Background

Many of the great – but smaller – European art collections are tucked away in side streets, country houses and provincial towns, known often only to connoisseurs and local communities.  With an eye to important paintings, musical instruments and pictures with musical content, Peter Medhurst explores some of these quality galleries, and examines the contents of the Mauritshuis in The Hague, The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, Burghley House in Lincolnshire, The Dulwich Picture Gallery in London, the Vleeshuis in Antwerp, and the Ca’ Rezzonico in Venice.

Suggested timetable for the day

10.30-11.30 Session 1

Burghley House – Lincolnshire, The Fitzwilliam Museum – Cambridge, The Bate Collection  – Oxford

11.30-11.45 Break

11.45-13.00 Session 2 

The Mauritshuis – The Hague, The Vleeshuis – Antwerp

13.00-14.15 Lunch

14.15-15.30 Session 3 

Ca’ Rezzonico – Venice, The Dulwich Picture Gallery – London

The study day is illustrated throughout with live music sung and played at the piano, the virginals or the harpsichord.

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Music in the Great Art Collections of Europe was presented for the first time on Sunday 15th July 2012 in The Great Comp Festival, Sevenoaks, Kent.