 112 people.
Births

- 1328 - Louis VI the Roman, Duke of Bavaria and Elector of Brandenburg (d. 1365)
- 1530 - Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, French Huguenot general (d. 1569)
- 1643 - Stephanus Van Cortlandt, first native Mayor of New York (d. 1700)
- 1700 - Gerard van Swieten, Dutch-born physician (d. 1772)
- 1711 - David Hume, English philosopher (d. 1776)
- 1724 - Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser, Alsatian-born Austrian general (d. 1797)
- 1763 - Józef Antoni Poniatowski, Polish prince and Marshal of France (d. 1813)
- 1812 - Robert Browning, English poet (d. 1889)
- 1833 - Johannes Brahms, German composer (d. 1897)
- 1840 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer (d. 1893)
- 1847 - Archibald Primrose, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1929)
- 1857 - William A. MacCorkle, Governor of West Virginia (d. 1930)
- 1861 - Rabindranath Tagore, Indian writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1941)
- 1867 - Władysław Reymont, Polish writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1925)
- 1882 - Willem Elsschot, Flemish writer (d.1960)
- 1885 - George 'Gabby' Hayes, American actor (d. 1969)
- 1892 - Archibald MacLeish, American poet and Librarian of Congress (d. 1982)
- 1892 - Josip Broz Tito, President of Yugoslavia (d. 1980)
- 1901 - Gary Cooper, American actor (d. 1961)
- 1909 - Edwin H. Land, American inventor (d. 1991)
- 1911 - Ishiro Honda, Japanese film director
- 1919 - Eva Peron, wife of Argentine President Juan Peron (d. 1952)
- 1922 - Darren McGavin, American actor
- 1923 - Anne Baxter, American actress (d. 1985)
- 1927 - Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, German screenwriter
- 1930 - Totie Fields, American comedienne (d. 1978)
- 1931 - Teresa Brewer, American singer
- 1933 - Johnny Unitas, American football player (d. 2002)
- 1939 - Sidney Altman, Canadian-born chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1939 - Ruud Lubbers, Prime Minister of the Netherlands
- 1939 - Jimmy Ruffin, American singer
- 1940 - Angela Carter, English novelist and journalist (d. 1992)
- 1943 - Harvey Andrews, English singer and songwriter
- 1946 - Thelma Houston, American singer
- 1946 - Bill Kreutzmann, American drummer (Grateful Dead)
- 1950 - Randall 'Tex' Cobb, American boxer and actor
- 1950 - Tim Russert, American television host
- 1951 - Janis Ian, American singer and songwriter
- 1954 - Amy Heckerling, American director
- 1956 - Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands
- 1956 - Anne Dudley, British composer and musician
- 1965 - Owen Hart, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 1999)
- 1968 - Traci Lords, American actress
- 1969 - Eagle Eye Cherry, Swedish musician
- 1973 - Kristian Lundin, Swedish Songwriter/Producer
- 1980 - Johan Kenkhuis, Dutch swimmer
- 1987 - Asami Konno, Japanese singer (Morning Musume and Tanpopo)
Deaths

- 973 - Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 912)
- 1427 - Thomas la Warr, 5th Baron De La Warr, English churchman
- 1523 - Franz von Sickingen, German soldier (b. 1481)
- 1539 - Guru Nanak Dev, Pakistani founder of Sikhism (b. 1469)
- 1539 - Ottaviano Petrucci, Italian printer (b. 1466)
- 1615 - Sanada Yukimura, Japanese samurai (b. 1567)
- 1617 - David Fabricius, German astronomer (b. 1564)
- 1667 - Johann Jakob Froberger, German composer (b. 1616)
- 1682 - Tsar Feodor III of Russia (b. 1661)
- 1718 - Mary of Modena, queen of James II of England (b. 1658)
- 1793 - Pietro Nardini, Italian composer (b. 1722)
- 1800 - Niccola Piccinni, Italian composer (b. 1728)
- 1825 - Antonio Salieri, Italian composer (b. 1750)
- 1840 - Caspar David Friedrich, German painter (b. 1774)
- 1868 - Henry Peter Brougham, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain (b. 1778)
- 1896 - H. H. Holmes, American serial killer (b. 1861)
- 1941 - Sir James George Frazer, Scottish anthropologist (b. 1854)
- 1942 - Felix Weingartner, Yugoslavian conductor (b. 1863)
- 1951 - Warner Baxter, American actor (b. 1889)
- 1998 - Allan McLeod Cormack, South African-born physicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1924)
- 1998 - Eddie Rabbitt, American musician (b. 1941)
- 2000 - Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., American actor (b. 1909)
- 2004 - Waldemar Milewicz, Polish reporter (b. 1956)
Holidays and observances

- Russia - Radio Day (see Alexander Popov)
- Bulgaria - Radio and Television Day
Recorded this date

- 1941 - "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" (w. Mack Gordon, m. Harry Warden) Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
External links

- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/7 BBC: On This Day]
- [http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/20050507.html The New York Times: On This Day] ---- May 6 - May 8 - April 7 - June 7 -- listing of all days ko:5월 7일 ms:7 Mei ja:5月7日 simple:May 7 th:7 พฤษภาคม

April 3

April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining.

