Historical music festival inspired by 1700s concerts

Instruments more commonly seen in past centuries will be played

A historical music festival, being held for the first time, has taken inspiration from concerts held 250 years ago.

Salisbury Musick has been organised by local musicians with a passion for early music who realised the city also had annual festivals in the 1700s to rival Bath and London, even having Johann Christian Bach feature.

The events will feature instruments more common in past centuries, such as harpsichords, lutes and a natural horn, as well as music from historical composers.

The inaugural festival will begin later and run until Sunday, in venues with plenty of history such as Salisbury's medieval hall and St Thomas's Church.

Nigel Wyatt, one of the organisers said: "After we had planned the dates for the new festival we're launching, we then discovered that it was almost exactly 250 years to the day that the festival in 1775 happened in Salisbury.

"When we realised this coincidence, we thought it was meant to be."

Among the events will be candlelit concerts in the medieval hall, early song with "courtly elegance" and 17th Century dance music with a finale involving professional players and singers.

There will be singing in some of the musical performances too

Organisers have made sure to include children too with "tots concerts" at Salisbury Museum on Sunday.

Miranda Dodd, another organiser, said: "I love early music, and it's a joy to share that passion with a wider audience.

"Inspiring the next generation is especially important to me, which is why we've invited young performers to join us in two of our concerts."

Other local historic churches and chapels in villages are the settings for events, including at Barford St Martin and the Fovant Free Chapel.