The late 1770s saw Williamsburg reach a critical point in the American Revolutionary War, with the capital moving to Richmond in 1779. As the tides shifted in Virginia, the American colonies as a whole experienced an entirely new type of keyboard: the piano. Unlike most of its ancestors, the piano was capable of producing dynamics through touch. The novel keyboard was quickly acquired by Williamsburg’s citizens like Robert Carter, Lord Dunmore, and Ann Barraud. Join Kyle Collins from Governor’s Musick as he explores the waning influence of the Virginian capital against the waxing popularity of the revolutionary square piano.
Other Experiences
-
Music: Fife & Drum March
The Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums, representing military field musicians, march down Duke of Gloucester Street.
Open to the Public
-
Special Event: Lighting of the Cressets
Join us on the historic Duke of Gloucester Street as we bring our 18th-century streets to life at night.
Open to the Public
-
Performance: Measure of a Man's Worth
While conversing with Major James Innes, Benjamin, an enslaved carriage driver, gradually learns what the revolution has in store for enslaved men and women in Williamsburg.
CW Admission