Suchergebnisse

During the late eighteenth century, a musical–cultural phenomenon swept the globe. The English square piano—invented in the early 1760s by an entrepreneurial German guitar maker in London—not only became an indispensable part of social life, but also inspired the creation of an expressive and scintillating repertoire. Square pianos reinforced music as life's counterpoint, and were played by royalty, by musicians of the highest calibre and by aspiring amateurs alike. On Sunday, 13 May 1787, a square piano departed from Portsmouth on board the Sirius, the flagship of the First Fleet, bound for Botany Bay. Who made the First Fleet piano, and when was it made? Who owned it? Who played it, and who listened? What music did the instrument sound out, and within what contexts was its voice heard? What became of the First Fleet piano after its arrival on antipodean soil, and who played a part in the instrument's subsequent history? Two extant instruments contend for the title 'First Fleet piano'; which of these made the epic journey to Botany Bay in 1787–88? The First Fleet Piano: A Musician's View answers these questions, and provides tantalising glimpses of social and cultural life both in Georgian England and in the early colony at Sydney Cove. The First Fleet piano is placed within the musical and social contexts for which it was created, and narratives of the individuals whose lives have been touched by the instrument are woven together into an account of the First Fleet piano's conjunction with the forces of history. Note: Volume 1 and 2 are sold as a set ($120 for both) and cannot be purchased separately.

"Esther Abrahams was one of the first Jewish women to arrive in the new land. Through her we meet some of the key people who helped shape the nation. Her life is an extraordinary rags-to-riches story. Aged 16, she stood trial at the Old Bailey in London for stealing 24 yards of black silk lace. Her sentence was transportation to New South Wales. She embarked on the perilous journey on the First Fleet as a convict, with no idea of what lay ahead. Once on shore, she became the servant and, in time, the wife of the young first lieutenant George Johnston. Much like another, better-known colonial woman, Elizabeth Macarthur, Esther successfully managed her husband's property and became a significant figure in the new colony. George Johnston, her husband, as leader of the Rum Rebellion against Governor Bligh, appropriated the office of Lieutenant-Governor of NSW, making Esther First Lady of the colony, a remarkable rise in society for a former convict."--