Description:

The beautiful downland setting of England’s leading museum of historic buildings will provide a fitting backdrop to the peaceful strains of period music on Sunday 12 July. The ever-popular Early Music Afternoon returns to the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton, near Chichester, West Sussex, and features many groups of musicians performing in and around the Museum’s historic buildings.

The Early Music Afternoon is a wonderful celebration of music, dancing and merrymaking. The musicians, some in period costume, will perform Medieval, Tudor and Stuart pieces – including historic ‘pop’ music from the streets, lively music from the theatre, and courtly pieces – with instruments ranging from the familiar, such as recorders and cellos, to the more unusual including crumhorns and early violins. Costumed dancers in the Market Square will be performing throughout the afternoon, and visitors will be welcome to have a go and join in! All the performers will be happy to answer any visitors’ questions concerning their music and its history.

The Museum’s historic buildings have all been rescued from destruction and reconstructed in a beautiful 45 acre site in the South Downs, providing a wonderful, peaceful setting for the gentle strains of period music and a fitting backdrop for the dancers and musicians. Joining the event once again will be Lewes-based King Henry’s Consort, musical supporters of the Museum for many years. Historically, consorts such as this usually consisted of a ‘family’ of the same type of instrument, in different sizes. The Consort specialises in playing recorder music from 1450 - 1650, using modern maplewood copies of original instruments, and including descant, treble, tenor and bass recorders. These instruments differ from 20th century ones, in that they have a wide bore, not a narrow one, and a limited range of notes – one and a half octaves.

“The Early Music Afternoon is a vivid and entertaining example of how we aim to bring aspects of our past to life” states Cathy Clark, Marketing Officer at the Museum. “We hope our visitors will enjoy the opportunity to listen to, learn about and simply enjoy the period music and dance as they explore the Museum’s exhibits.”

The Museum is open for the Early Music Afternoon on July 12, and daily until 23 December. It is open from 10.30am to 6pm during British Summer Time, and until 4pm for the rest of the year. Admission is adults £8.95, over 60s £7.95, children £4.70, family £24.25, under 5’s free.