Guided tours of Alo Põldmäe in the Estonian National Piano Museum
Together with composer and piano enthusiast Alo Põldmäe, the Estonian National Piano Museum in Holdre Manor brings 3 guided tours to listeners and viewers, where in addition to admiring the instruments, it is possible to listen to the sound of at least ten finely handcrafted pianos made in Estonia under Põldmäe's hands. Guided tours 7.-9. until August 2024, they start every day at 12 o'clock in the lobby of Holdre Manor, the length of the tour is 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The long and colorful history of the Estonian piano industry is one of our great wonders. Almost 250 years ago, the first piano was made here, and since then, more than 80 different manufacturers have made these wonderful-sounding instruments in Estonia. If we also include special types of pianos (n: tablet piano, piano, cabinet piano, concert piano), the number of instruments reaches 130. Throughout history, Estonian pianos are known not only as high-quality and good instruments, but also often as real art objects with their detailed and fine decorations.
The founder of the museum, Alo Põldmäe, came up with the idea for a piano museum in 2000, when the "Estonian piano" exhibition with 25 exhibits was organized at the festival "Piano" in cooperation with the Estonian Theater and Music Museum and the Estonian Concert. The exhibition received a lot of attention and it turned out that people still have many old Estonian pianos. In 2004, however, Põldmäe found a lexicon published in Germany, which erroneously stated that "Estonian" pianos are produced in Moscow. In order to disprove this false information and bring Estonian piano construction out of the shadows, Estonian National Piano Museum was founded on May 21, 2005.
Since 2013, there has been a branch of the piano museum in Luunja, next to Tartu, in the birthplace of the grand old man of Estonian piano construction, Ernst Hiis, where 14 instruments are displayed - it is also a kind of phenomenon that the branch was opened before the museum itself!
The Estonian National Piano Museum is located in the Holdre manor, which is one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in Estonia. Since 2004, the manor has been owned by Vahur Kivistik and it has been partially restored as a museum, where 28 instruments are displayed. The current exposition consists mainly of the production of Estonian instrument makers, but also includes instruments of important Estonian scientists and cultural figures, such as the "Bechstein" of Tartu University professor Harald Keres and the "Becker" of the former rector Johan Kõpp.
The Mulgi Experience Center and Taagepera Castle are located in the neighborhood of Holdre Manor, both of which offer a great pleasure of discovery in addition to the piano museum.
Guided tours with Alo Põldmäe belong to the program "Dedicated to the Estonian piano", which is part of the main program of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. In addition to the guided tours, on August 9 Tõnu Naissoo's concert "Klaveriga Emajõel" will take place in the Emajõe-Suursoo Center in Luunja municipality, and on August 10 a spectacular concert "Dedicated to the Estonian piano" will be held in Luunja's rose garden.
European Capital of Culture is supported by A. Le Coq, Delfi Meedia, Topauto and Lux Express.
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