The Family Brousil of Prague

Photograph of the Brousil family consisting of six children, some of whom are holding instruments. The Brousils were a family of young musicians from Prague who were in England in 1857 and played for Queen Victoria and her family on three occasions. It is not known how they were brought to the Queen's notice, but the Royal Family's own involvement with music was considerable and she may have been attracted by the idea of a group of musical brothers and sisters whose ages were so near those of her own children. The young musicians are Mlles Bertha (14 years old), violin solo, Antonia (17), piano, and Cecilie (6), 2nd violin; Messrs Albin (13), violoncello, Adolphus (11), viola gamba, and Aloys (7), 1st violin.