An Introduction to the Instruments

As music arises from a need for people to express emotions, desires ambitions, and other human attributes, so the mode in which music is made adapts to the different lifestyles we have adopted throughout history.

Beautiful instruments in beautiful spaces

Most of the music we present at Realm of Music was specially written for performance in the beautiful palatial salons of the baroque aristocracy, or in other inimate, sumptuous and resonant spaces. Therefore, the instruments of this period were designed to be played in these surroundings, and with the techniques whereby the music comes through with all it's sumptous baroque detail and rich colours.

We find that it incredibly exciting to re-discover the instruments of this golden period in music, to play them with the old techniques, and in the right settings, all of which brings the music alive with a vibrancy which is hard to describe unless you have experienced it yourself!

Instruments changed after the Industrial Revolution

From the beginning of the 19th century, and especially after the industrial revolution, music beame more popularised, and paying public concerts in large concert-halls became the norm. The need to fill such large, and often acoustically drier halls meant that the instruments had to be changed to play louder. As a result, we now have instruments which are quite different from their baroque predecessors: violins play with metal strings instead of pure gut, flutes are metal instead of wood, the gamba is now obsolete (except amounst 'period instrument' groups), and you will notice many other changes.

Change is not bad - it is necessary and for modern music, modern instruments are wonderful. However, you can't beat old instruments when it comes to old music. After all, who would want to hear the beatles performed like heavy metal?