Vienna Central Cemetery — Piano & Theory Lessons

By © Steffen Schmitz (Carschten) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63860366

This cemetery contains the graves of many composers, some of which are - Legeti, Schubert, Schoenberg, Richter, Brahms, Beethoven, Fuchs, Czerny, von Zemlinsky, Salieri, the Strauss family, Gluck. The Cemetery covers over two square kilometres in area with over 333,000 graves.

Unveiling of Robert Fuchs’ headstone in Vienna Central Cemetery

Buried with Robert Fuchs are his sons Robert Fuchs, a painter and Hans Fuchs, a philologist. Fuchs was given a grave of honour in the Vienna Central Cemetery.

Grave of the composer and music teacher Robert Fuchs (1847–1927) and his sons Robert Fuchs (painter; 1872–1952) and Hans Fuchs (professor, philologist; 1880–1919) at the Vienna Central Cemetery (33E/3/5)
By Papergirl - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71719288

By User:Daderot - The original description page was here. All following user names refer to en.wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=529150

By Herbert Josl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25180323

Schubert’s grave

When Schubert died he was buried next to Beethoven in the Wahringer Ortsfriedhof. Apparenlty in 1863 Schubert’s body was dug up, placed in a zinc coffin and reburied. The Wahringer Cemetery was closed in 1873, and this area became a park, actually named Schubertpark. A new cemetery was built, the Zentralfriedhof which was built away from the city centre. It was decided to transfer some of the graves of a number of composers to this new cemetery thus making it more appealing for people to visit. In this cemetery there are many composers buried in a composer’s section of which Schubert is one. In 1888 Schubert was moved to this new cemetery. According to Wikipedia Anton Bruckner was present at the exhumation of Beethoven and Schubert, he reached into the coffins and held the skulls of each of the composers. Schubert (and Beethoven’s) original gravesites are preserved, Schubert’s is marked with a bust.

Grave of Beethoven on the left, Schubert on the right and a memorial to Mozart in the foreground.
By Kiefer. from Frankfurt, Germany - Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38246707

Original gravestone of Ludwig v. Beethoven at the Währinger cemetery of village, (Vienna 18, Schubert Park - Währingerstraße 123). Beethoven was buried here at the 29.03.1827. The transfer to a grave of honour at the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna took place on the 22.06.1888.
By Herbert Josl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25180276

Beethoven’s grave

Beethoven – died on the 26th March 1827 and buried in the Wahringer Cemetery, a cemetery in the suburbs of Vienna. His funeral took place three days later on the 29th March 1827. Some of the torch bearers (or possibly pall bearers) were Schubert, Czerny and Hummel. The funeral was held at the Holy Trinity Dreifaltigkeitskirche. It is thought that between 10,000 and 30,000 watched the funeral procession. (This is the church where Schubert’s funeral was held the following year). According to the Era Saturday 19th November 1892, Beethoven’s coffin was collected from his place of death and it was carried to the bier by eight gentlemen belonging to the Imperial Opera House. This article states that the procession included a cross-bearer, trombone performers, a choir and eight composers who supported the coffin. There were thirty-six torch bearers, Czerny being one of them. Schubert isn’t mentioned in this article. Wahring is described as a small retired village a few miles distant from Vienna.

Beethoven’s Funeral.
By Franz Xaver Stöber - http://www.starnews2001.com.br/beethoven/galeria.htmOriginal is in the Beethoven-Haus Museum. http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=&template=dokseite_digitales_archiv_en&_dokid=i2929&_seite=1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1039270

In 1863 it was decided to repair Beethoven’s grave. His body was exhumed, it was placed in a metal coffin and he was buried a second time. The Bush Advocate 21st August 1888 states that some of Beethoven’s admirers wished to have a monument erected on Beethoven’s gravesite in 1863. This article writes about the state of Beethoven’s body when the coffin is opened in 1888.

The Wahringer Cemetery was closed in 1873 and it become a park in the early 20th century. Beethoven’s original tomb is still present in its original position. Beethoven’s coffin was moved to Vienna’s Central Cemetery which is south of the city in 1888. Many famous people are buried in this cemetery. Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Gluck, Wolf and members of the Strauss family graves are located near the main entrance. Other composers such as Czerny and Salieri are located further away from the main entrance. It seems that Beethoven’s remains were transferred to the Vienna Central cemetery on the 24th June 1888 and Schubert’s remains were transferred on the 23rd September 1888. A funeral procession escorted Beethoven’s coffin through Vienna and the hearse was drawn by eight black horses. Six local musicians acted as pallbearers once the procession arrived at the Vienna Central Cemetery taking the coffin to Beethoven’s new resting place. The Graphic of Saturday 8th September 1888 states that a space nearby has been reserved for Schubert’s remains.

