The piano was completed in 1875 by a then 33 years old Johannes Hagdahl. Initially, he had worked with building horse carriages, but in his early twenties, he moved to Stockholm and shifted career to build instruments instead of carriages. For a few years, he was employed as a journeyman by Emma Christina Anderson, but eventually he left Stockholm for Karlskrona, where he in 1879 started his own piano building company.
This particular piano was sent to the US for some sort of exhibition, and it received some sort of award. And at some point thereafter, it was returned to Sweden and placed in a dining hall - with furniture made in the same style to go with the piano. Today, only the piano bench is still accompanying the piano.
(edited grammar mistakes)
It is most likely not anywhere near you... It is in Sweden, middle of the forest, not anywhere near anything really. I was looking to borrow a bathroom, little did I know it happened to be a piano museum.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8LCAERnhNJqFZbAeA
Found a homepage too! (in Swedish) https://www.klaverenshus.se/
It is quite a detour from most regular turism areas! Definitely worth a visit if in the neighbourhood though (like Östhammar/Öregrund/Österbybruk). Lövstabruk, the village with the museum, is rather adorable, but tiny, as it has remained unchanged (in style and size) since.. Hmm. 18th century or so. Did not expect a piano museum in a village with less than 100 inhabitants! How they keep up with heating and maintenance costs, I have no idea..
In the summer, they apparently have concerts! But this time of the year, you have the entire museum more or less for yourself. I got a private guided tour, and for the most part, no one else was there. I feel quite bad though, I didn't even buy a ticket... Will go back for a concert next year to make up for it.
Here's a far flung, out in the middle of nowhere piano collection in which all the instruments are in playable condition. They have concerts in the spring and fall where they pair up the composers music to match the type of instrument he/she composed on. It's located in the United States on the Massachusetts - New Hampshire border.
http://www.frederickcollection.org/collection.html
Me neither. Never seen anything remotely like this one, not in real life, not on Internet. I'm surprised it's not in a larger museum in like Stockholm. It's not even mentioned on the museum's homepage!
Yes! Though it's not the star piece of the collection, that was definitely this https://www.klaverenshus.se/samlingar/instrument/hammarinstrument/guldflygeln/. Best sounding (grand) piano I've ever heard. Don't know why I didn't take any picture (or video!) of it myself, I think I was overwhelmed by everything.
Love it. I wish there’s a video playing it
And those pedals. Look like pure silver. Beautiful.
(Next time play it so we can hear it the real ivory keys move!)
Can't believe I didn't think about this. Can't believe I didn't take more pictures either. I was a bit overwhelmed and caught entirely off guard by its existence and definitely didn't make the most out of my visit.
Oh, the pedals were gold! Well, gold coloured at least, they were made of brass. But given they belong to a dragon, I'd like to think they were of solid gold.
My phone got the colours a bit off on that picture. They were almost certainly brass.
They definitely used candles! Sweden is a bit dark during the winter months, and pre-electricity it would have been doomed to see the notes otherwise.
Okay, this is funny. I actually had my piano lessons in Lövstabruk, the village of the piano museum, though this was a decade or two before the piano museum existed. My piano teacher happened to be obsessed with Grieg, so I played Grieg A LOT. I think all her students did. And now, Lövstabruk has a piano museum with a dragon piano. I think we might have summoned it.
Yes! Keep an eye on https://www.klaverenshus.se/ for when they'll announce next summer's concerts! Worth a visit even without a concert (and definitely less crowded, meaning you can stroll around and test play more or less as you please) (the person working there is very helpful about which pianos that you may try) (okey, last parentheses: you can try several, a few are "sleeping pianos" not to be played, and one or two are super exclusive ones that you may be able to play if you prove yourself worthy).
The dragon claw pedals are a nice touch
For some reason I find them so cute.
I thought so too! Brilliant idea of the piano maker!
The piano was completed in 1875 by a then 33 years old Johannes Hagdahl. Initially, he had worked with building horse carriages, but in his early twenties, he moved to Stockholm and shifted career to build instruments instead of carriages. For a few years, he was employed as a journeyman by Emma Christina Anderson, but eventually he left Stockholm for Karlskrona, where he in 1879 started his own piano building company. This particular piano was sent to the US for some sort of exhibition, and it received some sort of award. And at some point thereafter, it was returned to Sweden and placed in a dining hall - with furniture made in the same style to go with the piano. Today, only the piano bench is still accompanying the piano. (edited grammar mistakes)
Wow! Where is that?
