Reflecting on a Czech-Austrian Journey through the Harpsichord
Have you ever been transported back in time by music? Let’s explore the connection between music and memory.
On the night I returned home, still basking in the afterglow of my journey, I attended a harpsichord concert by Jean Rondeau at the Ueno Cultural Hall. This was my second visit, and the fact that my return home and the concert fell on the same day felt like a serendipitous conclusion to my travels. Thanks to securing tickets on the first day they were released, I could sit at the front edge of the stage. The unique curvature of the stage allowed me to closely capture the expressions of the performer.
Upon opening the program, the words “Austria” and “Mozart” immediately caught my eye. This brought to mind an episode involving a young Mozart at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, a place I had visited during my trip. It is said that a 6-year-old Mozart once performed for Empress Maria Theresa there. In a certain painting of Schönbrunn Palace, Maria Theresa and her family are depicted enjoying an opera in the front row, with a young Mozart shown in the background. However, Mozart’s presence was added later, suggesting that someone else may have originally occupied that space.
As the concert began, images of my travels to Czechia and Vienna flooded my mind. The hotel in Prague, which I visited just for a night’s rest, had a bedroom reminiscent of a palace, healing the fatigue of the journey. A luxurious breakfast buffet under sparkling chandeliers, followed by a tour under cloudy skies of Prague Castle and Charles Bridge. On a hilltop restaurant, I savored fluffy white steamed buns called “knedlíky,” beef stew, and finally, berry pancakes.
We visited Český Krumlov, a beautiful town that’s a World Heritage site. The reception area impressed me with its cave-like round white ceiling and refined interior. Our room was on the top floor, the fourth floor, featuring a golden-sloped ceiling that followed the natural shape of the roof. The small windows adorned with orange curtains gave the room a cozy, cabin-like ambiance.
For dinner, I enjoyed a mixed grill, followed by a delectable apple cake. My nighttime stroll took me through the small castle town, illuminated in hues of orange. There were hardly any tourists to be seen, allowing me to immerse myself in the precious tranquility and scenic nighttime views.
I awoke at 6 a.m. the following morning. As I parted the goldenrod curtains to open the window, I was greeted by the silhouette of trees against an ethereal blue background, as if I were looking at a shadow puppet show. Along with the chirping of small birds, the dawn sky was lit up by both the Český Krumlov Castle and a single large star. On the day I most wished for clear skies, it was indeed a perfect morning. From the restaurant where I had breakfast, the view showcased a vivid contrast of glistening cobblestone streets, orange triangular rooftops, and a blue sky. I was genuinely moved by the sheer beauty of it all.
The timbre of Jean Rondeau’s harpsichord carries my mind all the way from distant Czech lands and Vienna to Hallstatt, which is often described as akin to the Arendelle Kingdom from Disney “Frozen.” Following this, a series of travel moments vividly projects onto the screen of my mind: Burg Ischl, Dürnstein Castle, Salzburg, Melk Abbey, the Schönbrunn Palace, the café inside Vienna’s Museum of Art History — said to be the most beautiful in the world — Klimt’s “The Kiss,” and the final supper at Café Sperl, a filming location for “Before Sunrise.”
There were three encores during the performance, and my own encore is still ongoing as I plan to capture this journey in upcoming blog posts and YouTube videos. As the final note resonated through the air, leaving behind a momentary reverberation that was quickly enveloped in applause, I raised my hands high and contributed my own fervent clapping. This marked the finale of my recent journey.