A fascinating insight into the earliest stringed keyboard and fretted instruments this afternoon, courtesy of a visit to the Royal College of Music Museum in Consort Road, Kensington. After undergoing extensive redevelopment, the Museum reopened to the public in October 2021 and boasts over 14,000 items in its collection. As an interactive space, it hosts regular performances by RCM musicians and the opportunity for visitors to create their own music in the Weston Discovery Centre. Of particular interest for me was the ‘oldest dated guitar in the world’, a Portuguese instrument made by Belchior Dias in 1581. This instrument, once part of the Medici collection, is a highlight of the museum’s extensive collection and is considered to be the earliest surviving guitar (pictured below).
By way of an intriguing contrast, the floor above featured an exhibition focusing on ‘Kurt Cobain Unplugged’ and the chance to see his legendary Martin guitar on display for the first time in Europe. Reunited with his famous green cardigan from the MTV Unplugged performance, the display celebrates the enduring influence of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana on the rock timeline. Cobain’s rare Martin D-18E guitar, uniquely adapted for his left-handed play, shaped the unmistakeable sound that defined Nirvana’s music. In 2020, it became the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction, bought for over $6 million by Australian entrepreneur Peter Freedman AM.
