book Extraordinary Musical Instruments

This publication captures more than thirty years of Miroslav Černý's collecting journey, during which he amassed a remarkable collection of European, historical, and ethnic musical instruments between 1990 and 2022. The book presents over 150 instruments—from mandolin and tamburitza ensembles to lutes, harps, and hurdy-gurdies, as well as instruments from Asia and Africa. Each object is accompanied by the story of its origin, how it was acquired, and its construction peculiarities, allowing the reader to delve not only into the world of organology but also into the atmosphere that surrounded the collection.

Texts by Vladimír Merta and Stanislav Bárta complement the personal dimension of the entire collection. They portray the collector as someone who not only gathered instruments but also repaired, revived, and brought them back to life through sound. As Vladimír Merta writes: "Collectors of musical instruments are archaeologists of forgotten loves, of ballad-like stories that have accumulated within them over ages like annual rings in tree trunks." This quote encapsulates the essence of the book—the collection here is not merely an assemblage of objects, but a living testament to musical history, craftsmanship, and the deep relationship between humans and the instruments that shape their lives.