Since its creation as a hunting lodge nearly 400 years ago, the walls of Kiplin Hall have heard music of all kinds. From the trumpet of the hunting horn to scales and arpeggios on the piano, visitors are invited to follow the beat back through the centuries in a new music themed exhibition.
Alongside the exhibition a trail has been created in the historic rooms of the hall. Museum staff and volunteers were invited to share what music comes to mind when they think of a certain object, person, or place from Kiplin’s past. These notions have been collected and displayed in the hall with a digital link to the playlist.
Visitors can listen to the track on their own smart devices in the museum, or later at home, using the well-known app Spotify.
Today we’ll share with you the first track on the trail. Selected by archive volunteer Fiona Hall. Inspired by the Italian connections at Kiplin Fiona links her chosen piece of music, Mendelssohn 4th Symphony (The Italian) to a beautiful mahogany cabinet.
The cabinet relates to Christopher Crowe. Crowe was the British Consul at Livorno near Florence. He was married to Lady Charlotte Lee, who previously married into the Calvert family, the first owners of Kiplin. Crowe bought Kiplin in 1722, from his stepson, and the estate remained in the ownership of the Crowe family for about 100 years.
Many items in the house reflect Crowe’s time in Italy. The mahogany cabinet was designed in the style of Chippendale and it has a distinctly oriental appearance, fashionable at the time. But it was commissioned to hold the decorative Italian marble and coloured stone panels depicting the Italian countryside you can see decorating its front.
Fiona Hall picked this piece because it is “Such a stirring, happy piece to listen to!”. Mendelssohn’s inspiration was the colour and atmosphere of Italy, which you can see captured here in the stone panels on the cabinet. Fiona is a volunteer at Kiplin, spending hours researching and documenting items in the paper archive. Over 180 volunteers work at Kiplin in roles across the organisation.
Join us next week as we explore the next stop on the trail. From the classical style of Mendelssohn we’ll learn how the folk songs of Edwina Hayes come to mind while visiting Kiplin! Kiplin Hall and Gardens is open 6 days a week, closed on Thursdays. Visitors who wish to enjoy the Spotify trail in the museum are asked to bring their own headphones.
Live music can be enjoyed at Kiplin during Afternoon Tunes events on Sundays in May.
Afternoon Tunes at Kiplin Hall 1pm – 4pm
Sunday 5th May – Nick Brooker
Sunday 12th May – Northallerton Silver Band
Sunday 19th May – Edwina Hayes
Sunday 26th May – Northallerton Male Voice Choir
