Burghley Sessions: Eboracum Baroque explores the Earls of Exeter's music collection at Burghley House

During the 17th and 18th centuries musically inclined aristocrats and gentry would compile books of favourite pieces of music. Whilst people did acquire printed music, with the most enthusiastic often subscribing to new music publications, it remained common to copy (or have copied) pieces that appealed. Sometimes such collections can bring forth gems, pieces hitherto unknown (we have both Handel and Vivaldi pieces that are known in this way), but even when the music is known there is the sense of dropping in on someone's personal preferences, very much like idly browsing over someone else's record collection.

One such collection was assembled at Burghley House in Lincolnshire by the Earls of Exeter, descended from the eldest son of William Cecil, Lord Burghley (Queen Elizabeth I's chief advisor). There is a chance to leaf through the collection, as it were, on Saturday 22 January 2022 when Eboracum Baroque present their online concert the Burghley Sessions.

Recorded in the Great Hall of Burghley House, the performance includes music from the Earls of Exeter's collection with arias by Handel, a recorder concerto by Vivaldi, a trumpet concerto by Capel Bond (an 18th century English composer based in Coventry), a sonata by Corelli and theatre music by Purcell.

Eboracum Baroque's Burghley Sessions will be streamed online via Youtube and Facebook on Saturday 22 January 2022 at 7.30pm.