Leipzig

The first stop on our European Music History trip was Leipzig.

Okay, technically, we arrived in Berlin and spent 5 hours at the main hauptbahnhof (train station) because we weren't sure how long it would take us to get there from the airport... And if it hadn't been raining, we could've explored Berlin a bit. But instead, we roamed around looking for free wi-fi, tried getting Euro's from almost every ATM and failing (so a slight panic set in- NO access to money and only brought $50 cash with us), making sure we were going to be getting on the correct train, etc. But I don't think that's not the sort of thing you want to hear about...

Our purpose for going there was to come here,

Museum fur Musikinstrumente der Universitat Leipzig

(The Musical Instrument Museum at the University of Leipzig)

We came to see Dr. Eszter Fontana-Gát, The Museum's Director, who is also the oldest daughter of Joszef Gát.

Joszef Gát is the subject of Brandon's dissertation.

Brandon came to talk with Eszter more about her father- his life, his history, his teaching, his students, etc. and to see really cool things like this:

his grade book from the Liszt Academy of Music.

Gát took lessons from Bela Bartok and Brandon thought it was super cool to see his signature

And his hand gymnastic book that is referenced in his piano technique book, but is no longer in print.

Brandon was so thrilled after meeting with her. He saw so much, learned what he wanted to learn, and got an invitation of sorts to meet the other 2 sisters who live in Budapest. Such a great opportunity to speak with her!

Museum der Musikinstrumente

We didn't have hardly any time to see the museum before meeting with Dr. Fontana, so we went back the next day to see all the amazing things they've acquired. Brandon was so excited about so much of it. It was fun to see him surrounded by things he loves. And he said it was so perfect for one of the classes he's teaching so we took pictures of everything. Don't worry, I won't share them all with you.

They had many old "pianos" most of which are really either a clavichord (has a metal tangent that contacts the strings like a hammer on a piano), a harpsichord (has a quill that plucks the strings sort of like a harpist would), or a spinet. It was interesting to see the different scenes painted on them.

This one reminded me of the Goonies :)

This is a Hurdy Gurdy. Look at all the details - I especially liked the head on top. Brandon got to play a Hurdy Gurdy in Munich, so look for those pictures.

This one was interesting because it came apart in sections so it would be easier to move.

This is the oldest (fully intact) piano forte, made by Christofori.

The different actions of the keyboard instruments

I liked the built in finger "holes"

Interestingly shaped

This is a piano/sewing table. There wasn't space for both, so ones like this were combined.

I liked the look of this one

An early player piano. The disk on the left was like the record, engravings in the metal moved the "finger" on the front to sound the note.

Pianett. It was only 2ish feet tall. Can you see Luke sitting down playing a concerto?

Music printing tools

Another one I enjoyed

They also had an exploration room of sorts. This is a clavichord that they allowed people to play. Brandon had never played one before.

This is a see through piano. It was fun to see all the inside parts working.

Schumann Haus

This building/home was renovated in 1995. They were able to scrape down to the wall paper/paints from the years they lived there and re-create it. There wasn't very many original pieces here like some of the other homes we visited, and what they did have was Clara's. We weren't supposed to take pictures inside, but we did anyway of all that was there. Everything else was just pictures of things and recreations with models.

I have a thing for old staircases

In the room of their belongings included a dress of Clara's, her chair (to the left of the dress) and a small table with small knick-knacks.

We can't remember if this is her piano, or if this is a piano of that time period like the one she would have played on.

Mendelssohn Haus

The Mendelssohn Haus was the coolest one we went to. The have collected so much of his personal belongings and they have so much information on him and his life, family, etc. I learned a lot here. Brandon already knew most of it, but was fun for him to see the things that went with all the stories.

This is the Mendelssohn haus from the left side. He lived on the 2nd floor.

This is where I stood when I took that picture :)

This is the building from the right side. This is where the entrance gate is.

The garden/courtyard

The stairs - they were super squeaky

This museum had lots of pictures, original documents, household belongings - silverware, chairs, etc. I'm just posting a few of them.

This is a picture of Mendelssohn

A bust

A cast of his hand. Brandon loves these. He enjoys comparing his own hand size/shape to these famous composers.

Pens he used

One of his son's infant outfits

The Layout of the apartment

Top L-R: Dressing room (with bedroom below it) / Kitchen / Small rooms on either side of the stairs are like closets / Drawing Room / Study

Bottom L-R: Music Salon / Dining Room / Children Room / Children Room / Cabinet

Just off the bedroom was the dressing room. This is where the washing sink, dresser, cabinets, etc would have been.

Bedroom/Alcove. This would have been furnished after the French fashion. In here Mendelssohn had 2 strokes and died at just 38.

The death mask

The weird tradition of saved hair

The kitchen

This is a model of what the Gewandhaus looked like in Mendelssohn's time.

He was the director/conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra while he lived in Leipzig.

Drawing Room - all original furniture and artwork

Study

Everything was recreated based on a water color painted of this room. The chair at the desk is original and the water color paintings are his original paintings. Everything else are historical pieces.

The Music Salon.

The floor are original (restored) and the furniture is all recreated after the time period.

Dining Room

This was one of the children's rooms. It was full of the original documents and manuscripts.

Another of the children rooms. This is furnished with 2 historical grand pianos. Neither of them his, or played by him. One is a Berndt - build in Breslau, an important manufacture of the time and the other is a Trondlin - the type ordered by Mendelsohn for the Gewandhaus Orchestra.

The stool belonged to a friend of Mendelssohn, who helped him with the texts for his pieces. Mendelssohn sat on this stool as they worked together. (I think that's funny - because he sat on it once or twice)

They called this room the Cabinet and was his wife's room. All the furniture is original.

This was his bookcase his books

And that concludes your tour :)