Tag Archives: music

The Pianoforte of Jane Austen’s day

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What was the pianoforte and how did it feature in Austen’s works? The pianoforte so often featured in Jane Austen’s works was essentially the same instrument we know today as the piano. The instrument first came into being about 1700, by  Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua who cared for the harpsichords of the Florentine court. He developed an instrument similar to a harpsichord that allowed the instrument to be played both soft and loud (the meaning … Continue reading →

The Shocking Lyrics of Lavender’s Blue

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Sometimes you run into some really interesting bits when you fall down the research rabbit hole. Not infrequently, the delicious little tidbits don’t fit the story you’re trying to write, but they deserve to be shared nonetheless. Here’s the latest offering. So, picture the scene: I was just minding my own business, looking for a song my character might sing during a particularly emotional scene. (Sorry guys, no more spoilers than that, but you’ll know … Continue reading →

Planning a Ball

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 In Pride and Prejudice, Caroline Bingley is required to plan the Netherfield ball in something on the order of two weeks. What did planning a ball really require? Planning a Ball Most of us have, at some time or another been called upon to host an event. The frenzy, stress and excitement are familiar to us all, as is the way they all increase with the size and importance of the event–which helps explain the … Continue reading →

To be an Accomplished Lady

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Regency women strove to become an accomplished lady, but what did that mean? During the Regency era, a proper education was crucial to a middle or upper class young lady’s future. Since a woman’s only ‘proper’ aspiration was to marriage, her education focused on making her noticeable to potential husbands. Her accomplishments enabled her to display cultural distinction and set herself apart from women who were merely ‘notable’—those who could only manage a household but … Continue reading →

Mistress of the manor: Lady of leisure or Full time working mom?

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What did Jane Austen’s ladies do all day? Were they ladies of leisure or full time working women? Period dramas have left many of us with the notion that ladies of the landed gentry in the Regency era had little to do but dress in lovely gowns, embroider and gossip.  Reality could not be farther from this image. In general, both master and mistress of the manor did a great deal of work around the estate, … Continue reading →