About The Bate Collection of Musical Instruments
The Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, in the Faculty of Music at Oxford University, is one of the most comprehensive collection in Britain of woodwind, brass and percussion, ranging from European instruments to instruments from across the globe.
The Bate Collection consists of the original Philip Bate Gift of European Orchestral Woodwind Instruments, plus many other instruments given and lent by Philip Bate throughout his life; the Reginald Morley-Pegge Memorial Collection of Horns and other Brass and Woodwind Instruments; the Anthony Baines Collection; the Edgar Hunt Collection of Recorders and other instruments; the Jean Henry Collection, the Taphouse Keyboard Loans; the Roger Warner Keyboard Collection; the Michael Thomas Keyboard Collection; a number of instruments from the Jeremy Montagu Collection; the tools and other bow-making equipment from William Retford's workshop, as well as a small collection of Bows formed in his memory, the Wally Horwood Collection of books and recordings, and a great many other instruments acquired by purchase, and gift.
There are on display more than a thousand instruments, some made by all the most important English, French and German makers, which show the musical and mechanical development of all wind and percussion instruments from the Renaissance and the Baroque to modern times, in a global perspective.
What We Do:
We preserve, study, and share our musical instrument collection and its archives to promote research, learning, creativity, and enjoyment for all.
Our Aims:
We have three strategic pillars
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Collections: We care for, develop, and widen access to our collections.
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Research and Teaching: We enable, lead and deliver world-class research and teaching.
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Audiences: We provide engaging and inspiring experiences for increasingly diverse audiences.
