The 1980s saw a surge of interest in playing the music of the past on the instruments of the past – and in the manner of the composers’ times. Where had this idea come from, and why did it emerge when it did, and did anyone think it would ever become so influential rather than just a scholarly exercise? The distinguished arts administrator and writer on music Sir Nicholas Kenyon looks for answers, profiling the figures who had already paved the way and assessing the lasting impact of the ‘early music’ movement.