Events

- 33 - Crucifixion of Jesus (traditional date)
- 1077 - Creation of the first Parliament of Friuli
- 1559 - The treaty, Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis, is signed, ending the Italian Wars.
- 1860 - The first successful Pony Express run from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California begins, and is completed on April 13).
- 1865 - American Civil War: Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the break-away Confederate States of America.
- 1882 - American Old West outlaw Jesse James is shot in the back and killed in Saint Joseph, Missouri by Robert Ford for a $5,000 reward.
- 1885 - Gottlieb Daimler is granted a German patent for his engine design.
- 1895 - The libel trial instigated by Oscar Wilde against the Marquess of Queensbury begins, eventually resulting in Wilde's arrest, trial and imprisonment on charges of homosexuality.
- 1896 - first publication of La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper in Italy.
- 1917 - Vladimir Lenin arrives at Petrograd Station in Russia from exile, marking the begining of Bolshevik leadership in the Russian Revolution.
- 1922 - Joseph Stalin succeeds Vladimir Lenin as leader of the Soviet Union.
- 1936 - Richard Bruno Hauptmann is executed for the kidnapping and death of Charles Augustus Lindbergh III, the baby son of Anne and world-famous pilot Charles Lindbergh.
- 1941 - Hungarian and German troops march into Yugoslavia.
- 1942 - World War II: Japanese forces begin an all-out assault on the United States and Filipino troops on the Bataan Peninsula. Bataan falls on April 9 and the Bataan Death March began.
- 1946 - Japanese Lt. General Masaharu Homma is executed outside Manila in the Philippines for leading the Bataan Death March.
- 1948 - President Harry Truman signs the Marshall Plan which authorizes $5 billion in aid for 16 countries.
- 1948 - On Jeju, locals simultaneously raid the island's police stations, marking the start of a civil-war-like period of violence and human rights abuses known as the Jeju massacre.
- 1953 - TV Guide debuts.
- 1955 - The American Civil Liberties Union announces it will defend Allen Ginsberg's book Howl against obscenity charges.
- 1956 - Elvis Presley sings "Heartbreak Hotel" on the Milton Berle Show, with an estimated 25% of the United States population viewing.
- 1968 - Simon and Garfunkel release the critically acclaimed album Bookends.
- 1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "mountaintop" speech.
- 1969 - Vietnam War: Vietnamization - U.S. Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announces that the United States will start to "Vietnamize" the war effort.
- 1971 - In Dublin, Ireland, Séverine wins the sixteenth Eurovision Song Contest for Monaco singing "Un banc, un arbre, une rue" (A bench, a tree, a street).
- 1972 - The first ever Mobile phone call is placed by Martin Cooper, in New York City
- 1974 - The Super Outbreak occurs, with 148 tornadoes affecting 13 states and 1 Canadian province in 18 hours, the biggest tornado outbreak in recorded history. The death toll is 315, with nearly 5,500 injured.
- 1974 - An F4 class hurricane rips through Monticello, Indiana, killing 8 and causing $100 million in damage. Most of the damage was centered in the downtown area. Some time later, the cornerstone of the city hall is found in rural Maine.
- 1975 - Bobby Fischer refuses to play in a chess match against Anatoly Karpov, giving Karpov the title.
- 1976 - In The Hague, Netherlands, Brotherhood of Man wins the twenty-first Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom singing "Save Your Kisses For Me".
- 1986 - IBM unveils the PC Convertible, their first laptop computer.
- 1996 - Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is arrested at his Montana cabin.
- 1996 - An Air Force 737 carrying United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown crashes in Croatia, killing all 35 on-board, including Brown.
- 1997 - Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but 1 of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas.
- 2000 - United States v. Microsoft: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors.
- 2004 - Islamist terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks are trapped by the police in their apartment and kill themselves with explosives.

