A Musician, a Maecenas

At the end of the 2018 season the cycle will feature 53 concerts, performed by more than 50 musicians using 24 historical instruments from the Museum’s collection, 6 of these restored as a consequence of the work done, but several others intervened and maintained.

The 1780 "Galrão" violin is one of two violins built by Joaquim José Galrão belonging to the Museum’s collection. It was played by Raquel Cravino in 2013 and by Daniel Bolito in 2017 in concerts in which it accompanied a cello from the same builder and the 1758 Antunes harpsichord as well as the 1925 Bechstein piano and the 1797 ‘Dinis’ cello.

Viola da Gamba built by the prestigious builder Pieter Rombouts (1677-1749), disciple of Hendrick Jacobs. Dating from the first half of the 18th century and built in Amsterdam, this instrument was played in 2014 by Birgund Meyer-Ohme and, in 2016, by Sofia Diniz in concerts in which it was accompanied by the 1758 Antunes harpsichord.

Johann Heinrich Eichentopf was probably the most prominent wind instrument builder of his time. The oboe of his own authorship that integrates the Museum’s collection is an extremely rare instrument. During the cycle it was played by Pedro Castro along with a modern copy of the instrument, built by the Portuguese builder Diogo Leal. This allowed the audience to compare the sound of the two oboes.

The organ built by Joaquim António Peres Fontanes is one of the Museum’s national treasures. In the course of the cycle it was played by Miguel Jalôto in two concerts in the seasons of 2015 and 2016, accompanying, on two occasions the Diniz cello played by Diana Vinagre.

The 1608 theorbo of the German builder Matheus Buchenberg is one of the instruments that was restored as part of the work developed for the cycle, in this case thanks to the sponsorship of Agostinho da Silva (administrator of the CEI-Zipor Group). The restoration was carried out in 2014 by the builder and restorer Orlando Trindade and allowed the use of the theorbo in four concerts by four different musicians: Hugo Sanches (with soprano Manuela Lopes and Pedro Sousa Silva on the flutes), Pietro Prosser, Helena Raposo (with Orlanda Velez in the voice) and Vinicius Perez.

Given its fragility, the clavichord built by Jacinto Ferreira in 1783 was not actually played in the course of the cycle. However, a modern copy of this instrument would be used by Cremilde Fernandes in a concert in 2015. In this concert the public was able to enjoy the original instrument in counterpoint with its copy.

The bassoon made by the German constructor Heinrich Grenser was used by Hugues Kesteman in a concert with the Ensemble Contágio Barroco formed also by Filipa Oliveira (Bisel Flute), João Paulo Janeiro (harpsichord) and Remi Kesteman (cello).

Built in the region of Aveiro, Portugal, this clavichord of unknown author is one of the Museum’s national treasures. It was played by José Carlos Araújo to interpret 18th century Iberian Music.

This 18th century clavichord of unknown authorship, thought to have been built in Germany, was played occasionally over time, the last one by José Carlos Araújo in a concert of the 2016 season of the cycle. In this concert Araújo played yet another clavichord from the collection.

The Portuguese guitar made by Kim Grácio, and donated to the Museum by António Brochado da Mota in 2015, was the instrument used by Luísa Amaro and António Chainho in the concerts they performed for the cycle, respectively in 2016 and 2017.

The 1867 violin built by António Joaquim Sanhudo was the instrument used by Daniel Bolito to play Beethoven and Brahms in the closing concert of the 2016 season of the cycle, accompanied by the 1925 Bechstein piano.

Roxanne Dykstra was the violist responsible for presenting the 1748 viola built by Francesco Emiliani, in a concert of the 2018 season, in which it was accompanied by the 1922 Bechstein piano.

The 1789 Antunes harpsichord was one of the instruments restored by Geert Karman following the work developed for the cycle. It will be premiered in the 2018 in a concert where it will have the company of the 1758 harpsichord. The two instruments will be played by José Carlos Araújo and Miguel Jalôto. Until the end of the 2018 season the it will also be played by Cremilde Rosado Fernandes.

National treasure and an instrument of enormous historical and organological value, the Taskin harpsichord had been waiting a few years for the conclusion of its restoration process, which would finally happen in 2018, in a process involving several intervenients: Ulrich Weymar (organological restoration), Laboratório José de Figueiredo (restoration of decorative elements), Geert Karman (harmonization, tuning and replacement of jumps) and a few other collaborators. Now that this process is completed, the harpsichord will finally be presented in a concert in 2018.

The closing concert of the 2018 season of the cycle will star the Boisselot & Fils piano that Franz Liszt (1811-1886) brought with him to Portugal in 1845. This instrument is being restored following the work developed for the cycle. Once this process is concluded the Museum will have one more emblematic instrument of its collection in conditions of being played.