Musette, a type of French bagpipe, turned and engraved ivory with 19th century replacement silk velvet bag and silver keys, France, ca. 1730

Ivory pipes, with fleur-de-lys engraved on each chanter stock. Chanter with seven silver keys and with an auxiliary closed chanter (petit chalumeau) of flat shape attached to it, with six silver keys. Bellows bag cover of 19th century replacement silk velvet, originally salmon-pink, now faded, trimmed with silk ribbon ruched. Under this, an inner cover of dark green silk.

This item was one of several instruments bought from a Signor Ferrario in June 1871, whose address at the time was given as 26 Gerrard Street, Soho. No further information about Signor Ferrario is known.

On Loan to the Horniman Museum since 2016
While at the Horniman Museum the musette underwent x-radiography investigation which revealed two rare original reeds concealed and preserved in the silk bag.

Copies are lodged in Furniture Department Information files.
See:Wood Francis, Brock Fiona, Uden Jeremy
"An Investigation of a Baroque Musette Bourdon
Using Micro-Computed Tomography"
The Gilpin Society Journal. LXXI, 2018, pp.179-188

Notes from an investigation by Francis Wood following an inspection at Horniman
Musette V&A 31.07.23 Report

On Monday 31st July, I was permitted a brief opportunity to study the Baroque musette, property of the Victoria and Albert Museum and now on long-term loan to the Horniman Museum. I had had an earlier opportunity to examine this instrument in 2011, and the purpose of this further visit was to confirm some longitudinal dimensions on the chalumeaux assembly. This part of the instrument consists of the double melody pipes together with the stocks into which they fit. This typical arrangement is plugged into the bag of a musette and since, with the present example, the fit is fairly loose, it was possible to remove the chalumeaux with the least stress to the instrument. The shuttle drone and leather bag with its layers of delicate fabric covers were left in situ undisturbed on the low plinth on which the instrument is displayed.

Since time was limited, and to avoid unnecessary handling of the chalumeaux, the required longitudinal dimensions of the grand chalumeau (the larger of the two) were recorded in a simple but sufficiently accurate way. A paper scale was placed on the chalumeau and both video and still photographs were taken with an iPhone for later assessment. Video was of limited quality because of available lighting conditions, but proved sufficient to record the required information. This, as well as earlier photography will be made available to the Museums.

In conclusion, here are a few points of note:

• Ivory workers of the period typically fitted separate components by creating screw threads which would hold them together. The fit is relatively loose until an item is fully inserted and securely held. This principle is evident on almost all ivory musettes including the present example. The tenons of the musette are retained in their stocks in this way as is the ‘bell’ of the grand chalumeau. Normally these parts can be gently unscrewed without undue stress to the instrument. However, with this musette the grand chalumeau cannot be unscrewed and withdrawn as originally intended. Instead, it revolves freely in its socket, possibly because of some loose hemp binding. This situation was observed when I first examined the musette long ago and has not changed. Some caution regarding this condition is therefore advisable to any future researchers.

• The bag contains original reeds; as I recall, a complete and an incomplete example. Such items are exceptionally rare and owe their survival to having fallen out of their sockets centuries ago, remaining hidden until their presence became visible on X-rays taken at the Horniman Museum. They are fragile and are an additional reason for exercising extreme caution if ever the bag is moved. Those X-rays also display very clearly the screw fit between the tenon of the grand chalumeau which is otherwise unavailable for visual inspection.

I am grateful to Mimi Waitzman and her colleagues at The Horniman Museum as well as those at the Victoria & Albert Museum for allowing and facilitating this fruitful research opportunity.

Francis Wood

The musette was played in courtly circles usually in chamber performances.

This type of French bagpipe in its classic form with two chalumeux was known as a musette. It was played in prestigious courtly circles from about 1670, with pieces written for it by composers like Joseph Bodin Boismortier (1689-1755) and Nicolas Chedeville (1705-1782). Together with the cornemuse, a bagpipe with a mouthpiece, the musette was intended for chamber performance. The original bag would have been leather with a rich silk cover. Other chalumeaux are made of ivory. Unlike the cornemuse, the musette was fitted with bellows to provide the necessary wind, but the bellows are now missing from this example. The complex drone system or bourdon was fitted with slots and slides, which helped tune the drones, which provided the constant harmony and cut out any unwanted sounds.
The most famous portrait of a musette player is that of Gaspard de Gueidan, aristocrat and administrator, shown dressed as Celadon, the shepherd of legend in the French pastoral tradition by the artist Hyacinthe Rigaud.
Another example demonstrating the elevated social status of the musette is a painting by Jean Garnier. It encloses a medallion portrait of Louis XIV surrounded by objects of artistic and scientific significance. The musette here bears an astonishing similarity to a musette held in The Chantry Bagpipe Museum, Morpeth, Northumberland. Most musettes are anonymous but that one is rare in being stamped Lissieu, a maker in Lyon.

394-1871