Museums to Music Halls

On Wednesday, our Third Year Scholars’ Society group went up to London for a day of historical and musical culture reflecting on themes and ideas discussed this term as we turned our attention to the period of 1800-1850 and the Romantic Movement. First stop was The British Museum. With bespoke guides and work booklets, our scholars explored the vast expanse of the museum’s collection, including marvelling at The Rosetta Stone, the catalyst for Champollion to decipher the enigmatic hieroglyphs of the Ancient Egyptians. From the discussing the political questions arising around the museum’s ownership of the Elgin Marbles, to wowing at the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, we all left with an appreciation of the interconnectedness and mutual-influence of different cultures and how different periods of history have shaped present thought and society. Following a break for dinner under the illuminated dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, we all headed to the Barbican Centre to listen to recitals of two lesser-known choral pieces by Ralph Vaughn Williams, ‘Flos Campi’ and ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’, looking ahead to next year’s focus at Scholars’, the 20th Century.