18. Vienna: The City of Music

[Detailed catalog text in german]

In 1952, Rudolf Stelzhammer (1893–1967), the Federal Guild Master of Instrument Makers, sparked a broader media discussion with the statement made during a press conference that music should “no longer rank behind sports, but, as one of our oldest cultural factors, should have the same absolute justification, or at least receive the same valuation.”

The competition between sports and music in terms of Austria’s cultural self-perception, as mentioned here, is a result of the increasing importance and popularity of sports, which threatened to end the former dominance of the motif of the 'land of music' or the 'city of music'.

Consequently, Hans Sittner (1903–1990), the president of mdw*, felt compelled to make a statement. He called for the support of students and the reduction in the cost of musical instruments and concluded - in a manner that certainly reflects the prevailing anti-modern, technophobic attitude of the time:

“The interest in music and the musical talent of our people, especially our young people, have - and I can provide authoritative information on this - not diminished at all. However, in the age of radio and records, existing methods of instrument production, along with their pricing and distribution strategies, are no longer viable.”

The designation ‘Vienna, the City of Music’ is a persistent cultural cliché, still commercially exploited today, especially in tourism and events such as the New Year’s concert. For over a century, it has been an entrenched ideological element of Austria and Vienna, consistently invoked in the mdw*’s external representations to garner support or recognition.