EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY COLLECTION OF HISTORIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

PROGRESS REPORT 1984

In the last year, the University has been given instruments by Miss A.M. Stewart, S. Dillon, G.H. Elliot, J. Blades, Mrs S. Skinner and J. Watters. Several further items have been lent to the Collection, including part of the Burt Collection, lent by the Honorary Curator.

Further instruments have been purchased from James Blades with assistance from the Government's Local Museums Purchase Fund.

The first phase of the cleaning programme has been completed after three years. Each instrument has been inspected, monitoring its state of conservation, and light cleaning carried out as appropriate by a team of volunteers (principally Mrs A. Macaulay).

A seminar on guitar construction past and present was organised in conjunction with the Classical Guitar Society of Edinburgh, given by José Romanillos and in which a couple of instruments from the Collection were demonstrated.

Several instruments were lent for a small exhibition at Bridge of Allan organised by Stirling District Libraries.

The Collection has been used for teaching purposes by the University of Edinburgh, and for research by a number of instrument makers and other visitors. A number of parties have made visits and, as usual, many postal enquiries have been answered.

Many instruments have been photographed to provide illustrations for a textbook on musical acoustics which is being written by Dr D.M. Campbell and Dr C.A. Greated.

Work has started on a new catalogue of the Collection in which information about the instruments will be stored in a computerised database.

Arnold Myers, 17th December 1984

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