Births

- 1151 - Igor Svyatoslavich, Russian prince (d. 1202)
- 1245 - King Philip III of France (d. 1285)
- 1367 - King Henry IV of England (d. 1413)
- 1529 - Michael Neander, German mathematician and astronomer (d. 1581)
- 1593 - George Herbert, English poet and orator (d. 1633)
- 1643 - Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, general of the Holy Roman Empire (d. 1690)
- 1683 - Mark Catesby, English naturalist (d. 1749)
- 1693 - George Edwards, English naturalist (d. 1773)
- 1715 - John Hanson, American delegate to the Continental Congress (d. 1783)
- 1715 - William Watson, English physician and scientist (d. 1787)
- 1764 - John Abernathy, English surgeon (d. 1831)
- 1769 - Christian Gunther von Bernstorff, Danish and Prussian statesman and diplomat (d. 1835)
- 1783 - Washington Irving, American author (d. 1859)
- 1814 - Lorenzo Snow, 5th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (d. 1901)
- 1822 - Edward Everett Hale, American writer, (d. 1909)
- 1823 - William Marcy Tweed, American political boss (d. 1878)
- 1880 - Otto Weininger, Austrian philosopher (d. 1903)
- 1881 - Alcide De Gasperi, Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1954)
- 1885 - Allan Dwan, Canadian-born American film director (d. 1981)
- 1889 - Grigoraş Dinicu, Romanian composer and violinist (d. 1949)
- 1893 - Leslie Howard, English actor (d. 1943)
- 1895 - Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Italian composer (d. 1968)
- 1898 - George Jessel, American comedian (d. 1981)
- 1898 - Henry Luce, American publisher (d. 1967)
- 1904 - Iron Eyes Cody, American actor (d. 1999)
- 1913 - Per Borten, Premier of Norway (d. 2005)
- 1916 - Herb Caen, American newspaper columnist (d. 1997)
- 1921 - Jan Sterling, American actress (d. 2004)
- 1924 - Marlon Brando, American actor (d. 2004)
- 1924 - Doris Day, American actress
- 1925 - Tony Benn, British politician
- 1926 - Gus Grissom, astronaut (d. 1967)
- 1928 - Don Gibson, American country musician (d. 2003)
- 1928 - Kevin Hagen, American actor (d. 2005)
- 1929 - Miyoshi Umeki, Japanese actress
- 1930 - Lawton Chiles, U.S. Senator from Florida and Governor of Florida (d. 1998)
- 1930 - Helmut Kohl, Chancellor of Germany
- 1934 - Jane Goodall, English zoologist
- 1941 - Eric Braeden, German-born actor
- 1941 - Philippe Wynne, American musician (d. 1984)
- 1941 - Jan Berry, American musician (Jan and Dean) (d. 2004)
- 1942 - Marek Perepeczko, Polish actor (d. 2005)
- 1942 - Marsha Mason, American actress
- 1942 - Wayne Newton, American singer
- 1942 - Billy Joe Royal, American singer
- 1943 - Jonathan Lynn, British actor and comedy writer
- 1943 - Richard Manuel, Canadian musician and songwriter (d. 1986)
- 1944 - Tony Orlando, American musician
- 1948 - Carlos Salinas, President of Mexico
- 1949 - Richard Thompson, British musician and songwriter
- 1949 - Lyle Alzado, American football player
- 1954 - Elisabetta Brusa, Italian composer
- 1956 - Ray Combs, American game show host and comedian (d. 1996)
- 1958 - Alec Baldwin, American actor
- 1959 - David Hyde Pierce, American actor
- 1961 - Eddie Murphy, American actor and comedian
- 1962 - Mike Ness, American musician (Social Distortion)
- 1964 - Bjarne Riis, Danish cyclist
- 1968 - Sebastian Bach, Canadian musician (Skid Row)
- 1968 - Charlotte Coleman, British actress (d. 2001)
- 1972 - Jennie Garth, American actress
- 1975 - Michael Olowokandi, Nigerian basketball player
- 1976 - Drew Shirley, American musician (Switchfoot)
- 1978 - G. M. Palmer, American poet and editor
- 1979 - Daniel Lane, British music journalist (Kerrang!)
- 1979 - Luke Martin, British musician (Big Hand)
- 1986 - Amanda Bynes, American actress and show host
- 1987 - Paul Munro, British Chief Customer Services Administrator
- 1993 - Dakoda Dowd, American golfer

