King's piano returns to Brighton for first time in 170 years

After being thoroughly tuned by specialist piano tuner Cesar Hernandez the historic piano was played to a small group of patrons by pianist Matthew Fletcher.

The six-octave instrument, which was made specifically for the King by renowned piano maker Thomas Tomkison in c1821, was played by not only George himself, but celebrated musicians such as Italian composer Gioachino Rossini and most likely by Hungarian musical prodigy Franz Liszt, at the age of just 13.

The piano was removed by Queen Victoria when she sold the Royal Pavilion to the town of Brighton in 1847-1848 and probably spent some time in Windsor Castle after that. At some point it left the Royal Collection and reappeared at auction in April 2017 when it was acquired by Brighton & Hove Museums, thanks to funding from the Art Fund, Arts Council England/Victoria and the Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund and The Leche Trust.

Brighton & Hove Museums acquired the piano in 2017 at auction Like many items owned by George IV, the piano is flamboyant in style, described in the Royal Archives as “an elegant rosewood grand piano inlaid with brass, the case highly polished, gilt mouldings, gilt turnbuckles and elegantly carved legs”. It was well over twice the cost of a top-quality English grand piano at the time

Unusual features of the piano include gold winged mythological creatures, similar to griffins, at the ends of the keyboards. The brass plate on the keyboard lid reads Thomas Tomkison, Maker to His Majesty, however, Tomkison also added a hidden signature on the side of the bottom key stating “For the King”. A note in red ink was also found inside the piano: “for the King, December 21st 1821”.

Tomkison made around 2,400 grand pianos in his lifetime in his workshop in London, but only around 25 are known to have survived to this day, with this one being the most celebrated.

The restoration was carried out by pianoforte restorer Jean Maurer. Jean has carefully reversed past interventions which had shortened the soundboard and reduced the number and length of the strings at the bass end, which altered the sound of the piano.

The restoration to the original interior layout means that the bass end will once again sound with the original trichord (three strings per note) that would have been heard in the Pavilion when it was originally here 200 years ago. Hammers were re-covered with suitable material, the wrest-plank repaired, reinstating contemporary tuning pins, and a number of missing brass inlays recreated.

Following that, the piano will be carefully moved from the Music Room to the Music Room Gallery of the Royal Pavilion where it was located in George IV’s day. It can be seen in this location in several images of the 1820s, including an aquatint from John Nash’s Views of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, published in 1826, and an earlier drawing by August Charles Pugin.

Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums said: “The sound of the Regency period has returned to the Royal Pavilion. George IV’s grand piano looks magnificent, it is hugely significant to our historical understanding of the period and it is an honour to have it restored and playable once more in its rightful home, the Royal Pavilion.

“We hope visitors will enjoy seeing the piano in all its glory in the Royal Pavilion, and we hope to have regular recitals so that everyone gets a chance the hear the extraordinary sound of the 19th Century.”