What should the House of Hungarian Music planned for the new museum quarter in Budapest collect and exhibit – and how?
MúzeumCafé 32.
According to the Hungarian News Agency’s managing editor, Márton Devich, it has not yet crystallised what character the museum would have, whether it should have a permanent and expanding collection in the traditional sense or rather be a ‘house of music’, providing an overview of Hungarian music while attracting tourists with spectacular productions. It ought to be possible to book tickets for concerts in Budapest and the provinces, to view recordings of concerts and opera performances, and to buy books about music, sheet music and recordings.
Musicologist András Batta, rector of the Liszt Academy of Music, thinks that the matter primarily involves a sort of mission, an obligation or duty, so to say. Music is a characteristic component of Hungary’s culture. Many people across the world know about and acknowledge Hungary on the basis of music. Hence the dream about a ‘palace of wonders’ of music. All this could be very significant in music education.
Acting director of the Musicology Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ Research Centre for Humanities, musicologist Pál Richter, believes that the planned House of Hungarian Music could be an information centre of Hungarian music and a ‘palace of wonders’ for music with variable spaces, from where foreign and Hungarian visitors alike could reach out to other institutes of music, concerts and exhibitions, where they can feel like learning more about Hungarian music culture.
Manager of the Budapest Music Center, trombonist László Gőz, thinks that a mixture of a permanent and temporary exhibition-lecture concept must be worked out, including mainly but not only Hungarian composers and artists.