Book excerpt: Hamburg was a city of music. And Hamburg is a city of music. Hamburg has the Elbphilharmonie. The fantastic building on the banks of the river offers many different views of freedom-freedom of art, freedom of trade, freedom of the senses. Joachim Mischke takes us on an exhilarating journey through the past and present of a truly historic building. Unique photographs by Michael Zapf document the extraordinary building's path from idea to reality. Hamburg has built a new landmark. Already unmistakable on the city skyline, its silhouette is also a symbol of Germany as a nation of culture. A symphony of beauty, an ode to the future.