Deaths

- 33 - Jesus (b. 0 / Christians believe he rose from the dead three days later)
- 963 - William III, Duke of Aquitaine (b. 915)
- 1287 - Pope Honorius IV
- 1350 - Eudes IV, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1295)
- 1606 - Charles Blount, 1st Earl of Devon, English politician (b. 1563)
- 1680 - Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire (b. 1630)
- 1682 - Bartolomé Estéban Murillo, Spanish painter (b. 1618)
- 1691 - Jean Petitot, Swiss enamel painter (b. 1608)
- 1695 - Melchior d'Hondecoeter, Dutch painter
- 1717 - Jacques Ozanam, French mathematician (b. 1640)
- 1728 - James Anderson, Scottish lawyer (b. 1662)
- 1792 - George Pocock, British admiral (b. 1706)
- 1792 - John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, English statesman (b. 1718)
- 1827 - Ernst Chladni, German physicist (b. 1856)
- 1849 - Juliusz Słowacki, Polish poet (b. 1809)
- 1868 - Franz Berwald, Swedish composer and inventor (b. 1796)
- 1882 - Jesse James, American outlaw (b. 1847)
- 1897 - Johannes Brahms, German composer (b. 1833)
- 1901 - Richard D'Oyly Carte, British impresario (b. 1844)
- 1932 - Wilhelm Ostwald, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1853)
- 1936 - Bruno Hauptmann, German killer of Charles Lindbergh III (b. 1899)
- 1950 - Kurt Weill, German composer (b. 1900)
- 1965 - Ernst Kirchweger, Austrian communist and resistance fighter, dies from injuries suffered during a demonstration
- 1971 - Joseph Valachi, American gangster (b. 1904)
- 1972 - Ferde Grofé, American composer (b. 1882)
- 1982 - Warren Oates, American character actor (b. 1928)
- 1986 - Richard Manuel, Canadian musician (The Band) (b. 1943)
- 1986 - Peter Pears, English tenor (b. 1910)
- 1987 - Tom Sestak, American football player (b. 1936)
- 1990 - Sarah Vaughn, American singer (b. 1924)
- 1991 - Graham Greene, English writer (b. 1904)
- 1991 - Charles Goren, American bridge player, writer, and columnist (b. 1901)
- 1993 - Pinky Lee, American children's television host (b. 1907)
- 1996 - Ron Brown, U.S. Secretary of Commerce (b. 1941)
- 1996 - Carl Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio (b. 1927)
- 1998 - Rob Pilatus, American entertainer and criminal (Milli Vanilli) (b. 1965)
- 2000 - Terence McKenna, American writer and philosopher (b. 1946)
- 2002 - Frank Tovey (aka Fad Gadget), British singer and musician (b. 1956)
- 2005 - Tony Croatto, Italian-born singer (b. 1940)

Holidays and observances

In Iran, people play jokes on each other on April 3, the 13th day of the Persian calendar new year (Norooz). This day is called "Sizdah bedar" (Out-door thirteen). It is believed that people should go out on this date in order to escape the bad luck of number 13.

External links

- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/3 BBC: On This Day]
- [http://www.tnl.net/when/4/3 Today in History: April 3] ---- April 2 - April 4 - March 3 - May 3 -- listing of all days ko:4월 3일 ms:3 April ja:4月3日 simple:April 3 th:3 เมษายน

Composer

A composer is a person who writes music. The term refers particularly to someone who writes music in some type of musical notation, thus allowing others to perform the music. This distinguishes the composer from a musician who improvises. However, a person may be called a composer without creating music in documentary form, since not all musical genres rely on written notation. In this context, the composer is the originator of the music, and usually its first performer. Later performers then repeat the musical composition they have heard. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians also varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of music. For example, in the development of classical music in Europe, the function of composing music initially had no greater importance than the function of performing music. The preservation of individual compositions received little attention, and musicians generally had no qualms about modifying compositions for performance. Over time, however, the written notation of the composer has come to be treated as strict instructions, from which performers should not deviate without good reason. This notion is often seen as a purist one. The term "composer" is often used specifically to mean a composer in the Western tradition of classical music. In popular and folk music, the composer is typically called a songwriter (since the music generally takes the form of a song.)

Lists of composers

- List of composers
- List of opera composers
- List of uncategorized composers
- List of soundtrack composers

By style, time period, or technique

- List of classical music composers
- List of 20th century classical composers
- List of 21st century classical composers
- List of modernist composers

By nationality, culture, or identity

- List of French composers
- List of Dutch and Flemish composers
- List of Indonesian composers
- List of Italian composers
- List of Russian composers
- List of Polish composers
- List of Indian composers
- List of female composers
- List of gay, lesbian or bisexual composers
- List of composers of African descent

By chronology

- [http://members.chello.nl/epzachte/Wikipedia/EasyTimeline/Introduction.htm Timeline of classical composers] Category:Classical music Composers Category:Occupations in music ko:작곡가 ja:作曲家 th:คีตกวี

Vienna

:This article is about the city and federal state in Austria. For other places or things called Vienna, see Vienna (disambiguation). Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya; Serbian: Beč) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austria's nine states (Land Wien). With a population of about 1.6 million, Vienna is the largest city and the cultural and political centre of Austria. Situated on both sides of the river Danube, Vienna is 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the Austrian-Slovak border, i.e. also from the Slovak capital, Bratislava. Vienna is surrounded by the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the best-known cities in Europe and has a prominent place in the history of Western civilization, world culture and history. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as other United Nations Offices and many international institutions and companies, are located in Vienna.

