From Air to Arrangement: The Evolution of Keyboard Music in Austen’s Era | Laura Klein

In Austen’s novels, we encounter music in a variety of forms and scenes with the pianoforte at their center. While Austen doesn’t mention keyboard pieces by their titles, she alludes to one style in particular that 18th-century music in its popular and utilitarian manifestation: the “air.” An air can designate a variety of styles and forms but most commonly indicates a song-like vocal or instrumental tune. In Austen’s mentions, they are delineated as Scotch, Irish, or Italian airs and are played on the pianoforte for dancing or for entertainment purposes. By the turn of the 19th century, however, tunes were gradually evolving into larger musical forms, most commonly serving as the primary motive for sonata movements and sets of themes and variations. This is evident in the wealth of representations contained in Austen’s personal music collection. Through examining the music that she was practicing when she was writing, we gain a richer understanding and more intimate view of the hands behind the pen.

Laura Klein, pianist and historical musicologist, specializes in British keyboard music and performance practices of the long 18th century. Her current research centers on the music contained in the Austen Family Music Books collection. She founded The Jane Austen Playlist in 2019, a historical music project that features the music of the Austen family in digitized notations, companion recordings, and dramatically narrated performances. An active performer and presenter, she gives frequent concerts and lecture recitals online, throughout the United States, and in the United Kingdom. Klein is Affiliate Professor of Piano at Colorado Christian University and is completing her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado Boulder.