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Patent pending: instrument innovations in the 18th century

2025-06-06T09:06:00

Instrument Innovations (1)

The 18th century saw an explosion in creativity from inventors trying to find the ‘next big thing’ in stringed instrument innovation. Rachael Durkin examines some of the artefacts from the dawn of the industrial age

During the 18th century, the music sector experienced a boom. With the growth of the bourgeois class, music was no longer the preserve of the wealthy, and the growth in public performance made high-quality music more accessible, particularly in London. With music and its superstars now far more visible, and many keen to earn additional income through teaching, music lessons also became more widely available, helping the young (and old) to achieve one of the key accomplishments of the age: skills in music, languages and dance, which served as social passports for those looking to move in the right circles…

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