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Thank you so much for the photos! I have actually been to this museum, and it is truly amazing. It was particularly great to see so many photos of the keyboard instruments posted here--when I was there I have to admit I was distracted by the string instruments, although of course I looked at the keyboard instruments as well. For anyone with any interest in strings, the collection there will blow you away. For example: a Stradivarius guitar (who knew he made them?), Stradivarius instruments of every kind, all the famous makers represented, some by instruments in their original conditions. . . .Truly staggering. Dozens of string instruments by all the great names--and some of the instruments themselves have names.
did they have any double basses? In particular any Abraham Prescott instruments? If so I am totally going up there!
Hailun HU7P 1799 John Broadwood and son square 1800 George Astor London square 1810 Gibson and Davis New York square 1830 John Broadwood and sons square
Aeolian-Hammond BA player organ Conn 652 theater organ 1922 Kotykiewicz two manual harmonium 1880s karn pump organ
I am sure you could find out on the museum's website or by calling them. One of the aspects of the museum that I found fascinating was that many of their string instruments were unchanged since made. I had not known that most string instruments made by Stradivarius, etc., had had their necks lengthened over the years.
At least when I was there, you basically walked into the museum and wandered around among millions upon millions of dollars worth of glorious instruments. They sometimes get them out of their glass cases and play them--if you are a musician, as your post suggests you are, you might want to see if they are planning any concerts. (They have a string quartet of instruments made by one of the household name makers, unchanged since made, that they use sometimes to keep them happy.) There is probably no hurry about this--South Dakota winters are gruesome, and I cannot imagine anyone planning a concert for the dead of winter!
BTW, if you are interested in woodwinds, there is a huge collection of those, too. Something for everyone.
Of course, I am sitting in a blizzard as I write this, on the East Coast--might as well be in South Dakota today! And no, I don't work for the South Dakota tourist board, if there is one. . . .
Last edited by Rank Piano Amateur; 02/10/1009:33 AM.
I received a nice email today from Dr. Margaret Downie Banks, Sr. Curator of musical instruments at the NMM.
I'm enclosing it here: ============================================================================ I was delighted to see all the interest recently expressed in the NMM’s keyboard collection, as well as the numerous photographs of some of our keyboards posted on the piano world’s website forum at https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubb...ional%20Music%20Museum%20-%20Vermil.html .
Would you please inform your forum readers that there is a checklist of all of our keyboard instruments (with the exception of our reed organs and our electric organs) available on our extensive website at http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/KEYBOARD.HTM .
I hope that these online resources will both inspire and entice many more of your readers to visit South Dakota in order to see the NMM’s extraordinary treasures in person!
My Keyboards: Estonia L-190, Roland RD88, Yamaha P-80, Bilhorn Telescope Organ c 1880, Antique Pump Organ, 1850 concertina, 3 other digital pianos ------------------------- My original piece on BandCamp: https://frankbaxtermrpianoworld.bandcamp.com/releases
Me banging out some tunes in the Estonia piano booth at the NAMM show...
Thanks for posting all those wonderful pictures - it would be interesting to hear them played - which raises another question, are any of the playable?
WOW! That was a beautiful introduction to this museum. Thank you for sharing feeble!
I do think I remember seeing a broadcast of the place a couple of years ago on TV. Anyone remember that? It impressed me back then, but I had forgotten about it since.
I also just enjoyed the intro slide show from the museum. Must go see that again.
Hmmmmmm, any direct flights to SD?
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything."
Hmmm... I attended medical school in Vermillion (a long time ago) and lived on Clark Street not too far from the museum. But I never knew about the museum. My mind was elsewhere. I will be retiring in SD in 2011 and will make a point to visit the museum when I'm back.
Direct flights to South Dakota do not exist. Generally you must fly through either Minneapolis (Delta Airlines) or Salt Lake City (Delta) or Denver (United). The best way to get to Vermillion is to fly to Sioux Falls, SD which is about a 50 mile drive to Vermillion. You can also fly to Sioux City, IA which is about 40 miles from Vermillion. There is no airport in Vermillion.
Vermillion is a small university town not far from the Misssouri River breaks. The University of SD is a full time campus with about 5,000 to 6,000 students.
Vermillion is about 400 miles from Rapid City and the Badlands where you will find the major tourist attractions of SD (Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Wind Cave, etc.). The Sturgis motorcycle rally is held annually in Sturgis, SD about 25 miles from Rapid City. That usually attracts about 500,000 people for a week in the Black Hills.
I will be retiring in Rapid City, my hometown, in 2011.
Rod Michael Mason & Hamlin AA, SN 93018 Yamaha CGP-1000, SN UCNZ01010 Zoom Q3
Thank you for the details about getting to Vermillion, I'd wondered what the best approach was.
I mentioned the idea of taking a PWPF group through and got a great response from the nice folks at the Museum.
I also hinted that we would like some pianos to play as well (I believe the museum pianos are hands-off, unlike the pianos at the Fredericks Historical Piano Collection).
One of the curators said that shouldn't be a problem as there are plenty of pianos on campus.
Could be a fun way to spend a day. Tour the museum Plays some pianos Meet for dinner somewhere
My Keyboards: Estonia L-190, Roland RD88, Yamaha P-80, Bilhorn Telescope Organ c 1880, Antique Pump Organ, 1850 concertina, 3 other digital pianos ------------------------- My original piece on BandCamp: https://frankbaxtermrpianoworld.bandcamp.com/releases
Me banging out some tunes in the Estonia piano booth at the NAMM show...
Excellent museum. I visited two years ago. It's a natural stop on the way to the Corn Palace (in Mitchell, SD) or Wall Drug (in Wall, SD) or even Rapid City, SD.
Thank you for sharing the photos from the collection at Vermillion. Since I may never be able to see the collection in person, it was nice to see the photos. I've just read a section about the collection in the book "A Splintered History of Wood" by Spike Carlsen, in case no one had mentioned that connection yet.
John in South Carolina (but originally from Nebraska)