References to British Dance Instrumentation 1800s
Iconography
James Gillray, ‘Waltzer au Mouchoir’ (London: Hannah Humphrey, 20 January 1800), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-6843
Ticket to ‘Mr. Blake’s Annual Ball’ on 22 April 1800, British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_C-2-150-160
Isaac Cruikshank after George Moutard Woodward, ‘Caricature Ornaments for Screens!’ (London: S.W. Fores, 12 May 1800), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1990-1109-29
Charles Williams after George Moutard Woodward, lettering engraved by F. Sansom, ‘Pigmy Revels or All Alive at Lilliput, Plate 1.’ (London: S.W. Fores, 9 November 1800), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1948-0214-602
After George Moutard Woodward, ‘A Jig round the Statue of Peace or All Parties Reconciled’ (London: William Holland, 6 October 1801), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-6961
Isaac Cruikshank (?), ‘A Merry Go Round’, circa March 1802, British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-7009
Tickets to balls, British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_C-2-1188-1203
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Bott (engraver), ticket for a ball at the Mansion House on 6 April 1802
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Corbould (engraver), ticket for a ball at the Mansion House on 2 April 1804
Julius Caesar Ibbetson, Sailors Carousing, October 1802, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12582.html
Charles Williams, ‘A Grand Country Dance’ (London: S.W. Fores, July 1805?), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-7461
Charles Williams, ‘The Honey Moon’ (London: William Holland, c. February 1806), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-7426
Isaac Cruikshank and George Cruikshank after George Moutard Woodward, ‘A Long Headed Assembly!!’ (London: Thomas Tegg, 26 September 1806), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-1111-2045
Thomas Rowlandson, ‘See the Waltz in page 3; & the account of it in the Xth. letter of the first volume of the Sorrows of Werter’ (London: Ed. Jones, 15 March 1806), Hanover Royal Music Archive, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University https://osbmss146.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/osb-mss-146-box-583.jpg. It is shown as part of “Imperial Waltz! Imported from the Rhine” by Kathryn James https://osbmss146.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/422/
Charles Williams, ‘Rules for a Warm-Weather Ball or Salutary Conduct for Corpulent Dancers’, 1806?, The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/974186, information from the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1935-0522-10-19
After W. O’Keeffe, frontispiece to Cervantes Hogg (Eaton Stannard Barrett), The Rising Sun. A Serio-Comic Satiric Romance, vol. 2 (London: Appleyards, 1807), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-7419
Thomas Rowlandson, ‘More Miseries’ (London: Rudolph Ackermann, 1 April 1807), Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/3996987
Thomas Rowlandson, ‘Wapping’ (London: Rudolph Ackermann, September 1807), Metropolitan Museum of Art https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/742849
Augustus Voigt, A Selection of Elegant & Fashionable Country Dances, Reels, Waltzs [sic] &c, For the Ensuing Season 1808, Including those much admired Neapolitan & Maltese Pandean Airs, Arranged for the Piano Forte or Harp also Flute or Patent Flageolet, with an Accompt. for the Piano Forte or Harp, 2nd Book (London: C Wheatstone, [c.1807/1808]) http://www.colonialdance.com.au/captain-woodriff-the-wheatstone-collections-844.html Reuse of this image across several publications can be seen here https://www.regencydances.org/paper031.php
A Select Collection of Fashionable Country Dances, Reels, &c. Containing the most admired Maltese & Pandean Airs, Arranged for the Harp or Piano Forte (London: Goulding, Phipps, D'Almaine & Co., c.1808-1810?), volume belonging to Caroline Shaw, Houghton Library, Harvard University, Theatre Collection http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990134940450203941/catalog The title page is illustrated with two women, one playing the harp and the other dancing with a tambourine.
