Haus der Musik
"If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music."
~ Gustav Mahler
The Haus der Musik is a comparative newcomer to the museum scene in Vienna, having only been open since 2000. But if classical music is your jam, it's a must-see. The museum is equal parts history and science, exploring how music has shaped our world and continues to shape our experiences and psychology.
The fourth floor is an interactive exhibit in which you can "conduct" the Vienna Philharmonic. The musicians on the video speed up or slow down based on the movement of your baton, and if they aren't happy with your leadership, they'll stand up and start criticizing you. It's a great deal of fun, although, annoyingly, Jeff performed far better than I did.
The third floor was a fascinating chronological journey through the history of the great composers who had an important role in weaving the musical tapestry of the city. First, of course, was Mozart. This is the only official portrait of the Mozart family, and while Wolfgang Amadeus (in the red) is by far the most notable, he certainly wasn't the only musical Mozart.
This is a piano specifically built for Beethoven.
And this was the door to the last apartment he lived in, the apartment where he died. This may have been the last door he touched.
Schubert gives way to Strauss, the undisputed king of the Viennese Waltz (who apparently also wore glasses). I am a viola player, so Strauss waltzes are NOT my favorite (we are basically the metronome for the rest of the orchestra). But even I can't deny the genius.
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Below is a collection of dance cards dating from the time of Strauss.
We move from Mozart to Beethoven. The most interesting, and heartbreaking, portion of this section was a series of auditory exhibits progressively demonstrating how the world would have sounded as his hearing deteriorated.
Franz Schubert was next. I didn't geek out about him nearly as much, but this was a pair of his glasses!
Finally, we begin to usher in the modern era with Gustav Mahler. I was only familiar with Mahler as a composer, but I learned he was quite an accomplished conductor as well. This is the score of a Mozart work, with handwritten notes by Mahler which he used when conducting the Vienna Philharmonic.
The second floor, alas, I did not get any pictures of, because it was almost entirely exhibits to experience rather than to photograph. This was the most scientific area of the museum, exploring how sounds turn into music, how music is perceived by different animals with different brain and ear physiology, and how music is made by different instruments and materials. There is even a truly psychedelic exhibit called the "Sonotopia," where you use virtual reality to create a visualization of a unique sound, then send your creation into the universe to interact with the creations of others.
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The whole thing was fascinating and fun, but not particularly photographable.
The first floor is mostly a contemporary museum of the Vienna Philharmonic itself. I admit we were running out of steam by the time we got to this area, so we didn't spend as much time here, but I did manage to grab a photo of the tuxedo worn by Leonard Bernstein when he conducted the orchestra.
Even with a few extra days before and after the official tour, we only scratched the surface of what this fascinating corner of the world has to offer. And on the plane ride home, we were already talking about what we want to do when we come back.
Auf Wiedersehen Österreich und Deutschland! Vielen Dank für die Erinnerungen!
(Goodbye, Austria and Germany! Many thanks for the memories!)
(Bonus pic - our dog's face when we got home. Even with a vacation as great as this one, there's no place like home!)