We went to the Bach Haus in Eisenach today. While it is now known that Bach never lived in this house, an excellent museum devoted to J.S. Bach is located here today. The tour was in German, but there were wonderful demos of a house organ, a portable organ, a spinet, a clavichord, and a cembalo (harpsichord)
Harpsichord, Spinet, and Clavichord demonstsration
And of course there were displays of period instruments such as violins, horns, blockflöte, oboes, a bassoon, sackbuts, crumhorns, and a lute. My favorites were the Pocket Violin (It fits in a pocket!) and the Trumpet Violin (for playing trumpet and violin at the same time!)
Pocket Violin, often used by dancing masters
Trumpet Violin. Note the mouth piece on top. The trumpet tubing runs through the violin's body.
Valved Hunting Horn
Detail on a viola da gamba
Harpsichord
Two keyboards on this harpsichord
Clavichord
Positive (Portable) Organ
In the modern part of the museum, there was a room with hanging bubble chairs, each with a pair of headphones for listening to the most beloved pieces by Bach. It made for quite an intense experience. We came away with a concept of Bach as virtuoso, composer, imaginative perfectionist, transformer, creator, teacher and preacher.
Afterward we had lunch at a Konditorei across the street. We had rolls with herbed butter and homemade jams, strawberries, grapes, and a piece of Quarkkuchen, but the best part on such a hot day was the homemade Limeade.
We went back to the hotel to rest and then shopped a little. I found a euro store around the corner, but I couldn't find a US-EU AC Adaptor to replace the one I lost. I did buy a cute fold-up bumble bee shopping bag though! Afterwards I met Dan coming out of the hotel, so we took a table at the hotel restaurant on the green in front of the hotel and had drinks and an appetizer, Thüringer sausages with mustard. Later that evening we went next door to Valentinos and had lasagna and salad for dinner.
It is really taking a long time to cool off tonight.
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