 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: xarkon
Date: 2009-05-08 20:56
I'll be in Amsterdam the week of 17 May for business. I'm interested in suggestions of music events or music shops that I should check out while I am there. Thanks,
Dave
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kenb
Date: 2009-05-09 00:45
Excuse the blindingly obvious, but check out the Concertgebouw Orchestra's schedule over the time you're in Amsterdam.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kevin
Date: 2009-05-09 10:56
Luckily for you the weather should be quite a bit warmer than when I visited in January! Do venture into the Rijksmuseum as well - it's one of the world's most important art institutions like Paris' Louvre, London's National Gallery, and NY's Met.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2009-05-10 13:00
I've heard that window shopping is popular there.
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lynn
Date: 2009-05-10 16:12
But Draznik,,,,,,,
Those windows are so hard to pack as checked luggage. Of course, they're too large to qualify as carry-on. Ah, the old dilemma of importing Windows. Maybe that's why so many folks are switching to Macs.
Grins,
Lynn
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bart
Date: 2009-05-10 16:18
"Het muziekgebouw" is another major concert hall cum jazz venue (www.muziekgebouw.nl, check for jazz on the www.bimhuis.nl site) and within walking distance from Amsterdam Central Station. Well worth checking out.
Generally handy is www.aub.nl, a listings site for cultural events in and around Amsterdam. I couldn't find an English language switch on it, but if you just pull up the calendar ("Agenda per week") you should get an idea of what's happening.
Also bear in mind that Amsterdam is only a relatively small city (population below 800,000) and that getting around to other cities is not hard (Utrecht, The Hague are about half an hour by train, very different in character, could be worth a visit and have their own local music scenes). If you're lucky and it's sunny, head to the North Sea coast if time permits - Zandvoort is easiest to reach by train.
On the museum front, my vote goes to the Van Gogh: it's manageable in size and the Van Gogh paintings as printed in art books don't do the paintings justice. The structure and thickness of the paint make such a big contribution to the overall works that you have to see in person to appreciate it, much more so than with paintings by pretty much anyone else.
Interesting that window shopping has been mentioned, but not the relaxing possibilities one encounters in the more specialised "reggae bar" scene. We are musicians after all ...
Post Edited (2009-05-10 16:25)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2009-05-12 14:28
I ditto the Rijksmuseum. We took our children and they were awed. It was worth it. I still think about that visit 10 years later. Also, the Van Gogh. The Rijks is a bit overwhelming, but if you get tired you can always leave. There's no law says you have to see everything in it. We also enjoyed the Ann Frank museum.
There are also canal tours you can take and they are very interesting. Amsterdam is a fascinating city. Much to do. Skip the windows.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kevin
Date: 2009-05-12 20:49
Good point Bart brings up about the rest of the Netherlands.
Utrecht is really much more of a classic little European town - a little river running through its heart, churches lining the banks, gorgeous crooked cobblestone streets, main market square, etc etc etc. Much cleaner, quieter, and less crowded, less polluted and less scummy than Amsterdam. Quick train ride away - an excellent getaway if you have the time.
I haven't been to the Hague, but it's certainly a major Northern European city. The conservatory there (Koninklijk Conservatorium van Den Haag) is quite well known (especially amongst those into the contemporary classical scene) and is considered by some to be even better than the Amsterdam Conservatorium; and is worth checking if they have any concerts or recitals going on.
Rotterdam is further down south/west, and is probably worth visiting only if you have some extended time available. Very vibrant jazz scene. I made a day trip there several months ago and enjoyed the city. It's much more modern than any other city (the city was essentially completely bombed and later rebuilt following the war) and has a very North American feel to it. It's got modern skyscrapers, shopping mall complexes, and slightly more gridlocked streetplans and no cobblestone streets. It's even got a suspension bridge! Not a lot of those in Europe!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: xarkon
Date: 2009-05-24 18:31
Just want to follow up and say thank you for the suggestions. I was at a conference Monday through Wednesday, and walked from the hotel to the RAI conference center, about 45-50 minutes each way - very enjoyable. Since I'm a cyclist - it was encouraging to see that as a primary mode of transportation. But watch your step, as there is little demarcation between the sidewalk and the bike lane, and motor scooters are also using the bike lane (illegally, as I understand it).
On Thursday morning, we walked around the tulip market and surrounding area. Most things were closed. Found out later that it was a national holiday (day of Acension).
Stopped into Record Palace - a store with several thousand LPs covering various genres. Classical are typically 2-3 euros. Everything else ranges much higher; I bought a couple progressive rock albums that I have not seen anywhere else, and successfully avoided the temptation to walk out with several others (that were substantially more expensive). http://www.record-palace.nl/
Visited the Rijksmuseum on Thursday afternoon - was very nice but it is under massive remodeling - so we saw everything, which, from my estimation, limited us to about 1/8 of the building. Everything else is closed off.
Went to the Concertgebouw on Thursday evening to see the Groot Entree Orkest, who played the Carmen Overture, Bruch First Violin Concerto (soloist Liza Ferschtman, who was outstanding), and Dvorak Eighth Symphonie. Very enjoyable, and after looking at the schedule for the hall, I am envious. Not a chance of finding that kind of program day-after-day here.
One note, though, on this hall - after reading several different things about it (travel guides, etc) I was expecting extraordinary acoustics. I thought that they were good, but not phenomenal. We were in the first row of the balcony, so maybe that was the problem.
Toured the Anne Frank House on Friday morning; very good to be able to really connect her book to a physical place and get a sense of context.
I visited Broekman's in the afternoon. Bought some CDs that I have not seen available from other sources, but no music. While they clearly have a ton of stuff, I found the method for organizing it (the stacks) to be a bit difficult; and, it was crowded that day. I did notice a couple of things that I will probably buy locally (the exchange rate is just not at all favorable).
Also stopped at Dirk Witte music; more of a guitar, amp, drum, PA store. Nice enough, but nothing special hanging on the walls.
We then went to the Van Gogh museum late Friday afternoon. I didn't "get it" before. Now I do (but I am a long way from being knowledgeable about visual art).
I skipped the window shopping. :-) I have a friend who, in his young and single days, went to Amsterdam for a couple months, so he felt it necessary to brief me. No thanks.
Again, thanks for your suggestions. We could have used 3-5 more days there, but perhaps another trip.
Dave
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
