Tag: music

The Charles Bridge Quartet, Prague

I have a feeling these four are a regular weekend attraction for people walking the Charles Bridge on a Saturday, as I was. I am not sure how to characterize their sound – jazz of a sort I suppose. I enjoyed listening for a few minutes while I snapped a few photos, and before walking on, I put 100 Czech Koruna (a bit less than $5.00) in the guitar case. The clarinet player gave me a look as if to say, “Is that all?” Whatever, it was before noon, and it was clear the band would walk away with, at the very least, enough geld for a good dinner and several pints of fine Czech beer later in the day.

Ludwig von Beethoven in Bronze, Vienna

The Beethoven Monument pictured here was unveiled in 1870 and is the centerpiece of Beethovenplatz. Beethoven was one of several musical geniuses who spent some or most of their lives in Vienna. In fact, a plaque on the wall of the school overlooking the statue informs us that Franz Schubert was a student at this gymnasium. I came upon this tribute to Beethoven by accident while walking from the Stadtpark subway station to the Hofburg and other historical monuments to Vienna’s glory days. Excellent way to start my walk.