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Benjamin Britten's Red House grand piano reinstated | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The return of composer Benjamin Britten's concert piano to his Suffolk home has marked a "milestone" in the property's £4.7m restoration project. | The return of composer Benjamin Britten's concert piano to his Suffolk home has marked a "milestone" in the property's £4.7m restoration project. |
The piano, one of two the composer used at Red House, in Aldeburgh, has been returned to the library. | |
His "irreplaceable" baby grand piano will be winched into a recreation of his 1950s first-floor studio before the end of the month. | |
Staff said they were "a little nervous" about the work ahead of them. | Staff said they were "a little nervous" about the work ahead of them. |
Keith Gosling, of the Britten Pears Foundation (BPF), said: "The plan is to push the baby grand through a tri-folding window which opens to its full width, it was cleverly designed like this in the 1950s. | Keith Gosling, of the Britten Pears Foundation (BPF), said: "The plan is to push the baby grand through a tri-folding window which opens to its full width, it was cleverly designed like this in the 1950s. |
"This is the studio where Britten composed from the late 1950s to the early 70s, including his War Requiem. | "This is the studio where Britten composed from the late 1950s to the early 70s, including his War Requiem. |
"We're a little nervous about the prospect of hoisting his piano. It's a delicate instrument and completely irreplaceable so we're taking our time and doing it very carefully." | "We're a little nervous about the prospect of hoisting his piano. It's a delicate instrument and completely irreplaceable so we're taking our time and doing it very carefully." |
Britten, who was born in Lowestoft in 1913, lived in the Red House on Golf Lane with his partner Peter Pears, from 1957 until his death in 1976. | Britten, who was born in Lowestoft in 1913, lived in the Red House on Golf Lane with his partner Peter Pears, from 1957 until his death in 1976. |
The BPF restoration of Red House includes work on Britten's composing studio to make it available to visitors for the first time, along with a comprehensive archive of his music manuscripts, photographs and sound recordings. | The BPF restoration of Red House includes work on Britten's composing studio to make it available to visitors for the first time, along with a comprehensive archive of his music manuscripts, photographs and sound recordings. |
The 18-month project has been funded with a £1.4m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), with the rest coming from BPF. | |
'Cornucopia of music' | 'Cornucopia of music' |
Dame Jenny Abramsky, chair of the HLF, said: "The Red House is not just bricks and mortar but rather a cornucopia of music, literature, art and learning brought together under one roof. | Dame Jenny Abramsky, chair of the HLF, said: "The Red House is not just bricks and mortar but rather a cornucopia of music, literature, art and learning brought together under one roof. |
"It reflects the energy and joie de vivre of Benjamin Britten and his partner Peter Pears, and following a programme of conservation and redevelopment is now truly a fitting tribute to both men. | "It reflects the energy and joie de vivre of Benjamin Britten and his partner Peter Pears, and following a programme of conservation and redevelopment is now truly a fitting tribute to both men. |
"We applaud the BPF for its plans to widen the appeal of the site to visitors, both tourists and those living more locally. | "We applaud the BPF for its plans to widen the appeal of the site to visitors, both tourists and those living more locally. |
"Britten, meritocratic to his core, would have approved of this desire to share the house and its contents with people from all walks of life." | "Britten, meritocratic to his core, would have approved of this desire to share the house and its contents with people from all walks of life." |
The restored Red House opens on 8 June. | The restored Red House opens on 8 June. |
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