My favorite room of the Bach Museum was probably the instrument room, housing many period instruments from Bach’s time. Aside from the very entertaining music set up, where you could increase the volume of a chosen instrument to highlight its sound in the various Bach compositions playing throughout the room, I greatly admired the artistry of the antique instruments on display. Often, my favorite part of listening to music is appreciating the different colors each instrument brings to the sound, and, as such, I have grown very attuned to period instruments in the recordings I choose to listen to. It was a great experience to see so many of the instruments I admire in early recordings on display, particularly early woodwinds like the recorder, transverse flute, and oboe da caccia. I find their wooden construction to bring a warmer and more unprocessed sound to performances when compared to their modern counterparts.
Aside from sound, there is also a certain artistry in the carving of many wood instruments that I revere, more so with string instruments, as I am exposed to them more often. With the gambas and violin, I found their varnishings particularly beautiful; they weren’t overly shiny as many expensive instruments appear today, but had a more muted sheen and color that I don’t often see in string instruments. I see this more worn and rustic appearance being more consistent with my image of “tafelmusik” or music being brought out not only for formal concerts as we mostly see today, but also for everyday eating and dancing.
That being said, I always become very conflicted within myself when I see instruments kept in museums. On the one hand, they are historical artifacts made with stunning craftsmanship that should be admired by the public. Behind glass, their history is kept mostly safe from damage, ensuring they will be able to be studied for years into the future. Yet, their primary purpose is still to be played. I know specifically for good string instruments, most of the carving work is actually done on the inside of the instrument, a part no one will be able to see, but definitely hear in the instrument’s sound. Showcasing instruments only visually, in some sense, seems like a disservice to their makers, but also, how else will people be able to get this close to remarkable instruments if they are only owned and used by musicians?