History

Main article: History of Vienna Vienna was originally the Celtic settlement "Uindobona" 'Fair Bottomland' (Modern Irish
- Fionnbhun) founded around 500 BC. In 15 BC, it became a frontier city ("Vindobona") guarding the Roman Empire against the German tribes to the north. In the Middle Ages, it became the home of the Babenberg and, later, the Habsburg dynasties and through the latter the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Ottoman Turkish invasions of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries were stopped twice at Vienna. See the Siege of Vienna (1529) and the Battle of Vienna (1683). In 1815, Vienna was the site of the Congress of Vienna which redrew national boundaries in Europe after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. During the Cold War, Vienna was a hotbed of international espionage because of its location in neutral Austria, between the Western and Eastern blocs. Other famous Viennese features include the Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School, the Vienna Boys' Choir (Wiener Sängerknaben), Wiener Schnitzel, Sachertorte, and various pastries. Viennese cafes claim to have invented the process of filtering coffee from the captured baggage after the second Turkish siege in 1683.

Historical population

The population of Vienna increased sharply during the Austro-Hungarian period (1867-1918), when there was a lot of immigration from other parts of the country. However, after World War I, many Czechs returned to their ancestral country, which resulted in a decline in the population. Following the immigration at that time, about one third of the population of Vienna had a Slavic or Hungarian family name. As can be seen, the population gradually declined up to the 1980s. 1800: 231,900 inhabitants
1830: 338,700
1850: 446,400
1880: 724,800
1900: 1,769,137
1910: 2,083,630
1923: 1,918,720
1934: 1,935,881
1939: 1,770,938
1951: 1,616,125
1961: 1,627,566
1971: 1,619,885
1981: 1,531,346
1991: 1,539,848
2001: 1,550,123
2005: 1,631,082

Districts

1980s and dozens more low-rise buildings on this site.]] 1980s Main article: Districts of Vienna The city itself is composed of 23 districts (Bezirke), which, although they all have their own names, are numbered for the sake of convenience. Legally, they are not districts in the sense of administrative bodies with explicit powers (such as the districts in the other Austrian states, but mere subdivisions of the city administration. However, there are elections on the district level, which gives the representatives of the districts some political clout (e.g. in matters of planning, traffic etc.). 1.Innere Stadt (city centre) 2.Leopoldstadt 3. Landstraße 4. Wieden 5. Margareten 6. Mariahilf 7. Neubau 8. Josefstadt 9. Alsergrund 10. Favoriten 11. Simmering 12. Meidling 13.Hietzing 14. Penzing 15. Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus 16. Ottakring 17. Hernals 18. Währing 19. Döbling 20. Brigittenau 21. Floridsdorf 22. Donaustadt 23. Liesing By looking at the postal code it can be determined in which district a given address is located; 1XXA - 1 denotes Vienna, XX the district number (if it is a single digit then with a leading zero), A is the number of the post office (irrelevant in this case, usually zero). Example: 1070 for Neubau. Exceptions of that are 1300 for the Vienna International Airport located in Lower Austria near Schwechat, 1400 for the UN Complex, 1450 for the Austria Center, and 1500 for the Austrian UN-Forces.

Religions

Vienna is the seat of the Viennese Roman Catholic archdiocese, and its acting Archbishop is Cardinal Christoph Schönborn. The religions of the Viennese resident population is divided according to the 2001 census as follows:

Culture

Music, theatre and opera

:Translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Theater_.26_Oper here] census census (1981-1991) by Alfred Hrdlicka at Albertinaplatz in the First District]] Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna, in the areas of theatre, opera and the fine arts. Aside from the Burgtheater which, together with its branch, the Akademie theater is considered one of the best theatres in the German-speaking world, the Volkstheater and the Theater in der Josefstadt also offer high-quality theatre entertainment. Also, there is a multitude of smaller theatres, often equal in quality to their larger counterparts and in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of performing arts such as modern, experimental plays or cabaret. Vienna also offers a great many opportunities for fans of the opera: The Staatsoper and the Volksoper offer something for everyone, the latter being especially devoted to the typical Viennese operetta. Concerts of classical music are performed, among others, in the well - known Great Hall of the Wiener Musikverein and in the Wiener Konzerthaus. In addition, various concert venues offer concerts aimed at visitors, featuring the best known highlights of Viennese music (particularly the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss). In recent years, the Theater an der Wien has become widely known for hosting premieres of musicals. The most successful by far was "Elisabeth" which was afterwards translated into several foreign languages and performed all over the world. With the opening of the Haus der Musik in 2000, Vienna also has a "Museum of Sound" for all ages now. Finally, many Roman Catholic churches in central Vienna feature performances of religious or other music, including masses sung with classical music and organ. See also: Vienna State Opera Ballet

Museums

: To be translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Museen here] In the Hofburg, the Sisi Museum allows visitors to see the Imperial apartments as well as the silver cabinet. Directly opposite the Hofburg is the Kunsthistorisches Museum (along with Vienna's Natural History Museum) that houses multiple paintings by the old masters. Natural History Museum The group is completed by the Museumsquartier, the former Imperial Stalls which were converted into a complex of museums in the 1990s. This houses the Museum of Modern Art (Ludwig Foundation), the Leopold Museum (which primarily displays works of the Viennese Secession, Viennese Modernism, and Austrian Expressionism), and additional halls with changing exhibitions as well as the Tanzquartier. The Liechtenstein Palace presents one of the world's largest private art collections. Additionally there are a multitude of other museums, from the Military History Museum to the Technical Museum, from the Vienna Clock Museum to the Burial Museum. The museums of Vienna's districts are not to be missed as they offer a view into the history of their respective Bezirke.

