To promote the French musical repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries under the best possible conditions through historically informed performance, the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles has developed an ever-expanding collection of period instruments. This collection is made available to professional ensembles for artistic projects, as well as to students as part of educational initiatives. It currently includes string, wind, and keyboard instruments, either reproductions of French originals from the period or experimental reconstructions.

The collection continues to grow as new instruments are created, most often in connection with research projects and within the framework of specific concerts, performances, or recordings.

The CMBV’s instrument collection currently features an experimental reconstruction of the Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi (six dessus de violon, four hautes-contre de violon, four tailles de violon and four quintes de violon, soon to be joined by six basses de violon), all strung entirely in gut and tuned with equal tension. It also includes oboes and cromornes from the reign of Louis XIV (five trebles, two tenors, and one bass) tuned to A=392 Hz; clarinets from the Louis XV period at A=400 Hz and A=415 Hz in three keys (two in C, two in D, and two in A); a consort of recorders (sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) supplemented by two great bass recorders (contrabasses) tuned to A=392 Hz and A=400 Hz; as well as harpsichords and organs.

A research and experimental project is currently underway to produce around thirty mid-17th-century French bows designed for violins, violas, and basses. Another area of study focuses on the use of gut strings, while specific research on reed-making techniques of the 17th and 18th centuries is being carried out by Peter Nahon and Lola Soulier within the CMBV’s research team.

The CMBV’s instrument collection is available to professional ensembles and conservatoire classes, either for hire or through artistic and educational partnerships.

The instrument collection project of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles is made possible thanks to the support of the CMBV Endowment Fund and its patrons, to whom we express our deepest gratitude.