Glance

Preserving Frederic Chopin's legacy

The composer's homeland is working hard to memorialize the man and his music, including the restoration of two museums.

The Chopin Museum at the Ostrogski Palace on Tamka Street, Warsaw has the world's richest collection of Chopin memorabilia, including valuable manuscripts, printed copies of his scores, his letters, autographs, notes and the last piano he owned. First opened in 1935, the museum was renovated this year as a modern multimedia tribute to Chopin, with three floors above ground and two basement levels.

Here, the real world meets the virtual through touch screens and 3-D animation. The museum ticket is an electronic card that visitors can use to activate recordings, videos and interactive exhibitions.

The multi-media facilities help visitors take a virtual stroll through the Warsaw of Chopin's time, enjoy his Paris, listen to the twittering birds of Nohant where he and his lover lived in France. You can even inhale the scent of violets, Chopin's favorite flower.

Chopin's family lived here before 1810, and music lovers of all ages can experience a little of the composer's childhood. A colorful room on the first floor has touch screens on the wall with games that invite children to "guess-the-tune" of Chopin's music.

The original wooden house where Chopin was born was burned down. It was rebuilt in the 1930s, with faithful attention to detail including the preservation of the romantic facade with its blue roof and white walls.

(China Daily 11/07/2010 page16)