The Lifeboat
Maker
Carl Reber
Date1910
Object number00028929
NameSheet music
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 355 x 255 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionSheet music titled 'The Lifeboat - a Tale of the Sea Told on the Pianoforte' by Carl Reber. The cover illustrations depict various scenes in the drama of a ship sinking with the central scene showing crowds on a beach at night.
It is thought that Carl Reber is likely a pseudonym, a not uncommon practice at this time for composers or music publishers who wanted to publish a large variety of music.HistoryIn the mid-19th century many middle class families owned a piano, an important part of their social entertainment and recreation. Music sheets featuring waltzes, quadrilles, galops, polkas and mazurkas were everyday favourites. They covered a range of themes including travel, plays and literature, with the launch of a ship being a popular reason for composing a piece.
One recurrent theme was the 'fantasia' type - imagined scenes of high drama or emotion. These included soldiers or sailors leaving home or disasters at sea, such as this example by Carl Reber. His best known work is ' Remembrance' but he also wrote a series of 12 ‘Life Pictures’ for piano including The Soldier’s Life, The Sailor’s Life, A Showman’s Life, The Shepherd’s Life, A Chorister’s Life and The Bellringer’s Life. Other descriptive piece include The Emigrant Ship and The Soldiers Homecoming which portrays the arrival of a troopship in Sydney Harbour.SignificanceSheet music provides an insight into popular culture and social values at the time of its production. The widely distributed pieces were fairly cheap, making them popular purchases with the general public. Music was integral to peoples' social interaction at home and during public events such as at balls, recitals, taverns, concerts and theatres.
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