The Sound of Salzburg: The Von Trapps & The Sound of Music


2014-07-08 04.05.30

Years ago, our family had the privilege of having Rosemarie von Trapp in our home. Her family’s story inspired the famous move, “The Sound of Music.” Rosemarie told us of her conversation to Christ, and she also told us how her famous mother, Maria von Trapp, came to Christ. As Rosemarie explained it, the reason the von Trapps fled Austria was to get away from Hitler’s twisted cross (the swastika) so they could follow the true cross of Jesus Christ. Sitting at the piano (with our daughter Victoria at the keys), she sang “Edelweiss,” then led us as we sang the same tune, using the words, “Praise the Lord.”

The von Trapps lived in Salzburg, and that’s the setting for the movie. The famous city of Mozart and the home town of Joseph Mohr (“Silent Night”), was also home to Captain von Trapp and his large family.

If you go to Salzburg, you can take a “Sound of Music” tour. We intended to, but didn’t. We got so caught up in locating the sites and scenes for ourselves that we saw more than we would have seen on a tour. The picture above is of a large and beautiful hotel on a lake just outside Salzburg — Schloss Leopoldskron. In the movie, this was the von Trapp home and some of the scenes were shot on the terrace between the hotel and the lake. Here are some more pics.

We took a local bus to this location, but got lost trying to find it. Finally we turned the corner and saw this scene.
We took a local bus to this location, but got lost trying to find it. Finally we turned the corner and saw this scene.
This is the terrace of the "lemonade scene" in "The Sound of Music"
This is the terrace of the “lemonade scene” in “The Sound of Music”
Look familiar from "The Sound of Music"?
Look familiar from “The Sound of Music”?
And around this fountain... I think they were singing: "Doe, a deer, a female deer."
And around this fountain… I think they were singing: “Doe, a deer, a female deer.”
Remember the von Trapp children running through the hedges of Marabell Gradens?
Remember the von Trapp children running through the hedges of Marabell Gradens?
Victoria at the original "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" Pavilion.
Victoria at the original “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” Pavilion.
And where the Captain expresses his love to Maria.
And where the Captain expresses his love to Maria.
The Convent where Maria von Trapp was a nun before going to work for the von Trapps.
The Convent where Maria von Trapp was a nun before going to work for the von Trapps.

You have to hike up about 300 steps to get to the Convent.
You have to hike up about 300 steps to get to the Convent.
The concert hall where the Salzburg festival was held, which provided the scheme for the von Trapps to escape (in the movie).
The concert hall where the Salzburg festival was held, which provided the scheme for the von Trapps to escape (in the movie).
It's an indoor auditorium, but the front is cut into the cliff and was originally an arena for horse shows.
It’s an indoor auditorium, but the front is cut into the cliff and was originally an arena for horse shows.

2014-07-07 07.52.07

The actual escape scene in the movie was filmed on a Hollywood set, but it was patterned after this graveyard.
The actual escape scene in the movie was filmed on a Hollywood set, but it was patterned after this graveyard.
My favorite spot in Salzburg--a beautiful, quiet cemetery tucked into the cliffside.
My favorite spot in Salzburg–a beautiful, quiet cemetery tucked into the cliffside.
We ended our stay in Salzburg seeing "The Sound of Music" at the Marionette Theater.
We ended our stay in Salzburg seeing “The Sound of Music” at the Marionette Theater.
That's all from Austria. Thanks for going alone with me for the last several blogs.
That’s all from Austria. Thanks for going alone with me for the last several blogs.