Musical things to see in Europe

May 12, 2005 at 11:04 AM · You should check out the Proms...a music festival in England during the summer with major symphonies and soloists performing in a series of concerts. I understand it is quite a big deal...I plan to go to a concert myself this year.

Also London has a museum of musical instruments that contains neat stuff like a double bass that is so tall it goes through the floor into the level below.

May 12, 2005 at 11:29 AM · Yay somone replied to my first thready thing. Thanks for the info will be in england for summer!

May 12, 2005 at 11:46 AM · I'd go to the Beethovenhaus in Bonn

May 12, 2005 at 03:26 PM · VIENNA.... half of the music from the early 18th century was created there. Obviously Cremona as well and as many Italian cities as you can hit. Venice, Rome, there are tons of cities there. Have fun!

May 12, 2005 at 03:35 PM · How about Paganini's grave and the new Paganini house in Genoa, Italy.

May 12, 2005 at 05:20 PM · If you want to hear some awesome concerts, check out the festivals in Switzerland, such as Verbier, Sion, Gstaad and Luzern. It seems that everybody that's somebody spend their summer in Switzerland.

There is so much to see also in Germany. Leipzig (Bach) is great, but just plan out your rout and then see what musical things there are. You will be astonished by all the history in Europe. Sorry, but that's one of the things I really missed being in the US, although went it comes to recent history, there are some great things as well.

Have a great time!

May 12, 2005 at 08:00 PM · I'd see Carla! Second choice would be Vienna to see Mozart's apartment, before they turn it into Amadeusland.

P.S. There's plenty of history here too, just lots of it's along the lines of cultural anthropology, or else highly compressed in the not-so-distant past.

May 12, 2005 at 07:58 PM · Paris has a wonderful musical instrument museum.

May 12, 2005 at 07:59 PM · I did not mean about the general cultural. But when it comes to violin, the US only started getting into things at the late 1800's. You'll see what I mean when you get here. But don't understand me wrong, I love the US.

May 12, 2005 at 08:04 PM · Noooo the violin came with the earliest explorers!

May 12, 2005 at 09:36 PM · Carla,

I didn't take offense by your comment and I understand your message of the golden history of violin in Europe...the birthplace. Europe has to be very rich in that history.

However, the earliest settlers, aside from Native Americans, in the US were from there. I figure there was a violin or two and some Baroque music that came with them. Your 1800s comment would certainly surprise Thomas Jefferson:

http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxjef.html

The big difference I see in classical music (not necessarily violin alone) between Europe and the US is the deep respect that classical musicians and orchestras receive there. Classical music has much more support in Europe and in other places as well. I find it disheartening how little support we give classical music here.

May 12, 2005 at 11:30 PM · The factor that overrides all others in defining the properties of a culture is the population density. Read George Stewart's Earth Abides for an entertaining explanation. It didn't reach European proportions here until probably the 20th century. Incidently, some elements of very early European culture got time-warped into the 20th century in isolated locations here.

Things that could explain a relative lack of support for "classical music" here are cultural memory of those earlier times, so in a sense it shouldn't be "disheartening," it's the normal course of events, and democratizing undercurrents we have. There are meaningful old traditions of violin here though, with old European roots.

Now back to regularly scheduled programming of musical things to see in Europe...

May 13, 2005 at 04:14 AM · Thanks for all the great places. I feel so sorry for the girl i'm going with. I'm dragging her to all these places but i'm sure she wont she a fantastic pianist so it isnt like she has no interest in music.

As for violinist in america before the 1850s they were very rare. I did a bit a research casue i had a dream one night and i was a violinist in that period in america. when i woke up i secretly hoped that maybe (yes i know silly silyy) i was the reincarnation of a great american violinist around that time. but it was very difficult to find any information in general about the violin prior to the 1950s

May 13, 2005 at 05:28 AM · Not rare, just unknown like most of us. Interesting dream. I've had dreams that prompted good research too. Have fun in Europe.

May 13, 2005 at 05:23 AM · Luke, you're so lucky to be going to Europe for the summer. If the girl you're taking is as unhappy about it as you say, you could take me instead. I'd be very happy. ;-)

If I were going, I'd make a pilgrimage to the place where Bach lived and the church in which he played the organ. I might want to see Beyreuth (sp?), but I wouldn't want to sit through one of Wagner's operas there. I'd like to hear some of the great European symphony orchestras in some of those great old halls. I'd love to see Switzerland for the scenery and, since Carla told us that it's a great place for classical music, that's another reason to go.

Please send us some emails, instead of postcards, when you're there.

May 13, 2005 at 05:45 AM · I'm leaving june 28th and going for roughly 5months so i'm bound to see lots and lots. Dont worry i'll update while i'm over there whenever i can. Hmmmm maybe i should start a blog over there. Since i'm planning to leave my beloved violin at home i'm trying to fill my trip with as much musical experiences at possible.

Hehe v.com just comes up as my home page all ready for me to post. so i'm not sure what my password and stuff for this web site is so i will have to figure that out before my leave.

May 13, 2005 at 06:26 AM · Hi Luke

Just to add to what Sarah said earlier, yes you really must go to the proms, but you need to do it properly! Don't buy a ticket in advance, but go and queue on the day. I also would say, go up to the galleries, as I have found you get a great sense of the space in the Albert Hall from there, and you get to lounge around if you want! Also if you are a fan of chamber music, make sure you get to a concert at the Wigmore Hall (also in London). This is one of the best small halls in the world, and well worth a look. Happy travelling!