The SCHOMBERG Galop
Publisher
Chappell & Company Ltd
Composer
Charles Louis Napoleon d'Albert
(1809-1886)
Publisher
M & N Hanhart
Lithographer
John Brandard
(1812-1863)
Datec 1855
Object number00008019
NameSheet music
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 350 x 255 mm, 0.1 kg
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis six-page booklet of sheet music was dedicated to Mrs Charles Schomberg of Liverpool. The cover features a colour chromolithograph of the immigrant ship SCHOMBERG, used on the Australian trade route to transport passengers and freight during the 1850s gold rush. This music was written to coincide with the ships launch in 1855.HistoryMusic written and performed in honour of ships coming to Australian ports in the 19th and early 20th centuries highlights the central importance of ships and shipping to colonial society. Ships were the only means of communication with home countries, bringing and taking away news, passengers and cargo. Great public interest surrounded ships and their officers, and ships’ captains were often well known and enjoyed considerable prestige in colonial communities. For many people the names of particular ships represented the important journeys of their own lives and the lives of friends and relatives.
Charles d'Albert was a French composer who made his fame in England, producing at least 300 musical pieces in his lifetime. This included 81 quadrilles, 76 waltzes, 64 polkas and 48 galops. His sheet music came in the form of piano duets, orchestral arrangements and military bands. A number of his pieces also featured famous ships of his time. D'albert wrote the SHOMBERG Galop for the ship's launch and dedicated it to Mrs Charles Schomberg, the wife of Captain Charles Schomberg RN. Captain Schomberg was the head of the emigration inspection service for the Port of Liverpool.
The clipper SCHOMBERG was built at Aberdeen, Scotland in 1855 by Alexander Hall. During this period American clipper ships dominated the Australian trade route. The SCHOMBERG was built in response to their dominance. It was a 2284-ton vessel built with triple diagonal planking and screw treenail construction. It was owned by the Black Ball Line and commanded by Captain James Nichol 'Bully' Forbes.
It sailed for Australia in October, 1855 with 430 passengers and 3,000 tons of cargo on board. Towards the end of the maiden voyage, Forbes inadvertently ran the SCHOMBERG ashore on the western coast of Victoria. Though the passengers were rescued Forbes was acquitted of any negligence, despite him having a reputation in shipping circles for consistently putting passengers in jeopardy.
Sheet music offers an insight into popular culture and social values at the time of its production. The widely distributed pieces were sold fairly cheaply, making them popular purchases for the general public. Music was integral to peoples' social life at home and at public occasions such as balls, recitals, taverns, concerts and theatres. By the mid-19th century most 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, covering a range of themes including travel, plays and literature.Significance'The SCHOMBERG Galop's' musical score and lithograph represent maritime trade in Australia during the 19th century. It is the only known example of this sheet music in Australia and reflects promotional material produced for ships.
