Frequently Asked Questions

Johannes Prominczel

9 Questions for the Archive Director

Is there sheet music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert?

Of course! How about Mozart’s G minor Symphony KV 550, Haydn’s Horn Concerto and Schubert’s “Unfinished”?

What have you learned from Beethoven?

Where should I start? With his walking stick? His letters? His curl? What is the score of the “Eroica” with the famous hole? The sketchbook?

Are there any rarities by great composers?

We have hair from more than ten composers, small pieces of chocolate belonging to Brahms, a spoon from Beethoven and even a tiny shred of his shroud.

What is the archive’s most valuable asset?

The manuscripts of the great “classical” composers we possess today would be priceless. A letter from a little-known music researcher from around 1900 is also unique, as it exists only once globally.

What’s in the picture collection?

We have beautiful and unique portraits of composers and graphics with theatres, composers’ houses, topographies, music scenes, and photos of musicians.

I am looking for something about a concert in 1837 …

We have an extensive collection of posters and programs focusing on Vienna, dating from around 1790 to the present day. This collection contains not only the programs of the Society’s concerts.

Mr. Archive Director, what is your favorite object?

It’s always what I have at my desk. Yesterday, it was a manuscript by Franz Schubert’s brother Ferdinand. Today, there were some 130-year-old concert programs from the United States of America, and then there was a request for an old fortepiano, and tomorrow, there was…

Is it possible to visit the archive?

For security reasons, the storage rooms are not open to the public. As a researcher, however, you can visit our archive and study our sheet music, books, pictures and files.

I am writing a master’s thesis on this almost unknown Biedermeier composer …. Do you have anything by her?

Very likely. You can find sheet music in our catalogue. It is not complete but is constantly being expanded. You can research all other stocks on-site or send us an e-mail. Please tell us as precisely as possible what you need! Information about your visit can be found on this page.

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