Thomas Rowlandson after George Murgatroyd Woodward, ‘Caricature Magazine’, vol. 4 (London: T. Tegg, 1809), Metropolitan Museum of Art https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/745546
John Bluck after Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Charles Pugin, ‘Pantheon Masquerade’ (London: Rudolph Ackermann, 1 March 1809), The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/4048805
Thomas Rowlandson after George Moutard Woodward, ‘Awkward Squads Studying the Graces!!’ (London: Thomas Tegg, 29 August 1809), Metropolitan Museum of Art https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/811578
John Bluck after Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Charles Pugin, ‘Vauxhall Garden’ (London: Rudolph Ackermann, 1 October 1809), Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:36499
Documentary Sources
Morning Herald 22 March 1800
“The new Patent Piano-forte, invented by CORRI, DUSSEK, and Co. and performed on at the Oratorio last night by Mrs. DUSSEK, gave the most extreme pleasure to the audience; and, we doubt not, they will be generally in use, as they are equally calculated for grand and serious music, as well as the most light and airy, particularly in the country, where many times a social dance would terminate the evening, but that it has been thought of too late to procure the Tambourine and Fidler [sic] from the next town.”
The piano reportedly contained a tambourine and triangle.
Diaries of Sophia Trower (née Baker), 1793-1857, Add Mss 7462-7514, West Sussex Record Office
3 December 1800, Add Mss 7468
“Mr C. Meyer came – to tea came the Chapmans, Miss Kirby & Lloyds & Hadsleys as good deal of music &c a Supper after which we danced till ½ past 12 all playing by turns on ye Piano – Mr Meyer joined in dancing.”
18 August 1801, Add Mss 7469
“The Lloyds dined here – drank tea at the Greenhouse – where the harp was brought – Four wind instruments played in Lime Kiln Grove by moonlight – quite a fête champêtre. The Blairs, Chapmans & Clitherows, the latter took away their lovely daughters. Ended with dancing in the Greenhouse then walked home”
18 September 1801, Add Mss 7469
“in the Evening went to a very pleasant ball at Hereford – the officers gave the band – there were about 80 people …”
1 [?] January 1803, Add Mss 7471
“A famous weighing [?] party at the Farm…afterwards we had an excellent hot luncheon in the Farm. The same party assembled here at 4 o’clock, when we had a famous snap dragon, the music, & danced to the Piano till 11 o’clock”
17 March 1803, Add Mss 7471
“I dined at Patty Carter’s with [?] Anne, Miss Somerville, Lady A Dashwood, Mr Campbell & the Bishop of St Pol [?] de Lion. We danced after dinner to the Piano & Mr C taught us the Canagian Reel. After tea A & I went to Aunt Conyers’s where we met a large [?] female party, & danced again”
5 August 1803, Add Mss 7471
“The Officers of the 7th at Hertford & Mr Lloyd dined here. We dined in the Tent & had the military [?] band playing all the time under the Great Oak. In the Evening we danced on the Lawn it was a glorious Evening after a broiling day”
16 August 1803, Add Mss 7471
“The Officers dined here & brought the Band which played all the Evening. The Chapmans & Mrs Lloyd joined us & we had quite a fete champetre [?] we danced on the Grass the trees being lighted with lamps, till twelve o’clock when we sat down to a ….Supper in the Boothouse [?] we danced again afterwards & did not separate till 2 o’clock”
27 August 1803, Add Mss 7471
“We dined at the Casamajors, & had a very pleasant day there a party of 22 at dinner – in the Evening we danced to the Piano”
20 October 1804, Add Mss 7472
“The Silver miners came to Burley – they played in the great Saloon – about 70 of the …were there – they promenaded on the terrace & had a magnificent déjeune [?] at 4 – then some children danced reel &c & the Company dispersed”
Sophia had heard the Silver miners at a concert at Oakham two days earlier – “some of them playing on wind instruments in a most enchanting style”
Jane Fiske, ed., The Oakes Diaries: Business, Politics and the Family in Bury St Edmunds 1778-1827, vol. 2, Suffolk Records Society vol. 33 (Woodbridge and Rochester: The Boydell Press, 1991)
19 February 1801 [p. 5]
“At home till Eveng when we all went to the Charity Ball wh was very numerously attended.”
Followed by a list of expenses, including:
“Musick £3 13s 6d
West Sufflk Band £1 1s”
9 July 1802 [pp.22-24]
Election Ball: “The Ball was most uncommonly full, supposd little short of 500…Owing to the Assembly Room being under repair there was neither Supper or Card Room or any sort of Accommodation whatever under the Roof but the Ball Room.”
