Lobkowicz Palace & Museum of Music

On Friday (January 22nd) we had the pleasure of viewing part of the extensive Lobkowicz Family Collection at the Lobkowicz Palace location in Prague. What’s neat about this collection is that it is the oldest, largest and most intact historic family collection of the Czech Republic. Altogether it consists of many valuable historic items including manuscripts dating back to the 10th century, Medieval and Renaissance works of art, ceramics from five centuries, paintings by some of Europe’s great historic artists, and also a tremendous collection of musical instruments and autograph manuscripts by some of the  greatest composers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Here we viewed portraits of the Lobkowicz family (some of who were royalty) and learned some of their history. One particularly interesting family member was Joseph Franz Maximilian, who was a financial backer of the composer Beethoven. What was crucial about his particular involvement in Beethoven's livelihood was that he did not commission specific pieces (like other financial contributors of the day) but rather gave Beethoven free reign to compose whatever he wished. Because of this, Beethoven was able to create many of his greatest works, and for that we have much to thank him for.
Part-way through the exhibits we came across the music room, and WOW what a treasure indeed. Located here were the original autograph scores of Beethoven's 3rd, 4th and 5th Symphonies, as well as Mozart's handwritten re-orchestration of Handel's Messiah. It was quite a moving experience to see both Beethoven's and Mozart's actual penmanship and original musical notation. 

On our final full-day in Prague we visited the Czech Museum of Music. Here we were able to see an awesome display of experimental microtonal instruments, as well as other exhibits featuring a substantial amount of musical instruments dating between the 17th and 19th centuries. My favorite part of this experience was being to see and hear a microtonal piano! I had first discovered the existence of such instruments while doing research for Music and Cultures my first semester at PLU, so I was super stoked at the opportunity to see one up-close! The keys of the microtonal piano have three layers, allowing its pianist to play quarter, eighth and even sixteenth-tones! Under the lid there were three individual shelves of strings (because of this the belly of the piano was like a solid block that almost reached the floor.) Unfortunately the piano was off-limits so there were audio recordings available for listening.
The other exhibit I enjoyed was the one totally devoted to keyboard instruments. Here there were both a fretted and unfretted clavichord; grand pianos (much smaller than the ones we use today) from around 1799; the so-called "Mozart Piano" (which was played by Mozart himself at the Ladies' Institute in Prague's New Town during his first visit to the city in 1787); giraffe pianos, with tall vertical soundboards; and also some beautifully decorated pianos, some of which had mother of pearl keys or were hand-painted.

All-in-all I had an incredible experience in Prague and hope to return again someday!