Diabolus Victorian

Victorian Quartet

We created this quartet for the popular "Aston Hall by Candlelight" evenings over the Christmas period in 2009. The move from Jacobean to Victorian was a gamble, but it proved a huge success. Familiar carols in the candlelit Great Hall, with the fire blazing and everyone joining in, proved a magical experience - especially when Queen Victoria herself made an entrance, complete with her entourage.

We're a wind quartet, comprising two trumpets, euphonium, and saxophone, which, despite its recent association with jazz, was invented by Aldolphe Sax in 1841, specifically to blend with brass instruments. We also have a number of Victorian folk instruments to lower the tone, including concertina, mandolin, and even penny whistles.

If you're looking at a Christmas event, we've found that the public want an almost unrelieved repertoire of carols. We play most of the popular Victorian carols, as well as some Christmas oddities such as the original 1857 version of "Jingle Bells". We also include festive readings from the works of Mr. Dickens.

For events outside the Christmas period, we play a large selection of music which would be heard in a Victorian parlour setting - marches, dance tunes, opera arias, arrangements of brass band music. We alternate with popular folk tunes and sea shanties, to provide a bit of variety.

Videos of the Victorian Band in action :

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shim