Web Links
Listed below are links to some sites that you may find of interest. If you are interested in adding your site to this list, please contact us.
General Early Keyboard Sites
The British Clavichord Society For the encouragement of the understanding and enjoyment of the clavichord.
The British Harpsichord Society For the promotion of awareness, enjoyment, study, playing and ownership of harpsichords and related instruments.
EarlyPianos.org Register of pianos made before 1860. Add your instrument to the database and help contribute to this valuable project.
Early Piano - Fortepiano Information Site David Hunt's website containing registers of extant Broadwood Grand Pianos and dated Longman & Broderip Square Pianos.
Friends of Square Pianos For owners, potential owners and friends of square pianos.
The Galpin Society for the Study of Musical Instruments For the publication of original research into the history, construction, development and use of musical instruments. The Society covers all kinds of instruments from around the world, publishing an annual journal and regular newsletters.
Harpsichord & Fortepiano Magazine Specialist publication covering early keyboards, recordings, events, books etc.
John Broadwood & Sons One of the oldest and most prestigious piano companies in the world, revitalised and now based at Finchcocks Musical Museum.
Musicians
Penelope Cave, Harpsichordist Harpsichordist based in Fernhurst, West Sussex. Details of forthcoming concerts.
Bela Hartmann, Classical Pianist Prize-winning classical pianist, based in Haslemere, Surrey. Details of forthcoming concerts.
Instrument Collections - Great Britain
Bate Collection, Oxford Housed in the Faculty of Music buildings next to Christ Church College, Oxford, The Bate Collection contains a number of important historical keyboard instruments, in addition to historical woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
The Cobbe Collection, Surrey Housed in the 18th century mansion at Hatchlands Park, The Cobbe Collection contains around 40 historical keyboard instruments, some of which were owned or played by composers such as Purcell, J.C. Bach, Mahler and Elgar.
Colt Clavier Collection, Bethersden, Kent. Viewing by appointment only. Telephone 01233 820223
Edinburgh University Collection of Historical Musical Instruments
Containing the Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments and the Donaldson Collection.
Finchcocks Musical Museum Housed in a Georgian Manor set in gardens and parkland, over 100 historical keyboard instruments, with demonstrations on playing examples.
Horniman Museum, London 30 keyboard instruments including harpsichords, virginals and pianos, together with the Stephen collection of models of keyboard actions. Viewing by appointment.
The Royal Academy of Music, London A 'living museum', acting as a showcase for the work of performers, composers, instrument makers and scholars from a wide range of musical and other relevant disciplines.
The Victoria & Albert Museum, London An important collection of historical keyboard instruments, containing some highly decorative examples including Queen Elizabeth's Virginals.
Instrument Collections - Europe
The Museum of Musical Instruments, University of Leipzig A large collection of early keyboard instruments dating from the 16th century onwards.
Instrument Collections - United States
The Frederick Collection, Massachusetts A collection of grand pianos dating from the 1790s to 1907, with performances of period repertoire.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York The Department of Musical Instruments holds approximately five thousand instruments from six continents and the Pacific Islands, dating from about 300 B.C. to the present, including early keyboard instruments.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Over 1100 musical instruments from around the world, from ancient to twentieth century, including historical keyboard instruments.
The National Music Museum, Vermillion, South Dakota The Museum's collections include more than 13,500 American, European, and non-Western instruments from all cultures and historical periods, including many keyboard instruments.
Other - General Interest
Alex Anderson, Photography Photographer, based in Haslemere, Surrey. Wedding, portraits, landscape and commercial photography. Some of Alex's work is here on our website - see the 4 ½ octave clavichord and the Haward spinet pages.
The Diary of Samuel Pepys Daily entries from the 17th century diary of Samuel Pepys.
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Searchable archive of the proceedings of the Old Bailey, London's central criminal court, 1674 to 1913.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The RSPB website.