With the help of Claude Maury, Ulrich Hübner, Michael Latcham, Barbara Willi, and Johannes Boer on the behalf of the Early Music Department of the Royal Conservatory, I sent requests to many museums and collections in order to have a closer look to their instruments for this research. I knew this was an ambitious idea which could easily lead to failure, considering that even great professionals themselves were often denied access.
But after many unsuccessful attempts, I was finally able to approach four exceptional instruments in The Hague’s Kunstmuseum, Netherlands, and Jevisovice Castle, Czech Republic ; in the following I will describe my experience with them in the same order I discovered them.
My journey to Czech Republic was organized with only a minimum of preparation and time. I wish the conditions had been more favorable and that I had more time to do things properly (when it came to crooks for instance), but I had to do with what I had on the spot, and did my best with it.
I am forever grateful to the people who, by their efforts, kindness, patience and musicianship, made this experimentation possible.