Restoration Work

With the opening of the museum a modest workshop for the restoration of historical musical instruments was set up. The first task was to repair the considerable external damage done to the harpsichords, spinets and virginals during the war years, caused mainly by storage away from the Handel House’s climatically unfavourable conditions.

From 1959 onwards a more ambitious programme of restoration was initiated, the principal aim now being to recreate the special characteristics of sound and performance of these historical instruments in such a way as to offer evidence about the actual musical practice of their period by using them in concerts, thus giving hearers some idea of their original sound. The first of an increasing number of such concerts was held in 1963. These were made integral parts of various series on particular themes (from 1970, season ticket series), equally interesting for performers and audiences. As reported a new modern workshop was equipped in 2001.