Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

[Chris]

I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York yesterday, and I didn't know they had a collection of old instruments there. There were a number of old pianos and harpsichords, as well as stringed instruments, brass, and woodwinds. They had two violins by Stradivari side by side - one in its original condition, and the other with modern modifications (longer fingerboard, etc.). But how frustrating that I could only look and not try them!

[Peter]

There is an excellent museum in Brussels the MIM with a huge collection of old instruments (around 7000), some of which you can play - you can even virtual conduct!
http://www.mim.be/collections

[Hollywood]

I envy you Chris. One of these days I hope to be able to go to NYC and see places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Not only to see the wonders that this museum holds but also to see the architecture of this museum's Fifth Avenue facade, Great Hall, and Grand Stairway. The reason being that my cousin Richard Morris Hunt was the architect who designed these parts of the building. Ah, some day...

[Chris]

Very interesting, Hollywood. That's quite a project to get to work on!

[Chaszz]

I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York yesterday, and I didn't know they had a collection of old instruments there. There were a number of old pianos and harpsichords, as well as stringed instruments, brass, and woodwinds. They had two violins by Stradivari side by side - one in its original condition, and the other with modern modifications (longer fingerboard, etc.). But how frustrating that I could only look and not try them!

When I first saw this collection several years ago, I was struck most by the weird-looking shapes of many, many of the horns. Most of these were now "extinct," and I couldn't help seeing a similarity between the evolution of various extinct horns and evolution in nature, with many species falling by the wayside because of their lack of fitness to compete. And meanwhile the old bassoon, one of the earliest horns in European primitive medieval village bands, and one of Bach's favorite instruments, still holds its accustomed place in the orchestra after many centuries, as if a mammoth survived from the last ice age.

[Chris]

Interesting that you say that, Chaszz. The odd-looking horns was the first thing I noticed there.