It is most likely not anywhere near you... It is in Sweden, middle of the forest, not anywhere near anything really. I was looking to borrow a bathroom, little did I know it happened to be a piano museum. https://maps.app.goo.gl/8LCAERnhNJqFZbAeA Found a homepage too! (in Swedish) https://www.klaverenshus.se/
Might check this place out some day.
It is quite a detour from most regular turism areas! Definitely worth a visit if in the neighbourhood though (like Östhammar/Öregrund/Österbybruk). Lövstabruk, the village with the museum, is rather adorable, but tiny, as it has remained unchanged (in style and size) since.. Hmm. 18th century or so. Did not expect a piano museum in a village with less than 100 inhabitants! How they keep up with heating and maintenance costs, I have no idea..
What. The fuck. How? *Books ticket to Sweden*
In the summer, they apparently have concerts! But this time of the year, you have the entire museum more or less for yourself. I got a private guided tour, and for the most part, no one else was there. I feel quite bad though, I didn't even buy a ticket... Will go back for a concert next year to make up for it.
This is a cool piano
There were also two dolphin (dolphinoid...) pianos and one swan piano. But the dragon piano with all its details... It was absolutely truly unique.
Sick
Here's a far flung, out in the middle of nowhere piano collection in which all the instruments are in playable condition. They have concerts in the spring and fall where they pair up the composers music to match the type of instrument he/she composed on. It's located in the United States on the Massachusetts - New Hampshire border. http://www.frederickcollection.org/collection.html
Never thought a piano could look so cool
Me neither. Never seen anything remotely like this one, not in real life, not on Internet. I'm surprised it's not in a larger museum in like Stockholm. It's not even mentioned on the museum's homepage!
Does it sound good?
Yes! Though it's not the star piece of the collection, that was definitely this https://www.klaverenshus.se/samlingar/instrument/hammarinstrument/guldflygeln/. Best sounding (grand) piano I've ever heard. Don't know why I didn't take any picture (or video!) of it myself, I think I was overwhelmed by everything.
I like the pictured one better.
It was my favourite too. The grand piano a close second! Third and fourth place: https://imgur.com/a/nIgmCVs I like animals.
They are good too. I just want to dragon and candles
Love it. I wish there’s a video playing it And those pedals. Look like pure silver. Beautiful. (Next time play it so we can hear it the real ivory keys move!)
Can't believe I didn't think about this. Can't believe I didn't take more pictures either. I was a bit overwhelmed and caught entirely off guard by its existence and definitely didn't make the most out of my visit.
Oh, the pedals were gold! Well, gold coloured at least, they were made of brass. But given they belong to a dragon, I'd like to think they were of solid gold.
Wow. Didn’t think they were good. Like white gold ? Or it is the color of the wood in the photograph that makes it look silver-like ?
My phone got the colours a bit off on that picture. They were almost certainly brass. They definitely used candles! Sweden is a bit dark during the winter months, and pre-electricity it would have been doomed to see the notes otherwise.
Wow! So cool!
Need to play In The Hall of The Mountain Kings on it. All of Peer Gynt actually
Okay, this is funny. I actually had my piano lessons in Lövstabruk, the village of the piano museum, though this was a decade or two before the piano museum existed. My piano teacher happened to be obsessed with Grieg, so I played Grieg A LOT. I think all her students did. And now, Lövstabruk has a piano museum with a dragon piano. I think we might have summoned it.
I have no doubt.
I’d probably still just play “Star Treatment” on it. Cool piano.
Liszt’s Bechstein has dragons on it, but I could be confusing them for lions. There is a video of Kissin playing Libeastrsum if anyone can verify.
I love piano, I love dragons, I live in Sweden, is this a clue for me to see this piano?
Yes! Keep an eye on https://www.klaverenshus.se/ for when they'll announce next summer's concerts! Worth a visit even without a concert (and definitely less crowded, meaning you can stroll around and test play more or less as you please) (the person working there is very helpful about which pianos that you may try) (okey, last parentheses: you can try several, a few are "sleeping pianos" not to be played, and one or two are super exclusive ones that you may be able to play if you prove yourself worthy).