According to the V&A, the galleries devoted to the musical instrument collection are being closed for conversion into additional decorative art galleries, but many of the instruments will be dispersed among the other galleries as decorative art objects, depending on the period. A good portion of the remaining collection may be put on loan to other adjacent London-area music instrument collections, notably the Horniman. Hopefully, most of the instruments will be accessible to the public one way or another under this scheme.
The V&A was founded as a museum of decorative arts (a distinction now much blurred) so the instruments that were collected, especially the pianos, generally emphasize decoration over innate musical significance. Richard in Seattle On 1/26/2010 9:35 AM, [email protected] wrote: > In light of the recent discussion of where one might see collections of > instruments in museums, I want to pass on news from the music librarians' > list that the Victoria and Albert Museum's instrument gallery is being (has > been?) closed - and I assume permanently. For more information, you'll have > to do your own search. > > This is sad, since I still remember my one visit there in the mid-1970s > that was a highlight of a week in London (though getting to attend a > Philharmonia Orchestra recording session and meeting a very young Michael > Thompson and not-so-young Ian Beers and the obligatory Paxman visit [and > lengthy bull session with Dick Merewether] were up there, too). > > Regretfully, > > Peter Hirsch _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
