“Music is the key to technology,” Brian Eno once said. And true to this maxim, Frankfurt is set to become the home of Germany’s first museum for electronic music. But a stereotypical museum this most certainly is not.
The MOMEM – or Museum of Modern Electronic Music – is scheduled to open in 2017 in the heart of the techno metropolis of Frankfurt, reaffirming German’s place as the spiritual home of electronic music.
In the spirit of the innovative musical form, the museum will shrug off traditional museum exhibition traits and instead offer a space which invites visitors into the sensory world of electronic music, exploring many aspects of the musical form. Thematically it will tell the story of the history and cultural relevance of the form.
Andreas Tomalla – aka Talla 2XLC – is the driving force behind the museum. Widely credited for inventing the word “techno,” Tomalla pioneered the form with his “Techno Party” events in the 1980s. He remains active as a trance DJ and producer, and is the first honorary chairman of the Friends of MOMEM.
According to organizers, the museum will include exhibitions as well as interactive elements for visitors. Also, DJ workshops will be held regularly and, channeling the soul of the club, there will be regular live events. The city of Frankfurt has leased the space to the MOMEM free of charge – on the premises of the city’s Children’s Museum – however the museum will be self-funded, with no financial support from the city.
The floorplan of the museum is shown below :
City of sound
The announcement took place this week amidst raucous riffing and rambling of the Musikmesse Frankfurt – the world’s leading musical instrument and technology trade fair, which runs until April 18. From the traditional to the technical, the Musikmesse showcases the latest developments from all aspects of the industry.
Over 2,250 exhibitors from 57 countries are represented at this year’s fair – which also includes the parallel Prolight + Sound event – covering the full gamut of music industry needs, including instruments, lighting installations, sound systems, sheet music, production and more.
“The industry is innovation driven,” explains Michael Biber, the head of Prolight + Sound. “Motion image resolution is always improving. Videos on YouTube are getting more professional and you can compose music on the iPad, without even playing an instrument.”
With the annual Musikmesse and now with the planned Museum of Modern Electronic Music, Frankfurt is establishing itself as much more than a financial hub. After all, even bankers like to get their groove on after a hard day’s work.
Via : [DW]
