Another stop on our Edinburgh day of surfeit…
We caught the train from Stirling to Edinburgh and walked up the hill in the approximate direction (I thought) of the Dovecot Studio. Our stop to ask for directions elicited the same generous helpfulness we have met with all over the UK and particularly in Scotland. Making our way along Niddry Street we happened quite unexpectedly across the Music Museum, a collection administered by the University of Edinburgh.
St Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room and Music Museum
Home to one of the most important historic musical instrument collections anywhere in the world.
St Cecilia’s Hall is Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert hall. Originally built by the Edinburgh Musical Society in 1762, the Georgian venue is a real hidden gem, tucked away in the heart of Edinburgh’s Cowgate.
Having undergone a £6.5million renovation St Cecilia’s Hall and Music Museum is now the University’s first visitor attraction and a fantastic addition to Edinburgh’s offer of museums and event venues.
The collection
The Music Museum displays the University’s unparalleled collection of musical instruments from across the globe, including its world-famous harpsichords, some of which are playable. Making this the only place in the world, it is claimed, that you can hear 18th-century music being played on 18th-century instruments in an 18th– century setting.
More than 400 instruments have been conserved as part of the redevelopment project by a dedicated conservation officer. This work continues, as the building features a dedicated space for treating instruments, which is visible for those visiting to see.
So of course we went in for a look… The earliest instruments dated back to the sixteenth century. The harpsichords, spinets, clavichords, virginals and the like were clearly desirable items of furniture and indicators of status as well as instruments to be played. So much more I didn’t photograph.
JaneRussell journeys 