Architecture

: To be translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Architektur here] There are buildings of all architectural styles in Vienna, from the Romanesque Ruprechtskirche to the Baroque Karlskirche, and classicist buildings all the way through to modern architecture. Likewise, Art Nouveau left many architectural traces in Vienna. The Secession, Karlsplatz Metropolitan Railway Station, and the Kirche am Steinhof by Otto Wagner rank among the best known examples of Art Nouveau in the world.

Other culture

Between Michaelerplatz and Josefsplatz is the Spanish Riding School. It is a famous equestrian school. In terms of folk dancing, the Viennese Kathreintanz is the best known.

Education

Viennese Kathreintanz Vienna is also Austria's main center of education and home to many universities, professional colleges and gymnasiums.

Universities

- Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
- Medical University of Vienna
- University of Applied Arts Vienna
- University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
- University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna
- University of Vienna
- University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
- Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
- Vienna University of Technology
- Webster University Vienna

International schools

- American International School of Vienna
- Danube International School
- Vienna International School

Transportation

12 Danube bridges connect the city, which is divided by the Danube and the New Danube.

Public transporation

New Danube and built by Siemens boasts an entry height of 180 mm (7 inches), the lowest in the world. About 150 of these vehicles are currently in use on Vienna's tram network, along with around 400 older high-floor models]] Vienna has a large public transportation network.
- Vienna S-Bahn
- Vienna U-Bahn
- Local Railways (Lokalbahn Wien-Baden)
- [http://www.wienerlinien.co.at/ Wiener Linien] (Company operating U-Bahn, trams, and most bus routes) Vienna has an extensive tram network, which is one of the largest in the world, and also large number of bus routes. As all routes in densely populated areas operated at dense intervals, even during off-peak hours, it is usually not necessary to remember the time when the train or bus goes. Public transportation is thus used quite a lot. The Viennese public transport is connected to services of train and bus lines operating 50 kilometres into the surrounding countryside, which can be used under the same system of tickets. Public transportation mostly closes during night hours, but there is a special bus service, the Nightline, operating on the most important routes. However, most of these buses run only every thirty minutes. Vienna uses an "honor system." There are no gates or ticket checks when boarding transit lines, but ticket checks will occur, oftentimes by undercover employees. In Vienna there are also two park railways: the Liliputbahn Prater in the Viennese Prater and the Donauparkbahn in Danube Park.

Railways

Historically, all traffic facilities were oriented towards the main capitals and residential cities of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy consequently, Vienna has several train stations that form the beginning of several train lines:
- Vienna Franz Josefs Station is the starting point of the Franz Josefs Railway
- Vienna West Station is starting point of the West Railway
- Vienna South Station (Former South and East Station) for the South Railway and the East Railway as well as several through train stations:
- Vienna Hütteldorf on the West Railway
- Vienna Heiligenstadt on the Franz Josefs Railway
- Vienna North (Viennese lines: Praterstern) on the North Railway. The convenient North Station was destroyed in World War II and was not built again after the decay of the Danube monarchy, especially when the Iron Curtain closed almost all passenger traffic to the north. Since World War II a smaller station called "Vienna North" has served as a transit station between S-Bahns, the U1 U-Bahn line, trams, and buses. In 2004 it was essentially completely torn down and is being rebuilt. In 2008 the extended U2 will also stop here.
- Vienna Meidling (Philadelphia bridge) - South Railway. This is Vienna most frequented transit station.
- Vienna Central (Landstraße) Between these, there are still many smaller stations that are particularly important for local passenger traffic. Since the mid 1990s, the West and South stations have handled all long-distance travel. Many trains stop at Hütteldorf or Meidling, especially when inbound. In order to bundle all long-distance traffic it has become necessary to build a tunnel, colloquially known as the Wildschweintunnel ("boar tunnel"), underneath Lainzer Tiergarten linking the West Railway to the South Railway. The new bundled train line will connect to a new train station called Vienna-Central Europe that will be constructed somewhat to the south of today's South Station. This new station will give Vienna a main train station for the first time.

