Early Modern Musical Innovation

Explore the extraordinary life and turbulent times of Olbrycht Górecki (c. 1621–c. 1684)—Polish–Lithuanian nobleman, soldier, Calvinist, polyglot and inventor of “lute strings covered with sylver wyer.” A key catalyst in a line of musical instrument innovations over the last five hundred years, Górecki’s strings contributed to profound shifts in musical culture, affecting music from Mozart to Metallica. Part of the “Republic of Letters,” Górecki moved in the same intellectual circles as Robert Boyle and other founding members of The Royal Society. Follow Górecki as he traverses the key events and cultural movements of his time, finding fresh inspiration on his path to innovation.