Contrasting Mozart's Memorials

If there's one thing there's alot of in Austria, it's Mozart memorials. Each of them are unique and humbling in their own way.

The first we visited was Mozart's grave in the Central Cemetary. Easily the darkest of the three, an angel sits atop a stack of books containing his works, weeping with a copy of his Requiem in her hands. One can't escape the feeling of great loss; that we are truly forsaken for having lost such a talent at such a young age. Surrounded by beautiful graves of other great musicians, a sense of despair lingers in the air.

The second monument is in the park at the Museums Quartier. A stark comparison to the first, a triumphant Mozart stands atop a giant marble creation, all the instruments he wrote for stacked at the base. The back is ornamented with a stylized scene from his youth; he is playing the klavier while his father and sister look on in quiet adoration. A massive treble clef, formed of planted geraniums stretches on ahead of him. It leaves us with a sense of hope, that even though he is no longer with us, his music will always live on.

The third monument, where Mozart is thought to be buried, was the most emotional. In Saint Marx cemetary, an angel stands at the base of his grave, his head in his hand, as if to ask, "How could this have happened?" He stares at Mozart's grave in a state of near disbelief. Off by himself in a small field, Mozart's grave is surrounded by lush begonias and an aura of peace.

Since visiting a Mozart grave or memorial is certainly on the bucket-list of any musician, I would've felt lucky to have been able to pay hommage at just one of those sites, but to be able to visit three Mozart monuments makes me feel truly blessed.