Road traffic

: To be translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Straßenverkehr here] Like the train lines, Bundesstraßen leave the city in a star shaped pattern. They are designated after their final destination (Prager Straße -- to Prague, Linzer Straße - to Linz, Triester Straße - to Trieste and Brünner Straße - to Brno). Bundesstraßen can be compared to Federal Highways in the United States, being two-lane in rural areas and multi-lane in urban areas. Three national autobahns leave Vienna in the westerly (A1), southernly (A2), and easterly directions (A4). Similar to the rail lines, they are commonly referred to after their exit direction (Westautobahn, Südautobahn, and Ostautobahn). In addition, several spur and branch autobahns circle around the southern and eastern areas of the city. The western and northern areas were left mostly untouched because of the Wienerwald protected forest.

Air traffic

Southeast of Vienna is Vienna International Airport. In 2004, there were over 224,809 separate flights departing or arriving, and the airport was used by 14.8 million passengers.

Water transportation

: To be translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Schifffahrt here] Vienna is connected to water by the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal via the port in Rotterdam and its nearby German Industrial areas, as well as Eastern European countries up to the Black Sea. The planned Danube-Oder canal remains unfinished.

Leisure activities

Nightlife

Vienna has a variety of nightlife options. Its low crime rate and extensive public transportation network make going out at night safe and convenient. Regular public transportation (subway, tram, and bus) runs until approximately 12:30. After this, nighttime bus lines provide service every half hour (fifteen minutes on some segments). Almost all night lines circle the inner city before heading outbound. Most lines are numerated the same as their corresponding daytime line. For example, if you take the 60 tramline followed by the U4 subway into the city, you can take the N60 bus directly from the city back out. At approximately 5 a.m. the daytime lines resume. Day and night lines now use the same tickets. Starting in the 1980s, the pedestrian zone between the St. Ruprecht's Church (the oldest in Vienna) and the Bermuda Bräu microbrewery became the now-popular "Bermuda Triangle". It is the one area of the inner city district where relatively loud music and noise is tolerated. Many bars and small clubs are located in this neighborhood. The First District in general has an abundance of night life options for any budget. There are many Irish pubs with pint prices starting at €2. On the other side of the price-spectrum are bars such as Sky Bar and Do & Co., which are frequented by the Austrian elite. Opening hours vary essentially by neighborhood noise ordinance agreements. In the summer, bars' outdoor seating often has to be vacated by 11 p.m. Generally there is an abundance of establishments open until 4 a.m. or later, especially on the weekend. Larger nightclubs are generally located further out. Popular ones include U4 Disco (which has closed in 2005), located on the U4 subway line, two medium sized clubs in the wine-producing neighborhood of Grinzing, and an ever-increasing amount of large clubs on the eastern side of the Danube, often located in shopping malls and cinema complexes. One popular club located near the center of the city is Flex, which is on the shores of the Donaukanal, and, like U4 is also located on the U4 subway line. Flex often features world-acclaimed dance music DJs. In the summer, the eastern shore of the Danube is very popular. It is called Copa Cagrana, which is a word-play of Copacabana and Kagran, which is a sub-district nearby. Starting in the late 1980s, the city undertook much effort to revitalize the area around the Westgürtel (Western Beltway), which had become a red-light district. Today, large portions of the Westgürtel have been modernized, with many restaurants, bars, and mini-clubs now located under the elevated tracks of the U6 subway line. Recently the Freihausviertel, right outside the First District by Karlsplatz has also gained some popularity for its restaurants. It includes the Naschmarkt, the major market in Vienna.

Useful Nightlife Terminology

Austria, particularly Vienna, has unique terminology for drinks. Here is the terminology commonly used: Beer sizes: These are either ordered by name or small/large for the 0.3/0.5 L sizes. The names are usually one used for draft beer, as it is dispensed into glasses of the same name.
- "Ein Pfiff": 0.2 L (6 U.S. fl oz) (not always available) Meaning: "A whistle"
- "Ein Seidl" or Ein kleines Bier: 0.3 L (10 U.S. fl oz). (common)
- "Ein Krügerl" or Ein grosses Bier 0.5 L (17 U.S. fl oz). (common) Meanings: "A little crock" and "a big beer"
- "Ein Maß" 1 liter (usually only available in microbreweries) This term originates from Bavaria, and essentially means "a measurement." Wine sizes: These are ordered in fractions of a liter
- "Ein Achtel" 1/8 L (4.2 U.S. fl oz)
- "Ein Viertel" 1/4 L (8.4 U.S. fl oz) It is also common to order a half-liter or a liter of wine with mineral water and then mix them to a desired concentration. The above mentioned quantities are also nearly always available pre-mixed with mineral water. This is called "G'spritzt" ("sprayed"). So to order wine one would say "Ein Achtel/Viertel Rot (red) / Weiß (white), followed by the word "G'spritzt" if one wants it diluted. The form "Ein weißer/roter Spritzer" is also used commonly.

