Musikfreunde in Wien, Gesellschaft der#

Musikfreunde in Wien, Gesellschaft der (Society of the Friends of Music in Vienna), 1812 founded in Vienna as an association of music lovers from the nobility and middle-class, with the aim of promoting musical life, which had declined in significance as a result of the Napoleonic Wars. This was to be achieved by the performance of concerts (foundation concert on November 29, 1812 with G. F. Haendel´s "Alexander's Feast"), the establishment of an appropriate centre of education (conservatory) and a music collection as well as a library. Its main initiators were F. von Arnstein, J. and I. Sonnleithner, I.F. von Mosel and Prince J.F. Lobkowitz; Archduke Rudolf became its patron. Among its board members were personalities like A. Salieri, J. Brahms, L. Boesendorfer, W. Furtwaengler, R. Strauss and N. Dumba. The concerts were initially performed in the Kleine Redoutensaal, then from 1816-1847 and from 1851-1869 in the Grosse Redoutensaal, from 1831 in a separate concert hall at Unter den Tuchlauben street ("Haus zum roten Igel", rented from 1822, bought in 1829 and demolished in 1870). The "Musikverein" concert hall, built by T. Hansen on Karlsplatz square, was inaugurated in 1870 (altered 1911). In 1858 the Singverein singing society of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde was founded; since 1870 subscription concerts of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra have also been staged in the Musikverein building.

The Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, together with the Konzerthausgesellschaft, music society (founded as Wiener Konzertverein in 1900, concert hall building 1913), is the most important concert organizer in Vienna. The archives of the Society comprise one of the most important and valuable music collections in Austria (valuable autographs, estates of composers like J. Brahms, etc.). The society's conservatory was a forerunner of the Academy (1909)/University (1970) for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna ( Art Universities).

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