What type of music did teenagers play and dance to in 1850? Listen to popular mid-nineteenth century dance music and tunes from a rare personal collection of sheet music owned by Emily Strong (1833-1860).  

Growing up in Sydney, teenager Emily Strong created a bound volume of sheet music that she collected from 1848 to 1850. Her brother was the composer, George Strong, and the family were closely associated with the first Australian composer, Isaac Nathan - who was likely her music teacher. Emily would have had the latest music from London. From polkas and waltzes, to popular pieces by Mozart, Rossini and Beethoven, it seems that young people enjoyed dance music and popular tunes whatever century they lived in.  

Grace Chan will play from Emily Strong’s precious music album on the Broadwood piano in the Drawing Room at Lanyon Homestead, and on her harmonium in the garden amongst the Floriade flowers. Grace is the organist and pianist at the heritage listed ‘Swifts’ in Darling Point and St Stephen’s Church in Newtown. 

Emily Strong’s Playlist @Lanyon 

*only known existing copy is in Emily’s album 

Overture to the opera Il Tancredi * 
(Rossini/ Grocott, Sydney, c.1850) 

La militaire quadrilles 
(Daniell / Wilson, Rushcutter’s Bay, 1848)  

Devonshire Polka 
(Oury / Hudson, Sydney c.1850) 

The Drum Polka 
(Jullien / Grocott, Sydney c.1850) 

Polka des voyageurs* 
(?Wallerstein / Grocott, Sydney c.1850-51) 

The National Schottisch the German dance  
(Musical Bouquet no. 189, n.d. London [1849]) 

The Rataplan  
(Donizetti / Musical Bouquet 197, London, 1849) 

Di Tanti palpiti with variations 
(Rossini-Dale / Duncombe, London, c.1840) 

The aurora waltz 
(Labitzky / Musical Bouquet 62-63, London, 1846) 

Queen of evening 
(Nathan / Cramer, Addison, and Beale, & c. London, 1837) 

The Sydney Corporation quadrilles 
(Ellard / Ellard, Sydney, 1842) 

Dos Santos' quadrilles * 
Les Etoiles 
(Dos Santos / Rolfe, Sydney / c.1842-43) 

La reine d'ocean quadrilles * 
(Dos Santos / Rolfe, Sydney / c.1844-45) 

Les Portugaises quadrilles * 
(Dos Santos / Rolfe / c. 1842-43) 

Mozart's overtures - The Magic Flute * 
(Mozart / Dale, London c.1820s) 

Beethoven selection for piano forte - Rondo from Symphony in C * 
(Beethoven / Dale, London, c.1820s) 

Ladybird  
(Nathan / Falkner, London, 1831) 

New composition not in Emily Strong’s Album 
A Gentle Waltz for Grace (arr. Piano 2020) by Lyn Fuller