Oliver Davies and Henry Roche – grand piano by Steinway, New York, c. 1864

Victoria, Albert and the piano:
a recital to celebrate the bicentenaries of Queen Victoria (24 May) and Prince Albert (26 August)

Herz Grandes Variations sur la Marche de l’opéra I Puritani, Op. 82
Mendelssohn Songs without Words (arranged for 4 hands by the composer)
Wagner arr. Bulow Tannhaüser, Overture

and music by Andreas Spaeth, Schubert, Moscheles and Duke Ernst of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert shared a mutual passion for music and performing with or for each other appears to have been an essential daily activity, even at the busiest of times. All the music in this programme was played by the Queen and the Prince, either separately or together, and much of it will prove revelatory in terms of technique and taste.

Oliver Davies needs little introduction to Hatchlands audiences. He has given concerts on Victoria, Albert and other royal musicians for the V&A, the Royal Collection Trust, Aldeburgh Festival, Historic Royal Palaces and others.

Henry Roche was for many years Head of Music Staff for the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden. A freelance solo & chamber music pianist, he is the great-great-grandson of Ignaz Moscheles, who was appointed ‘Pianist to Prince Albert’ in 1840.