Members of royal families have shown talent in playing musical instruments, singing, or composing music, most often at a gifted amateur level, and on rare occasions having popular hits in their own countries, or giving public performances during most often charities at home, or royal visits abroad. At the same time, those who have been performers, have also been intimately interested in preserving and extending traditional court music and its musicians as patrons of the traditional music and arts of their own countries.
Perhaps the most famous musician in royal families has been Henry VIII of England cited by legend as composing the popular English folk song Greensleeves, as well as several other pieces of greater veracity.
The following is a preliminary list of the more famous members of world royal families with their musical instruments or skills. Citations in the bibliography may include streaming audio of royal compositions.
List
edit- Austria: Archduke Rudolf of Austria, piano and composing
- Castile: Alfonso X of Castile, various songs [1]
- Denmark: Frederik IX of Denmark, conducting
- Denmark: Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark, piano[2]
- England: Henry VIII, composer [3]
- England: Elizabeth I, Harpsichordist
- England: Mary I, harpsichordist
- Prussia: Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1772–1806), composer and pianist
- Prussia: Frederick II of Prussia, composer [4]
- Prussia: Princess Philippine Charlotte
- Hawaii: Liliuokalani, composer
- Hawaii: William Charles Lunalilo, lyric writer
- Japan, Crown Prince Naruhito, viola[5]
- Korea, Prince Yi Seok, popular song
- Monaco, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, popular song
- Portugal, John IV of Portugal, musician [6]
- Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, clarinet/saxophone[7]
- UK: Charles III, cello
- UK: Queen Victoria, Organist
- UK: Prince Albert, Organist
- UK: Edward VII, banjoist (classic style)
- UK: Edward VIII, drummer (jazz)
References
edit- ^ Alfonso X of Castile "Selected Carols"
- ^ Surrugue, Stéphanie (2010). Enegænger. Politikens Forlag. pp. 339–341. ISBN 978-87-567-8729-1.
- ^ King Henry VIII, Allmusic.com, "List of compositions of Henry VIII"
- ^ Frederick the Great, Allmusic.com, "List of compositions of Frederick the Great
- ^ Crown Prince Naruhito, Mongolia Web, "Crown Prince Naruhito Surprises Audience with Viola Performance in Mongolia", 16 July 2007
- ^ John IV of Portugal, O Come, All Ye Faithful, [1]
- ^ King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Bangkok Post, "The Jazzy King" and streaming audio of his jazz compositions at kanchanapisek.or.th