By Kiefer. from Frankfurt, Germany - Beethovens Grab, Zentralfriedhof Wien, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38246726

Beethoven’s gravestone was built to the same design as the original in the Wahringer Cemetery and it was erected in 1888 by the Association of Friends of Music with financial help from the city of Vienna and the Philharmonic Association.

Brahms’ grave

Brahms lived in Vienna from 1872 until his death in 1897. Brahms occupies an honorary grave in the Vienna Central Cemetery. It is thought that Brahms had cancer of the liver. His last public appearance was on the 7th March 1897 when he saw Hans Richter conduct has Fourth Symphony; apparently Brahms received a standing ovation at the end of each of the four movements. His funeral took place at the Stadkirche and was buried on the 6th April 1897. En route to the church, the funeral procession stopped outside building belonging to the Society of the Friends of Music of Vienna. The Society had organised Brahms’ funeral. Brahms’ song “Farewell” was sung by a choir at this time. A choir sang the Bach setting of “Jesus my sure Defense” outside the church.

By Invisigoth67 - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1081971

According to the Oamaru Mail 3rd June 1897 that many distinguished muscians from all parts of Germany and Austria attended the funeral. There were six carriages beside the hearse that were laden with wreaths. His grave is located near that of Beethoven and Schubert. The St James’s Gazette dated 7th April 1897 states that Brahms’ grave is opposite that of Beethoven’s and adjoining that of Schubert’s. Once the hearse arrived at the Cemetery the torch bearers, some of whom were musicians, lined the pathway to the open grave. As a memento of the occasion, those taking part were given a laurel leaf from one of the wreaths. The Edinburgh News of 7th April states that Anton Dvorak came to the funeral from Prague.

Brahms did not leave a will, apparently, he intended to leave some money to his stepmother and stepsister, some to his landlady, and the rest, about £9000, to the Vienna Society of the Friends of Music. Because he did not sign a will, the money will go to the Government. At the time of his death he also owned many valuable manuscripts.

Hugo Wolf’s grave

The Toronto Saturday night newspaper 23rd February 1903 discusses the death of Hugo Wolf, a song composer, they state that because his songs have inspired so much enthusiasm in Germany and Austria that Hugo Wolf Societies have been formed in Berlin, Vienna and other cities. The article states that Wolf was for a time a pupil at the Vienna Conservatory, however a quarrel with his teachers resulted in him leaving. His father from that point on, would not support him.

One has to remember that the language used in these articles reflects the time in which they were written. The Dundee Evening Telegraph Tuesday 3rd March 1903 writes, “His was a remarkable career, and a sad one.” It goes on to discuss that he died in a madhouse, that he ‘lost’ his mind six years ago and had to be removed to an asylum.

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The same newspaper dated 16th November 1903 has a heading “Honoured after death”, where it states that ten thousand pounds has been paid by two Berlin music publishing firms for some of the works that were unpublished at the time of Wolf’s death.

The Bolton Evening News 7th March 1903, refers to Wolf dying in a “public lunatic asylum” in Vienna and that he has been laid to rest near Beethoven’s grave. It states that it is intended to erect a memorial to his memory.

The following comes from two newspapers on the the Papers Past website. In the Evening Star dated 2nd September 1903 states “Le Corregidor, an opera by the unfortunate Hugo Wolf, neglected and zealously lauded song composer who died insane a few months ago near Vienna, was to have been produced in Munich last month, but by a succession of circumstances the heirs of the composer have not succeeded in obtaining the right to produce or authorise the production of the opera, and as nobody possesses the right, the production has had to be postponed”.

And, from the Otago Witness 14th October 1903 “the late Hugo Wolf, who, like many a gifted man was very modest, was once asked by a journalist for his biography and portrait. His laconic reply was, “My name is Hugo Wolf. I was born on the 14th March 1860; I am still alive. That is enough for my biography. My slender figure is of no interest to anybody”.

Czerny’s grave

There is little information concerning Czerny’s grave, it is assumed that he was buried in another cemetery before he was reinterred at the Vienna Central Cemetery. According to the Yorkshire Gazette dated 1st August 1857, states that Mr Czerny died aged 66 in Vienna. The number of his published works is 849 and there are many unpublished works. He did not have a family, his fortune, which was considerable, was bequeathed to the Conservatory of Music of Vienna and several charitable societies.

The Oxford University and City Herald dated Saturday 22nd August 1857 states that Czerny began teaching at the age of fourteen, his arrangements of melodies and his works for instruction were more successful than his original compositions which were light, easy and melodious but betrayed no great depth or talent. He was in personal communication and terms of friendship with all the musical celebrities of the day. In his retirement he devoted himself to his cats.

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References

www.visitingvienna.com

www.wikipedia.com

www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

www.interlude.hk

www.britishnewspapersarchive.co.uk