The Oldest English Grand Piano comes to Apsley House

13 May 2013 01:27 PM

The oldest surviving English grand piano, built in London by renowned piano maker Americus Backers in 1772, has gone on display at Apsley House in London, the home of its former owner, the first Duke of Wellington.

Best known as the hero of the Napoleonic Wars, the Duke was also a lover of music, playing the violin in his youth before setting the pastime aside to concentrate fully on his military career. The Backers piano is known to have been played by his wife, Kitty, although intriguingly it is not known whether the piano originally belonged to Wellington's father, Lord Mornington, himself a noted composer.

To celebrate the return of this historic instrument, Apsley House will host a special concert on Tuesday 21 May, 7pm - 9pm. Still in remarkable condition for its age, this will be the first time the piano will be heard in public for at least half a century - although it remains too delicate to be played for a full concert. The main part of the programme will instead be performed on a 1781 Ganer, owned by the pianist for the evening, Professor David Owen Norris.

Entitled 'The Duke of Wellington's Music of the French Wars', the concert will be held in the stunning Waterloo Gallery, providing a rare chance to hear music of the Napoleonic period in a recital featuring two remarkable instruments. The programme has been devised and researched by David Owen Norris, and he will be joined by the soprano Amanda Pitt.

Josephine Oxley, Keeper of the Wellington Collection for English Heritage, said: "We're delighted to bring this very special piano at Apsley House, giving us the chance to tell another part of the story of one of Britain's greatest generals. This concert is set to be a truly unique event - both for its setting and the musical performance planned."

The piano, still part of the family collection today, has been generously loaned to English Heritage by Lord and Lady Douro. Americus Backers is sometimes described as the father of the English grand pianoforte style, and this 1772 example (Number 21) is the earliest example of a piano with the now-familiar loud and soft pedals, making it a vital piece of evidence for Backers' impact on piano design.

Apsley House, also known as 'Number One, London' stands on the north side of Hyde Park Corner. It is the magnificent former home of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) who purchased the house in 1817, and remains the home of the current Duke and his family yesterday. Inside, it is furnished with nearly 3,000 works of art, many given to the Duke in celebration of his role as victor of Waterloo in 1815 and liberator of Europe from Napoleon.

Tickets are now available for 'The Duke of Wellington's Music of the French Wars', priced at £45 each. Please note there are limited seats available.

Tickets can be booked through English Heritage Customer Services on 0870 333 1183.