Robert Sidney Pratten (1824–1868), was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

. He played first

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

for the

Royal Italian Opera The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal O ...

, English Opera, the Sacred Harmonic Society, Philharmonic, and other concerts and musical festivals. Pratten was born on 23 January 1824, the second son of a music professor. On 24 September 1854, Pratten married the German

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

virtuoso,

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

and teacher Catharina Josepha Pelzer (1824-1895), later also known as Madame Sidney Pratten. Their address was 38

Welbeck Street Welbeck Street is a street in the West End, central London. It has historically been associated with the medical profession. Location The street runs approximately north–south between New Cavendish Street at the northern end, crossing Wig ...

, near Cavendish Square. Pratten was also a composer of pieces for flute and piano, and published ''Studies for the Siccama Flute'' and ''Scales and Exercises for Pratten's "perfected Flute".'' He became ill during a performance of ''Elijah'' at

Exeter Hall Exeter Hall was a large public meeting place on the north side of the Strand in central London, opposite where the Savoy Hotel now stands. From 1831 until 1907 Exeter Hall was the venue for many great gatherings by promoters of human bettermen ...

on 22 November 1867.Frank Mott Harrison
''Reminiscences of Madame Sidney Pratten''
(1899) He died on 10 February 1868, aged 44, at a nursing home in

Ramsgate Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2001 it had a population of about 40,000. In 2011, according to t ...

References

1824 births 1868 deaths English flautists 19th-century English musicians {{UK-music-bio-stub