Haus der Musik (House of Music)
Vienna, Austria
ABOVE: A "virtual conductor" exhibit at Vienna's Haus
der Musik.
By
Durant
Imboden
"Have
you ever sung an aria in the shower at the top of your voice? Or stood in front
of the CD player conducting your favorite orchestra with a chopstick or whatever
was handy? Or emulated The Who's Pete Townsend with a tennis racket in a burst
of 'air guitar'? If the answer to only one of these questions is 'yes,' the
House of Music in Vienna is for you!"
That's the word from the Vienna Tourist Board, which hopes
to make the Haus der Musik
(a.k.a. "The Sound Museum") as familiar to visitors as the Vienna Choir
Boys, the Spanish Riding School, and Sachertorte. The board's press
release for the museum continues:
"Imagine standing at the podium and
conducting the world's most renowned orchestra, the Wiener Philharmoniker!
Dreams can 'virtually' come true at the House of Music, where you can earn a
degree as a 'virtual conductor" without even having graduated from the Academy
of Music.
"The venerable orchestra keeps the proper time, whether you choose to
conduct in the manner of Herbert von Karajan (swiftly) or Hans Knappertsbusch
(ver-r-r-y slowly). But be careful: the musicians aren't easy to please. You may
even be shown up, when a Herr Professor within the orchestra gets up and asks
you, 'Kennen Sie das Stück
uberhaupt?' ('Do you even know this piece?') At that point, you might take some
consolation from the rumor that even such a renowned conductor as Zubin Mehta
was unable to conduct the orchestra to the satisfaction of its virtual members!"
ABOVE: Giant instruments at the
House of Music.
Other musical fun
When you're ready to step off the conductor's
podium, there are plenty of other activities to try in Vienna's Haus Der
Musik.
Poke your head into a device that looks like
a salon hairdryer, sing into the microphone, and view images that are harmonious
or discordant according to your singing skills. (Try this before performing in a
karaoke bar!)
Use the "Mind Forest" to create music by
using your voice, hands, and body, or turn your impromptu compositions into
sound in the "Future Music Blender." You can even take your music home on a CD.
Experience the first sounds that a prenatal
infant experiences in the womb, hear the sounds of the universe, try the "sound
gallery" (a pool of diverse sounds), and more.
If you prefer your music served up with
seriousness, you can explore the Vienna Philharmonic Museum (which
celebrates the history of the 150-year-old orchestra) and tour Genius Loci,
a permanent exhibition with documents and memorabilia from the lives of Haydn,
Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Johann Strauss, Mahler, and Schönberg.
The House of
Music also has a café and a collection of shops where you can buy instruments,
sheet music, recordings, and other musical wares.
Location and hours
The Haus der Musik is located at
Seilerstätte 30 in the 1st District, between St. Stephen's Cathedral and the
Vienna State Opera. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information
(including admission fees), visit the Haus der Musik's
English-language Web site.
Information source: Vienna
Tourist Board.
Photos copyright © Haus der Musik.
Used by permission.
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