Wandering Minstrels

Sarah Walker uncovers the forgotten story of the Wandering Minstrels, an orchestra of aristocrats who gave the first ever concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1871. Images courtesy of the British Library.

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  The first concert ever given at the Royal Albert Hall

  Page from the Wandering Minstrels' album (NB the concert programme is slightly incorrect)

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  A Wandering Minstrels Smoking Concert

  Smoking, drinking, chatting, eating oysters – it's amazing anyone could hear the music

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  Grand Promenade Concert by the Wandering Minstrels at the Corn Exchange, Melton Mowbray

  Poster for the Wandering Minstrels' inaugural concert, on 31 January 1861

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  Lord Wilton, Seymour Egerton and family

  Lower right: Egerton, the orchestra's conductor. Centre: his father, Lord Wilton.

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  'Aggressive Amateurism' - Sunday Times article, 6 October 1867

  A professional musician's attack on amateurs, including the Wandering Minstrels

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  Lord Gerald Fitzgerald - principal cello of the Wandering Minstrels

  Smoking concerts took place in a room he built specially on to his house at 47 Sloane St

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  Henry Le Patourel - principal flute of the Wandering Minstrels

  A party trick was to play the flute with one hand and piano with the other simultaneously

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  Seymour Egerton's Endymion Overture - title page

  A surviving composition by the Wandering Minstrels' conductor

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  Seymour Egerton's Endymion Overture - p. 8 of the manuscript score

  The BBC Concert Orchestra and Martin Yates recorded the work specially for this programme

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  Wandering Minstrels RIP

  A drawing from the Wandering Minstrels' album marking their farewell concert in 1898