Viennese coffeehouses

: Translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Wiener_Kaffeehaus here] Viennese cafés have an extremely long and distinguished history that dates back centuries, and the caffeine addictions of some famous historical patrons of the oldest are something of a local legend. Here also originated some of the earliest decaffeinated coffees — Kaffee Hag, which developed a decaffeination process around the turn of the century, uses its name as a trademark for decaf, which it continues to serve. The traditional coffee preparations are espresso of a lesser intensity than may be found in Italy, served with (Brauner or Wolf) or without (Schwarzer or Bär) milk, and Kaffeeobers or Kaffee mit Schlagobers (or simply Schlag), which are served with thickened cream. Addition of various alcohols is common, creating sweeter drinks, some of which are further given obviously recognisable Austrian names, e.g. Mozart Kaffee (mocha with Cherry Brandy and Schlagobers) or Maria Theresa (mocha with a shot of orange liquor). Coffee is generally served along with lighter fare (although some desserts are not to be reckoned with lightly). Visitors to cafés are welcome to take their time and enjoy the large selection of newspapers on offer. In addition to the many modern chrome-brightened 'Espressi', a number of 'real' Vienna coffeehouses still exist to maintain the original charm of this institution.
Viennese parks and gardens
Vienna possesses many park facilities and is one of the greenest cities in the world. The most famous parks and green areas are the Stadtpark, the Burggarten and Volksgarten, which belong to the Hofburg, the Schloßpark of Castle Belvedere with the Vienna Botanic Gardens, the Donaupark, the Schönbrunner Schlosspark, the Prater, the Augarten, the Rathauspark, the Lainzer Tiergarten, the Dehnepark, the Resselpark, the Votivpark, the Kurpark Oberlaa, the Auer-Welsbach-Park and the Türkenschanzpark, Laaer-Berg with the Bohemian Prater and the foothills of the Wienerwald (Viennese Forest), which reaches into the outer areas of the city. Small parks, known by the Viennese as Beserlparks, are everywhere in the inner-city areas.
Sport
: To be translated from [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wien#Sport here] Wienerwald Vienna has become a popular host of many different sporting events including the Vienna City Marathon, which attracts more than 10,000 participants every year and normally takes place in May. In 2005 the Ice Hockey World Championships will take place in Austria, with the final being played in Vienna. After already being the stage of four Champions League (originally European Champion Clubs' Cup) finals (1964, 1987, 1990, 1995) the final of Euro 2008, the European Football Championships, will take place in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium. Austria's capital is also the home of numerous sports teams. The best known of them are the local football clubs SK Rapid Wien (31 time Austrian national champions), FK Austria Wien (22 time Austrian national champions) and though the oldest is First Vienna FC. Important other sport clubs are the Chrysler Vikings Vienna (American Football), who won the Eurobowl title as Europe's best American Football team in 2004, the Vienna Hot Volleys, one of Europe's premier Volleyball-organisations, and the Vienna Capitals (Ice Hockey). Vienna also had submitted a bid for the 1964 Olympic Games.
Culinary specialities

Food
In winter small stands on bustling street corners sell hot chestnuts, potato fritters or caramel-coated almonds. Sausages are also well loved and available almost everywhere. The sausage known in the USA and Germany as Wiener (German for "Viennese") is called a Frankfurter here. However other varieties are more popular at Vienna's sausage stands, such as Burenwurst, a coarse, usually boiled, beef and pork sausage or Käsekrainer, spicy pork with small chunks of cheese within it. The Bosner is the Austrian equivalent of a hot dog, filled with a fried Bratwurst sausage Vienna is also well known for Wiener schnitzel, a cutlet of veal that is pounded very flat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried crisp. it is available in almost every eatery that serves viennese cuisine for about 14 Euros. Don't confuse it with pork schnitzel viennese style (Schweinsschnitzel Wiener-Art). Excellent, enormous and authentic Wiener Schnitzels are available at the Figlmüller restaurant (Bäckerstraße 6). Be aware that it is usually very full and noisy. Other Viennese cuisine includes Tafelspitz, very lean boiled beef, often served with grated horseradish. Vienna has a long tradition of cakes and desserts. These include Apfelstrudel hot apple strudel, Palatschinken sweet pancakes, and Knödel, dumplings often filled with fruit such as apricots (Marillenknödel). Sachertorte, a chocolate cake from the Sacher Hotel, is world famous and available to take home from many shops in Vienna airport. The Naschmarkt is a permanent market for fruit, vegetables, spices, fish, meat and much more. It is well worth a visit. The city centre has speciality food stores like Julius Meinl.
Drink
Vienna is the world's only capital city with its own vineyards. The wine is served in small viennese pubs known as Heuriger, that are especially numerous in the wine growing areas of Döbling (