Journal

Emily began studying the piano at Haworth in 1833 or 1834 and she
soon played, in the words of Ellen Nussey, ‘with precision and brilliancy’. In
1842 she studied piano at the Heger pensionnat in Brussels and even gave
piano lessons to some of the younger students there. After returning to
Haworth, she acquired a new piano. At this time, in the words of Ellen
Nussey, ‘the ability with which [Emily] took up music was amazing, the style,
the touch, and the expression was that of a Professor absorbed heart and
soul in her theme.’ While Emily did not compile a list of tunes she had a
collection of music books.
Anne played piano and sang. Her playing may not have been as brilliant as
Emily’s, though they played duets. She did compile a songbook of hymns and
popular tunes. She also wrote several hymns and some of her poems have
been set to music.A composer, Jack Hartley Rhodes set five of Anne’s poems
and one of Charlotte’s to music.
Branwell learnt the flute when he was 14 and compiled a list of tunes that are
recorded in his flute book, including Blue Bonnets Ower the Border, Auld Lang
Syne, Jock o’ Hazeldean, Oh! No – We Never Mention Her, (Home) Sweet Home, The
Campbells Are Comin’, Ye Banks and Braes o’ Bonny Doon.He also played the organ
Charlotte did not play an instrument. Apparently she was too short sighted to
see the music. However her interest and love of music are well known. Some
of her poems were later set to music.
The Brontë piano
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