The redbrick Georgian house of Hatchlands Park is home to a remarkable collection of musical instruments belonging to Alec Cobbe, a contemporary collector and musician. The exceptional gathering of keyboard instruments such as harpsichords and fortepianos dates from 1750 to 1840 - including an Erard pianoforte reputedly made for Queen Marie Antoinette. As such, it is one of the few French instruments of the time to escape destruction for firewood following the 1789 revolution. There are some thirty-seven historic keyboard instruments at Hatchlands, now in the care of the Cobbe Collection Trust. They were brought together to represent those instrument makers who were highly regarded or patronised by composers, rather than to illustrate a complete or technical history of keyboard manufacture. Twelve of the instruments were actually owned or played by great composers such as Purcell, J.C. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Mahler and Elgar - the largest group of such composer-related instruments to be seen in one place anywhere in the world.

• Instruments

Keyboard instruments with composer associations

1622 - 1903

• Liszt, Franz -
• Chopin, Fryderyk -
• Elgar, Edward -
• Purcell, Henry -
• Mahler, Gustav -
• Bach, Johann Christian -
• Pleyel, Ignaz Joseph -
• Dibdin, Charles -
• Cramer, Johann Baptist -
• Snetzler, John -
• John Broadwood & Sons -
• Kirkman, Jacob -
• Zenti, Girolamo -
• Ruckers, Andreas -
• Zumpe, Johannes -
• Buntebart, Gabriel -
• Kirkman, Abraham -
• Weber, Ferdinand -
• Southwell, William -
• Hoffmann, Christian Gotthelf -
• Hancock, Crang -
• Stein, Johann Andreas -
• Longman and Broderip -
• Bland, John -
• Walter, Anton -
• Erard Fréres, Paris -
• Graf, Conrad -
• Streicher, Nannette -
• Erard, London -
• Thalberg, Sigismond -
• Steinway -
• Ducci, Carlo -
• Pleyel Wolff & Co, Paris -
• Walker, J W & Sons -
• Erard, Sebastian -
• Player, John -

• Keyboard
• Organ
• Piano
• Instrument making and repair
• Harpsichord
• Western Classical

East Clandon Guildford Surrey GU2 7RT United Kingdom

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National Trust Property entrance charge

A National Trust house, Hatchlands stands in a handsome, wooded park, landscaped by Humphrey Repton, and is just 23 miles from London. Splendid Adam rooms are furnished with the Cobbe Collection of old master paintings and composer instruments. There are some thirty-seven historic keyboard instruments at Hatchlands, now in the care of the Cobbe Collection Trust. They were brought together to represent those instrument makers who were highly regarded or patronised by composers, rather than to illustrate a complete or technical history of keyboard manufacture. Twelve of the instruments were actually owned or played by great composers such as Purcell, J.C. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Mahler and Elgar - the largest group of such composer-related instruments to be seen in one place anywhere in the world.

• Composer Instruments: The Cobbe Collection. Hatchlands: The Cobbe Collection Trust

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