Hofburg Chapel 2011-01-23 This is a picture of the altar area of what used to be the private chapel of the imperial family. The shot is 180 degrees from yesterday's shot of the organ. Nope, no warm wood here. Stone and tile. And tiny. There is only seating for about 50 people downstairs, and some booths on the side. Thanks for the many comments on yesterday's organ shots. Yes, I play the organ, but very poorly by Vienna standards. I'm attending an organ seminar that meets 8 times a year to get 'up close and personal' with various organs. Otherwise one can't get to see the organs and discuss advantages/disadvantages.

Hofburg Organ 2011-01-22 Enough of the mountains - back to the city. This shot shows the organ in the Hofburg palace chapel (where the Vienna Boy's Choir sings). As you may notice, it is new and not fancy. The reason being that it is on the 3rd story and set back in an alcove. Thus it needs more oomph to get the sound out and down, but doesn't need decoration. The organ has two manuals C- g''', 27 voices including baroque German and romantic French voices, pedals C- f' , is completely mechanical plus electronic presets. It was built by Kuhn AG in 2003. The next organ picture will be (I hope) at the end of March - the organ of the Franciscan Church - the oldest organ in Vienna (1682 I believe) that is now being renovated. Many thanks for the comments on the paraglider shot. I've sometimes thought it would be interesting to take pictures from such a vantage point - but you could never get me to run off the edge of a cliff!

Remembering 2010-01-03 Vienna has a Friedhof der Namenlosen (Cemetery of Unknown Ones) down the Danube where drowning victims tended to be washed ashore. It hasn't been used since 1940, but is still cared for. It has a melancholy feeling, especially during the winter. A very few graves have names (identified after burial), most of the name plates are empty or simply say "unknown". I thank you for your comments on yesterday's industrial scene. This cemetery is in the same area.