The Man — Instrument — Music Exhibition: A Deep Dive into Musical Heritage and Craftsmanship

This exhibition explores the relationship between humans, musical instruments, and music itself. It showcases instruments as both artistic creations and essential tools for musical expression, contrasting contemporary digital music with the tangible experience of playing an instrument.

The exhibition “Man – Instrument – Music” delves into the significance of musical instruments, presenting them not just as examples of craftsmanship and artistry, but as crucial intermediaries between humanity and music. Moving away from the constant presence of recorded and computer-generated music, the exhibition guides visitors into an intimate environment. Here, the focus shifts to periods where individuals directly engaged with instruments to create and experience music. The exhibition navigates through time, exploring how musical instruments produce sound, the evolution of musical notation for various instruments, their playing techniques, and the social contexts in which they were used. The museum's collection features sheet music, rare instruments, vintage gramophone records, and items from the personal collections of Czech musicians. A particularly rare highlight is the fortepiano that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played during his 1787 visit to Prague at the Institute of Noblewomen.