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| A detail of A C Pugin’s drawing of the Entrance Hall, Brighton Pavilion c1821 |
English piano maker Thomas Tomkison (c1764-1853) made a succession of instruments for the Prince of Wales (later Prince Regent and then King George IV) from 1807. In 1821 he made a piano for the Brighton Pavilion. When the Pavilion was sold to Brighton in 1850, Queen Victoria stripped it of its contents which were taken to other royal palaces. Tomkison’s piano seems to have been taken to Windsor, but was evidently sold. In 2017, Royal Pavilion & Museums bought the instrument back so that it could be displayed again in the Brighton Pavilion.
It is a handsome instrument, but not just something to look at. It has been restored and is played. On 26 September and 3 October there is a chance to hear the instrument in concert. In Hearing Colour – An Evening of Classical Music at the Royal Pavilion, the instrument will be played by Maggie Cole and she will be joined by cellist Sebastian Comberti performing on a fine 19th-century instrument. Together they will transport you to the elegance of the Regency era with works by Beethoven, Hummel, Schubert, Rossini, Diabelli and Eley. The evening will begin with Dr Alexandra Loske, who will explore the Pavilion’s remarkable connections between colour and music, revealing the creative spirit and tastes of the early nineteenth century.
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| Tomkison’s 1821 piano in Royal Pavilion Music Room (Photo: Royal Pavilion & Museums) |
Whilst the piano is normally displayed in the Entrance Hall, for the concert there is a chance to hear it in the gorgeous splendour of the Music Room.
Full details from the Brighton Pavilion’s website.
