Music Museum

Established in 1991, the Music Museum is a national documentary, scientific research and methodological workplace with nationwide competency which purposefully acquires, preserves, scientifically and professionally processes, uses and makes available museum collections of a musical character, documenting the field of music culture in Slovakia from the earliest times until the present day. Operating within the network of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML), it is the central workplace for evidence and processing preserved music sources in the territory of Slovakia and it plays the role as the national headquarters for Répertoire International des Sources Musicales (RISM). The work of the Music Museum is linked to that of the Music Department of the SNM - Museum of History . It´s offices are situated at the 2nd floor of Brämer Manor House in Bratislava and in Dolná Krupá Manor House.

The Music Museum has more than 120 000 registered collectible artefacts. They include manuscript and printed music, autographs, outlines and copies of compositions from the 14th century to the present, traditional and classical musical instruments of domestic, European and non-European origin, recordings of classical, popular and folk music with an emphasis on documentation of the production of Slovak music publishers, concert programmes, posters, correspondence of Slovak musical personalities, reviews and critiques of composition and interpretation activity, photographic material and artistic objects with musical motifs and connections. There are unique score reproductions, relating to both Slovak and foreign music, including collections of music acquired from parish choirs and monastic churches. Special collections focus on composer and pianist Ľ. Zamoyská, music publisher G. Heckenast, and sources relating to the activity of choirs in Slovakia. The more recent history of Slovak music is represented by collections relating to Slovak composers, performers and theoreticians (J. L. Bella, E. Suchoň, A. Moyzes, A. and J. Albrecht, Š. Németh-Šamorínsky, F. Kafenda, T. Gašparek, K. Havlíková, M. Kišonová-Hubová, B. Warchal,…).

The collection of musical instruments comprises both Slovak folkloric instruments and instruments which document European and non-European cultures.

The scientific research activities of the Music Museum are aimed at solving basic research themes related to the orientation and specialisation of the museum, with an emphasis on the scientific processing of its own collections. Some research tasks are undertaken in co-operation with other institutions, for example the Music Department of the Faculty of Arts of Comenius University in Bratislava and the Institute of Musicology Slovak Academy of Sciences, where common external research task named From History of Slovak Music is provided. Another common, long-term research task of all professional staff at the museum is the development of the Slovak Catalogue of Musical Sources. The museum provides information service to researchers, performers and music bands and bodies. It also administers the Ludwig van Beethoven Memorial in Dolná Krupá Manor House.

Dolná Krupá

Another department is located in the manor house of Dolná Krupá. Its history is connected with the Brunsvik family. Story goes about the stay of Ludwig van Beethoven, who reportedly composed the Moonlight Sonata there. The last aristocratic owner of the manor house Mária Henrieta Choteková (1863 – 1946) had the largest rosarium in Central Europe founded in the village.

Dolná Krupá is one of the most beautiful examples of rural classicist architecture in Slovakia. Thanks to Brunsvik family, it became a place well-known for its art collections (especially fine arts gallery, rich library, collection of minerals and natural beauty of the park) even beyond the monarchy borders. In a separate theatre building (it existed until 1937), performances were shown with an active participation of lords. A wife of Count Joseph, Maria Anna, born Majtényi, intended to introduce a melodrama with music composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. According to the oral family tradition, Dolná Krupá used to be a place where this musical composer composed his most famous piano opus – "Quasi una fantasia". Chotek family deserves gratitude for developing farming and breeding on the sight. The manor is famous mainly due to Mária Henrieta Choteková (1863 – 1946), who is still famous as a „rose countess“; her rosary counted more than 6 000 roses and a complete collection of Nordic roses (a heritage from Rudolf Geschwind).