Pianos: Any museums, exhibits or notable pianos in Paris?
Feb 9th, 2001, 10:30 AM
#1
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Pianos: Any museums, exhibits or notable pianos in Paris?
My husband repairs and restores pianos. This spring we will be traveling to Paris for a couple of weeks. Does anyone know if there are any sites - museums, exhibits, displays, etc - featuring pianos? Perhaps someone knows of a famous piano in a restaurant or historical location. I'm trying to make the trip more interesting for him! <BR> <BR>Thanks a lot, <BR> <BR>Betty
Feb 9th, 2001, 10:50 AM
#2
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Okay, this is my favorite "find" in recent years: the Music Museum at Villette (waaaay far ne corner of Paris, in the 20th). Hundreds of instruments, antique stuff from the 1400's or so thru the present. You get free earphones that play a tape when you get in front of the display case - describe the music, the instrument, then a selection of music on the instrument. There's a small stage for live performances (free); saw a lute player when I was there. Lots of harpsichords, 'embryonic' pianos, full blown pianos....you can get up very close, peer underneath, inside, etc. I bet if you contacted the museum, explained your professional interest, you might be able to get a special look-see...worth a shot.
Feb 9th, 2001, 11:05 AM
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Elvira beat me to it, but here's a website for the museum: http://www.cite-musique.fr/anglais/musee/index.htm. Also, with all due respect, it's in the 19th (even more waaaay NE). <BR> <BR>Another idea is the Musee des Arts et des Metiers on rue Reamur in the 3rd. It's more or less a museum of crafts and industries, and as I recall it has some pianos, including mechanical ones.
Feb 9th, 2001, 01:16 PM
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<BR> <BR>Hi Betty, <BR> <BR>If you're interested in a day-trip, you might want to try the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, too. I think Brussels is only about an hour from Paris by TGV. (Forgive me for being too lazy to look up the schedule right now!) As an added point of interest, the museum is housed in an enchanting Art-Nouveau building, called the "Old England." <BR> <BR>I haven't seen (and heard!) this place yet so I can't make a personal recommendation, but I hope to visit on my next trip. Meanwhile, the museum has quite an extensive web site at: <BR> <BR>http://www.mim.fgov.be/ <BR> <BR>Have a great trip! <BR> <BR> - Quicksilver -
Feb 10th, 2001, 04:41 PM
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<BR>Elvira and KT <BR> <BR>This is the best information I have ever received on this site <BR> <BR>I just printed both your answers and showed them to my wife who is a pianist and piano teacher <BR>20th or 19th arr who cares--this is the kind of information that makes this forum worth while <BR> <BR>Thanks <BR>AH
Feb 11th, 2001, 10:51 AM
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There's what looks like a very old piano (spinet, virginal?) in the lobby of the Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais, 12 rue Vielle-du-Temple, in the Marais district. Not sure it's worth going out of your way to see, but if you're passing by, you might want to dip into the place and check it out. (The hotel is the former home of the fellow who wrote the play "The Marriage of Figaro." Maybe this was his piano?)