Followed by a list of expenses:
“Ball & Supper contracted for 400 at 2/6 include[in]g…
Muscians’ [sic] Dinner & Supp £1 4s
Musick playing around Town & /Bal[l]/ £12 12s
6 Morrice Dancers 9/- £2 14s
7 Drums & Fifes at 7/- /allow/ 5-/ £2 14s
19 June 1807 [p. 96]
“This day I had son Orbell’s Family, son James[‘s] D[itt]o with all their Children to dine with me. We were 17 together: Myself, 6 Childn & 10 Grand Children. I had a violin & the young ones all danc’d & were quite happy. Captn & Mrs Bell of Lord Charles[‘s] Regt, the 48th, came & drank tea & suppd.”
1 July 1808 [p. 106]
“We all dind this Day at Son Orbell’s. Nowton, a meeting of all my Children & Grand Children, Mr Young of the party. After dinner came Mrs & 2 Miss Powells, Mr & Mrs Hasted, the two Haggetts & young White. A Dance for the young ones in the Cottage Garden on the Green. Son Orbell’s band playd, abt 8 Couple. Remaind dancing till 1/2 past 8 o’clock, then retird to Tea. Not anything could pass off more pleasantly.”
The Morning Post and Gazetteer 9 March 1801
SELECT SUBSCRIPTION ASSEMBLY AND BALL.
“MR. ALLEN, removed from Haydon-square to No. 10, Ayliff-street, Goodman’s Fields, informs those who desire to subscribe to a respectable, well-regulated Assembly, that his Select Assemblies commence on Monday, 23d instant, to be continued every Monday till June. – None but Ladies of Character admitted. The Band, consisting of a Harp, two Violins and a Tambourin [sic] or Horn, are the best Musicians that can be had….Broad Sword and Fencing taught; also the Pedal Harp, Piano Forte, and Violin.”
The Morning Post and Gazetteer 17 March 1801
SELECT ASSEMBLY AND DANCING ACADEMY
TO THE LOVERS OF PURE SCOTCH DANCING
“MR. ALLEN’S CITY ASSEMBLIES are every Monday till June…he has engaged as principal Violin for all his evenings Mr. Mackintosh, from Edinburgh, whose animating notes are the life and soul of the Scotch Nobility’s private dances, and who is esteemed the first performer in England for strathspeys and reels. Mr. Wippart [sic] plays the Harp.”
Personal and Household Accounts for the Yorke family, 1792-1821, Erddig MSS, D/E/428, North East Wales archives
Account entry for 1 November 1806: “Cunnah the Harper at [the Ball at Erthig]”
Lady Theresa Lewis (ed.), Extracts from the Journals and Correspondence of Miss Berry from 1783 to 1852, vol. 2 (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1865)
23 March 1808 [London] [pp. 343-344]
“In the evening, a large party at home. Gow, the Scotch fiddler, a second fiddle, and a harp, came to us at half-past nine, and played some Scotch airs to my father. Afterwards, when more people came, I proposed a reel to Lady Charlotte Campbell, and began with her myself, to set the others a-going, and then, in the same way, a country dance; but the English people, as usual, were shy, though there were four or five excellent couples standing by. Fifty people – nineteen women and thirty-one men – came; twelve supped in the back room, and six or eight in the front room; everybody seemed pleased, and some men who came late were not gone at two o’clock in the morning. Gow’s music cost me three guineas.”
19 September 1808 [Bothwell Castle] [p. 371]
“There was a servants’ ball in the evening, when everyone danced except myself and Caroline, who played upon the tambourine or the triangle all the evening. The ball lasted till midnight.”
Deirdre Le Faye (ed.), Jane Austen’s Letters, 4th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011)
Letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra Austen, 27-28 December 1808 [p. 168]
“Yes, yes, we will have a Pianoforte, as good a one as can be got for 30 Guineas - & I will practise country dances, that we may have some amusement for our nephews & nieces, when we have the pleasure of their company.”