The kings and queens of the 18th century – one might think – did not lack for anything. But if you were a woman promised to a foreign ruler in marriage, you had to be prepared for possibly a lot of sadness and most of all loneliness. This is most probably what Queen Charlotte experienced when she moved to England as the German wife of King George III – without speaking a single word of English. But as Queen she soon found ways and means to deal with her homesickness and founded the Queen’s Chamber Band, a chamber music ensemble at the English court whose members had one thing in common above all: they were German.

In a virtuoso contest, this moderated concert will present works by the Queen’s most important musical acquaintances. This music not only helped Charlotte to alleviate her homesickness, but also to become nearer to her husband. For it was mainly their love of music and playing music together that was the bond between them. But this happiness was not to be long-lived: after a few years of marriage – without Charlotte initially getting to know about it, – the first signs of the King’s mental illness began to appear, an illness which was to weigh deeply on Charlotte in the years to come.

The works in our programme – written in happier days when Charlotte and George pursued their common passion for music together – tell of a vibrant music scene, of historic encounters, of successful concert series, and of a Queen and her destiny.

The Cicerone Ensemble moderate all their concerts on principle. By talking about the music’s historical background and giving information about their performance practice, their instruments and their playing techniques, they provide their audiences with a context for the music performed and raise interest in historical performance practices. Their varied and catchy presentations regularly meet with general acclaim from both critics and audiences.

Their aim is presenting music and making it come to life in the same way a good tourist guide would present an old painting or building – hence their name “Cicerone” (Italien for tourist guide). For you have the most enjoyment of music, if music not only reaches your heart, but if you can also grasp what you hear.

Due to their successful appearances throughout Germany, the Cicerone Ensemble can increasingly also be heard on the radio. Their concerts and portraits  were broadcast by many radio stations, including WDR, BR and Deutschlandfunk. Their first CD, entitled “Grand Tour”, was published in January 2019 and was very favourably reviewed in print and radio.

In this concert, the original 1768 spinet from Edinburgh which belongs to the collection of the Schloss Weißenbrunn Foundation Stiftung and which is the focus of this year’s Artist-in-Residence programme, will be heard for the first time.