Instruments in museums

[PJ]

I watched a very interesting program last night about Stradivarius violins. A number of the violinists and luthiers interviewed mentioned that instruments must be played regularly to keep them sounding at their best. In fact, the curator of the Stradivarius museum in Cremona, Italy (which has a number of Strads on display in glass cases) regularly plays each instrument, just to keep sound "vibrating" through it (now that must be a dream job for a violinist). The curator felt that otherwise the instruments would lose something of their quality.

It got me thinking (again) about those sets of uilleann pipes in various museums in Ireland and around the world. In fact, if I recall correctly, the National Museum of Ireland recently opened an exhibit on uilleann pipes. I don't think I'm in favour of displaying pipes in museums. Pipes should be played, not kept in glass cases.

[Cayden]

Mark Walstrom did a survey of instruments in museums, published in SRS journal vol 1.

Instruments in museums will preserve a record of their state when they went into the museum. Some very fine instruments are held in museums, an untouched Egan in York, the Coyne in Dublin and a few more. Ideally these instruments should be reeded and played at recitals in the museums so they can be heard. Pipers are not known for looking after their instrumetns so maybe having just a few secured isn't so bad.

[upiper71]

I watched a very interesting program last night about Stradivarius violins. A number of the violinists and luthiers interviewed mentioned that instruments must be played regularly to keep them sounding at their best. In fact, the curator of the Stradivarius museum in Cremona, Italy (which has a number of Strads on display in glass cases) regularly plays each instrument, just to keep sound "vibrating" through it (now that must be a dream job for a violinist). The curator felt that otherwise the instruments would lose something of their quality.

It got me thinking (again) about those sets of uilleann pipes in various museums in Ireland and around the world. In fact, if I recall correctly, the National Museum of Ireland recently opened an exhibit on uilleann pipes. I don't think I'm in favour of displaying pipes in museums. Pipes should be played, not kept in glass cases.

I'm definitely in agreement with you PJ. Maybe if we ever take a trip overseas, we could "sample" a few....then again maybe not. I doubt that a curator would even let a sane-headed spectator strap-into a beautiful set.

D

[Mike Hulme]

It's not just the Town Hall in Cremona that lets their valuable instruments get played from time to time. The collected instruments in the Royal College of Music, the RAM, the Scottish Academy and many other museums actively encourage students to play their valuable instruments. The problem with Museum Collections is that the curators are trying to preserve the instruments in the state they were acquired; hence the lack of enthusiasm about them getting played. On the plus side, they won't get in any worse condition, but the drawback is that without specialist knowledge (particularly in the case of UPs) the viewing public will get little information at the best, and mis-information at the worst; n.b. the reports of mis-assembled pipes, wrong cataloguing, etc. Over in France there is a Museum in Berry which has a complete bagpipe maker's workshop on display behind glass. Until a few years ago there were regular demonstrations by a maker of how the beasts are made; that is the proper function of a museum - to inform.

What was it that Brendan Breathnach said about a piping recital becoming an historical re-enactment?

[Jim McGuire]

Archives are reluctant to grant that access since there are unknowns. The archive also needs staff, etc for monitoring. Some people don't let their pipes out for a quick spin since some folks are used to playing hard reeds and can blow out easy reeds, then shrug and hand them back.

Instruments that are not strung for a while, adding different tensions, people playing instruments different - all potential disasters for the archive. There is at least one Strad or Guarneri that has not been strung for ages (if ever - for usage). Seems like a waste but, hopefully, people get access to it for learning purposes and there are non-invasive ways to check out violins - sound waves, etc.

There is a flute in the Chicago Historical Society with a long, ugly, unrepairable-looking crack - ideal for a museum glass case. Sean Reid's idea for a 'permanent user/loan' program seems right. The classical world does loan out Strads to people starting professional careers.

[PJ]

The classical world does loan out Strads to people starting professional careers.

One interesting part of the program I watched was that occasionally, a promising young violinist gets a 3 or 4 year loan of a Stradivarius, but when the loan isn't renewed at the end of the term (i.e. the Strad is loaned to some other promising young violinist) the first guy/girl has terrible trouble getting used to a normal violin ...

[Christopher]

Well, following the Cremona Curators idea,

Obviously the Ebony or fruitwood, which has little or no accoustic consequence, according to some people, will go sour if it isnt regularly exposed to what minor vibration actually make it through the dense, oily "tonewood"...

It probably cures the hardwood somehow, if not the acoustic vibrations themselves, than the psychological essence of "being played" and exposed to acidic fingers....

I say lend them out to pipemakers for study and analysis. But dont lend them to those makers who regularly "modify" recalcitrant historical sets!

[Mike Hulme]

Instruments do need to be played, if only to ensure that glued joints have not come undone, wood has warped or things have perished, etc. My violinmaking teacher pointed out that you don't get woodworm in a fiddle that is regularly played!

[kenr]

Six old sets of pipes are currently on display at the Collins Barracks museum in Dublin until September this year. Pictures by Ken McLeod are in the current edition of An Piobaire, but the sets are well worth seeing in the flesh if only to marvel at the beautiful little John Egan ivory set, the wonderful Coyne, and the monstrous Moloney Brothers set which has to be seen to be believed.

Admission is free and there's even free parking at the museum although if you stay in Dublin the Luas stops outside the front door. Nice tea and cakes as well by the way!

Ken

[Pat Cannady]

Collins Barracks, eh? Hmmm...anybody feel like a little B&E?

[Jim McGuire]

Collins Barracks, eh? Hmmm...anybody feel like a little B&E?

For yourself, Pat? Don't be thinking about trying to sell one of those sets on eBAY!

[Pat Cannady]

SELL an authentic Coyne set? Have you been drinking out of the canal again, Jim?

[psmithltd]

I visited the exhibit on the pipes at Collins Barracks when I was in Dublin a few weeks ago. I got the impression that most or at least several of the sets on display were on temporary loan from actual pipers, I can't remember which people were credited but I recognized some of the names. So in this case it wouldn't be so much a case of permanently unplayed pipes. There was quite a nice collection, one set had five regulators which was neat to see.

Well I think of it, I noticed that several of the sets in the display did not appear to have a stop (or whatever it is called) for the drones. Forgive my ignorance about the pipes, but would this mean that the drones would sound anytime the pipes were played? (Unless, of course, they were muted by hand.)

Has any Irish musician ever gotten access to the pipes at the metropolitan in New York? Or tried? There are quite a few wooden flutes on display as well. It might be worthwhile if someone was to arrange a recital on those instruments, as I understand that the Met has occasionally allowed recitals on various instruments they own. (I'd love to see a recital on their collection of Indian instruments in particular, they've got a lovely set.)

[PJ]

...and the monstrous Moloney Brothers set which has to be seen to be believed.

Here's a link to a thread in which this set was discussed. Peter Laban has inspected the set and has some interesting information on its history.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... ht=moloney

[Jim McGuire]

Well I think of it, I noticed that several of the sets in the display did not appear to have a stop (or whatever it is called) for the drones. Forgive my ignorance about the pipes, but would this mean that the drones would sound anytime the pipes were played? (Unless, of course, they were muted by hand.)

Older sets have turned up stocks without a drone switch, dating them to 1800 +-50 yrs. Yes, the drones would always be on with no way to shut them off without plugging up the end of the drones. It is a simpler stock, of course, and often you'll see a 4th drone in there.