Jane Austen Entertains

Aunt Jane began her day with music - for which I conclude she had a natural taste; as she thus kept it up - 'tho she had no one to teach; was never induced (as I have heard) to play in company; and none of her family cared much for it. I suppose, that she might not trouble them, she chose her practicing time before breakfast - when she could have the room to herself - She practiced regularly every morning - She played very pretty tunes, I thought - and I liked to stand by her and listen to them; but the music (for I knew the books well in after years) would now be thought disgracefully easy - Much that she played from was manuscript, copied out by herself - and so neatly and correctly, that it was as easy to read as print.

From the Memoirs of Jane Austen's niece Caroline, 1867.

Her manuscripts survive, and this programme is drawn from them: a mixture of the light and fashionable music of the day for flute, voice and piano.

This recording took place in the drawing room at Chawton, so we can be confident that the effect of the music, using a piano similar to the one that Jane owned, cannot be so different from that experienced by Jane and her family themselves. We hope that you enjoy listening - and that, if you have not already done so, you will be prompted to visit Jane Austen's house in Chawton and see and hear for yourself where the great authoress lived, worked and made music.

Miss Sara Stowe, soprano.
Miss Jenny Thomas, German flute.
With Dr Martin Souter, pianoforte.

With special thanks to Tom Carpenter and The Jane Austen Memorial Trust