Musical Salon: Preludes and Vollenteries

Grinling Gibbons’ carved language of music

The King David panel offers a unique visual documentation of the emerging style, burgeoning talent and deep musical influences of one of the greatest artists to work in the British Isles – Grinling Gibbons. His great achievements parallel the flowering in painting, science, literature, music and instrument-making of those years. Gibbons’ carving of King David and St Cecilia in heavenly concert together offers a
wonderful link between all of these worlds, most particularly between the various types of music-making: performing, composing, listening and instrument making.

Taking inspiration from this musically enriched panel, Grammy-nominated violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved, joined by leading composer Nicola leFanu, will lead a salon of conversation and music from Gibbons’ era. This salon-style concert will reflect on the influences shaping Gibbons’ craft as well as his own great love of music. Peter will be performing using period instruments made by the carver’s iconic contemporaries, Amati and Stradivari, and including a tenor violin made by Barak Norman. Don’t miss the wonderful experience of hearing these extraordinary instruments in the intimate setting of the Saloon at Fairfax House.

A salon is a gathering of people in conversation with each other under the roof of an inspiring host, which is held to amuse, refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants. This salon will engage through music rather than conversation alone.

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