Several notable purchases have been made, in particular a sackbut (trombone) by Anton Schnitzer of Nuremburg dated 1594, with assistance from the Government's Local Museums Purchase Fund, the National Art-Collections Fund and two other trusts. Two early English clarinets, by Muraeus and John Hale, were purchased with assistance from the Government's Local Museums Purchase Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Russell Trust. A number of percussion instruments were purchased from James Blades.
A second major exhibition, THE HISTORIC CLARINET, was mounted in conjunction with the Edinburgh Festival Society. In addition to the exhibition of instruments, accessories, illustrative material, documents and tools, there was a programme of recitals, technical seminar, and gallery talks. The Collection is indebted to many for their voluntary contributions - especially Tom Dibley, Alan Hacker, Pamela Weston, Edward Planas and Nicholas Shackleton. Financial support was given by the Hope Scott Trust, the Peter Nathan Cultural Trust, and Sanderson & Taylor, Edinburgh. At the same time, a small display of ophicleides associated with Samuel Hughes was mounted. This was arranged by Stephen Weston, and had previously been exhibited at the University of Leicester. These exhibitions attracted over 1,500 visitors to the Collection in the Festival period. Descriptive pamphlets were published for both these events.
The work on technical drawings has proceeded, and thirteen workshop drawings are now on sale. Preparation of the new catalogue, Historic Musical Instruments in the Edinburgh University Collection, has also proceeded, with continuing cataloguing work by consultants, a thorough programme of photography, and the acquisition of a micro-computer for editorial (and other curatorial) purposes.
Plans for re-housing the Collection in Morton House, Blackfriars Street, have progressed: the architect has prepared preliminary plans, and the Honorary Curator has travelled to meet various experts and see examples of relevant museum design to help in preparing a fuller brief.
Sixteen instruments were lent to Sotheby's for the Galpin Society exhibition Made for Music in London.
The Scottish Museums Council's Antiquities Conservation Officer undertook conservation work on three of the instruments in the Collection, the work being grant-aided by the S.M.C.
The Collection has been used for teaching purposes by University Staff, in particular for courses in the Faculty of Music on the History of Instruments, Ethnomusicology and Musical Acoustics. Several parties, including the Galpin Society and a party of graduates of the University, have made organised visits, and various scholars and instrument makers have visited to study particular instruments.
Arnold Myers, 31st December 1986
[ Report for 1987 ] [ Report for 1985 ]
© Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, 1986.
This article was re-published on 23 December 2022