Early Music Concert in Blackett laboratory

The Early Music Concert on the 19th November in the Blackett Common room was a great success. It originated as a brilliant idea by NIcholas Perry who linked the music and instruments to early paintings which was a suitable tribute to his late father-in-law, Professor Ian Butterworth who was head of the Physics Department from 1980-83. Nicholas and friends, Sharon on the violin, shawm and rebec and Alex on the lute, drum and early guitar added to the colour of the medieval pieces with Nicholas on the serpent, shawm and bagpipe. It was a unique, glorious and enriching experience and a ‘first’ for the trio of professional musicians.The programme included works by Telemann and a set of dances.These pieces matched the musical instruments in such paintings as Musicians on a Gallery, (1524-1526), by Hans Holbein to Thomas Webster’s A village Choir, (1847). We were also privileged once again, to have a guest musician from Mathematics who performed expertly and sensitively on a set of recorders.Our thanks to the wonderful musicians who generously performed for us and to the department for its continuing support for the concerts since 2012.