Music Museum Vienna: The House of Music Reviewed

If you are after a top music museum Vienna hosts the House of Music. This interactive place lets you explore the world of music in a uniquely comprehensive way: from the creation of sound and voice to musical instruments, composing music, and the stories of Austrian composers. In the lobby piano enthusiasts will even find a piano to play on. My kids especially loved the Musical Stairs (see photo above) and virtuall conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra!

Music Museum Vienna. The House of Music is located in the former home town palace of Otto Nicolai, founder of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. I had listened more to its music than I knew why it was founded, why its sound is so special, and what it really takes to become a part of it. Our guide filled all these gaps as she walked us through the first floor.

Music Museum Vienna. It’s a little spooky and almost spiritual when you hear and feel the sounds an embryo would listen to in the mother’s womb. Visualising sound and testing your own perception of different sounds was magical: We pinned our own sing sang and words against a few lines on an electronic fluorescent wall, creating blogs, swirls, waves and grids.

A big hit for our kids was playing with gigantic instruments, like a huge drum, a walk-in organ pipe, a massive xylophone hanging from the ceiling, and an enormous string instrument.

Music Museum Vienna. The third floor was about going back to classical music history, though with a twist. We entered a few rooms, each dedicated to a particular Austrian composer.
Along with the stories of Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Mahler, Wolfgang Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and Johann Strauss II came original musical instruments, note stands, life-size figures and original furniture. My favourites were Johann Strauss’ collection of violins, and the forest lay out in Gustav Mahler’s room.

Again, we were falling for the techie game stuff – NAMADEUS, an interactive computer game based on Wolfgang Mozart’s musical ‘name game’. He had set the alphabet to music to create personal tunes of first names.

The photo shows my little daughter’s hands transforming her first name into music. You can choose between three different modes of play, and even print out your score and take it with you.

The Viennese Classical Masters concert at Vienna’s Haus der Musik is an intimate, approximately one-hour performance by a string quartet, featuring music by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Johann Strauss. It is a lovely way to experience Vienna’s musical heritage in a relaxed, close-up setting, with familiar favourites such as Eine kleine Nachtmusik, The Blue Danube and Radetzky March. Concerts are offered regularly rather than just occasionally, and booking ahead is advisable, particularly if you want a specific date or evening, as popular performances can sell out; tickets cannot be reserved, but can be bought online in advance. Access concert calendar and ticket booking.

Music Museum Vienna. Every time I watch a concert I wonder how it must feel to conduct an orchestra. Now I know, it’s thrilling. A side room at the House of Music holds the virtual conductor game. Wave your magical conductor stick at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on a screen in front of you. Try to follow the tunes of Mozart’s A Little Night Music, Johann Strauss II’s ‘Danube Waltz’, or Johann Strauss I’s Radetzky March, not an easy task. If you fall out of the bar, be prepared for a virtual rant of orchestra members…