Historical Musical Instruments Retain 'Recognition' Status
East Ayrshire Leisure is delighted that the collection of historic musical instruments, cared for by the Trust on behalf of East Ayrshire Council, has secured Recognition status for another 5 years through Museums Galleries Scotland’s Recognition Scheme.
Scotland’s Recognition Scheme celebrates, promotes and invests in Nationally Significant Collections beyond those held in our national museums and galleries. Scotland currently has 50 collections that have been Recognised as Nationally Significant and, together, they showcase the best that Scotland’s museums have to offer. East Ayrshire Council’s Musical Instrument Collection first secured the highly regarded and exclusive Recognition Status in 2014.
This outstanding Musical Instruments Collection, which is normally housed at Dean Castle, features lutes, guitars, harpsichords, recorders, pianos and harps, and boasts one of the earliest violins in existence - an English Renaissance violin made by the Bassano family, which dates from between 1550 and 1580. The significance and quality of some of the musical instruments has been compared to those found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. However, to see a Recognised Collection of National Significance you only need to go as far Kilmarnock!
Other highlights include a rare Royal Irish portable harp made in 1821 by John Egan who was harp-maker to King George IV, an 18th century Apollo lyre which is one of only a few in existence, and several highly decorated and intricately constructed miniature fiddles. One instrument, a Ganer square piano dating from 1786 (pictured above), holds a connection with Robert Burns. It is believed that this was the first piano in Kilmarnock. It belonged to the Gregory family whose hospitality Burns enjoyed while visiting his good friend Robert Muir in the town. Among music which Burns heard Mrs. Gregory play was one of his favourite tunes – ‘The Leas of Locherby’.
East Ayrshire Leisure’s Cultural Development Manager said
“We are thrilled to have secured the much coveted and prestigious Recognition title for our Historic Musical Instrument collection for another five years. We look forward to them being returned to Dean Castle in 2023 for a new display, bringing visitors closer to these collections of remarkable cultural significance than ever before.”
