RNCM Collection of Historic Musical Instruments: Remembering William Waterhouse

William 'Bill' Waterhouse

Leaflet advertising the Catalogue of the RNCM Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

This Saturday, 16 April 2011, a special concert will be taking place at the Wigmore Hall in London. "The proud bassoon" is a memorial concert for William Waterhouse.


William 'Bill' Waterhouse was appointed as a bassoon teacher at the Royal Manchester College of Music in 1966 and continued at the RNCM. For a number of years Bill was involved in advising the College on its Collection of Historic Musical Instruments and became its Acting Honorary Curator. It is thanks to his endeavours that the Collection is displayed for visitors and, more particularly, that we have a complete catalogue of it.

For more information about the Collection visit http://www.rncm.ac.uk/research-mainmenu-52/historic-instrument-collection-mainmenu-150.html.

and for details of the catalogue http://www.rncm.ac.uk/component/content/article/150/318.html.

More birthday greetings

Born on 5 April 1903, on the occasion of his 79th birthday Thomas Pitfield wrote the following humorous verse:

"Now an untender age is mine
At three score years & ten, plus nine;
How long before the changed position:
Composing, to de-composition?"

Pitfield was a wonderfully talented individual who spent his life creating a large volume of works in music, art, poetry and crafts.  Much of his collection is now housed at the RNCM Archives and further information about this intriguing individual can be found by visiting the online catalogue (do a RefNo search for 'TP'). 

You may also be interested in the cross-curricular educational resource pack which has been produced and is available to download online: http://www.rncm.ac.uk/component/content/article/151/302.html.  Aimed at Key Stages 3-4 there are lessons designed for Art and Design, Citizenship and History, Drama, English and Music. 

Henry Watson, 1846-1911 - 'All for love and nothing for reward'

7 January - 21 February 2011

The Henry Watson Music Library & Royal Northern College of Music are marking the centenary of the death of Henry Watson with a free joint exhibition. Using exciting original documents such as letters and photographs from the extensive Henry Watson archive collection this celebrates the life of a man who left a wonderful legacy to the citizens of Manchester. That legacy remains today in the public music library collection which bears his name and the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments at the RNCM.

For further details please contact either archives@rncm.ac.uk or r.edwards@manchester.gov.uk.