Travel Stories
Mesmerizing Music in the Birthplace of The Sound of Music
Do you ever find yourself captivated?
After singing “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music along a quiet street in Salzburg, Austria, my friend Ines and I giggled and continued strolling through the city.
It was the afternoon, and having started exploring in the morning, we were surprised to find no street musicians or local bands playing in restaurants. We thought we would see people performing music in the city where The Sound of Music movie had been filmed in 1965. Alas, we hadn’t found any musical performers so far.
After exploring the city center, we crossed over a beautiful bridge called Marko-Feingold-Steg to the south bank of the river Salzach to see the Stift Nonnberg, or the Nonnberg Abbey, where some of The Sound of Music had been filmed.
As we stepped inside the Abbey’s church, we were struck by the beautiful yet dimly-lit interior. We walked around the church when the sounds of a violin reached our ears.
My head whipped around, and my eyes rested on a lone violinist playing near the altar in the semi-darkness.
The church was suddenly illuminated, not by lights, but by sound.
The music guided me through the dimness. I eventually rested on a church pew, looked up, and met eyes with the violinist. She smiled at me, and I smiled back, trying to convey without words my awe of how calming yet stimulating her music was and how grateful I was to witness it.
After a few minutes, Ines approached me. She saw that I was captivated by the violinist’s music and told me to take my time; she would be waiting outside.
As I sat there listening to the violinist filling the church with her music, I realized the music I hoped to hear in Salzburg wouldn’t be found in the streets. No, I found it in a more peaceful, more intimate setting. A setting where, 54 years earlier, they had created a beautiful film with other incredible music in the exact room where the violinist and I were sitting.
Sometimes, we must be still and silent to hear the music we’ve been seeking.
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I’m an engineer and freelance writer. I’ve worked remotely for five years and have traveled worldwide as a digital nomad. And guess what? If you want to get in touch about writing or travel, my email is: [email protected]
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