...and of course the northernmost Lenin bust |
The northernmost (grand) piano in the world is located at Pyramiden, a russian cole mine settlement located on the island Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. The mining has ended and the site consequently was abandonned in 1988, but for tourists since a few years there are guided tours on the terrain of this model soviet settlement. It exists of many 4 storey high appartment buildings including a sports centre, hospital, hotel, farm & cultural centre. In the cultural centre (with the Lenin bust in front of it) tourists are allowed to take an look into the interior. It's amazing! You imagine yourself walking in a wornout James Bond Dr NO set. There's a lot of propaganda on the walls, there's all kind of activity rooms, e.g. a ballet class room with small upright piano (yes, also the northernmost...), chess play room and... ...an auditorium with on the stage the northernmost grand piano of the world: a genuine Red Oktober. It's in a deplorable state. M.Regtien (in tracking clothes) tried to play and finish a two minute piece on it but was forced to stop after half a minute: due to decades of cold, moist & enthousiast demolishers the sound was worthy of a unwished-for prepared piano and the keys + action were reasonable unplayable. Nonetheless underneath some photos of Pyramiden's illustre grand piano, a photo just before M.Regtien's concert on the 2nd northernmost Grand Piano, and some general Pyramiden images. For the Spitsbergen concert review: read "A 17-day trek with a mid-trip gig" on  .
The auditorium in the Cultural Centre, on stage the "Red October" grand piano. 
M.Regtien inspecting the "Red October" grand piano. 
... and trying to play it 
Close up.
Close up of the "Red October" grand piano. 
M.Regtien (in tracking clothing) posing for a press photo before the second-most nothern grand piano, a Grotrian Steinweg in the Svalbard Galleri in Spitsbergen's capital Longyearbyen. Concert review. 
M.Regtien hiking on a Spitsbergen glacier, two days before the concert. General Pyramiden pictures       
The hospital.  The hospital close up   The cultural centre   The Cultural Centre film projector room  The latest propaganda footage! |
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