# What Is Queen Elizabeth II's Favorite Music



## haydnguy (Oct 13, 2008)

I was curious if our friends across the pond would know what the Queen's favorite music is? Would it be some kind of classical? Would it be some "authorized" music? I have no idea but was curious. :tiphat:


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## Kollwitz (Jun 10, 2018)

No idea. I have heard her taste in the arts in general described as rather middlebrow by a few different people. It seems as though she's infinitely more interested in dogs and horses than any aspects of culture.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

There is an article on the internet from BBC about the subject, her 10 favourite songs. Nothing classical, but a few hymns & military marches.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

According to this video, she apparently enjoyed JLS while eating her dinner.


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## Gallus (Feb 8, 2018)

Oh god, I was in Edinburgh last month and went on the a tour of the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia. One of the displays in the massive gilded dining room had an example of the music played on a typical evening while entertaining guests. I can't remember exactly but it was lighter pieces from your typical Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gilbert & Sullivan...there were foreign composers I can't recall but it was fairly early-20th century 'middlebrow' classical if you get my drift.

Apparently the official pianist of the Royal Marines band, or occasionally Noël Coward, would play on an upright piano while the royals relaxed in the living room. It was looping some Chopin piece I couldn't place.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ And that was her public face (music for playing with official guests). I don't think we have ever seen a sign that she is interested in, or enjoys, music. Or even the arts in general. Prince Charles was her "musical" son and learned the trumpet (as a child) and cello (as a student). He made a (to me, rather embarrassing) TV programme about his love for the "neglected" composer Hubert Parry.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

This write-up might fill in some of the specific titles: 
https://www.rd.com/culture/queen-elizabeth-music/
She supposedly likes "ABBA's "Dancing Queen, " which if true would be quite charming, in my view. She reportedly likes show tunes.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Just as an aside, IF Charlie Boy ever ascends the throne I suggest you all have a little flutter on him changing his name and becoming George VII (after his grandfather) instead of Charles III.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Larkenfield said:


> This write-up might fill in some of the specific titles:
> https://www.rd.com/culture/queen-elizabeth-music/
> She supposedly likes "ABBA's "Dancing Queen, " which if true would be quite charming, in my view. She reportedly likes show tunes.


Dancing Queen seems like a song she'd like. I'm sure she likes the band Queen, Brian May played God Save the Queen on the roof top of Buckingham Palace for the Golden Jubilee. Perhaps she likes Queen Latifa.



elgars ghost said:


> Just as an aside, IF Charlie Boy ever ascends the throne I suggest you all have a little flutter on him changing his name and becoming George VII (after his grandfather) instead of Charles III.


Probably should be called George VII considering Charles I lost his head and Charles II was succeeded by his Catholic brother. Charles as King hasn't had the best track record.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

senza sordino said:


> . . . .
> Probably should be called George VII considering Charles I lost his head and Charles II was succeeded by his Catholic brother. Charles as King hasn't had the best track record.


In the fictional future Charles III didn't fare well either.






This is a film version of a surprisingly powerful play (in blank verse, no less). It was a hit in London and NY. I went to the play expecting to see an audacious stunt pulled off. It was much more than that. Echos of the great Shakespearean tragedies throughout.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

senza sordino said:


> Probably should be called George VII considering Charles I lost his head and Charles II was succeeded by his Catholic brother. Charles as King hasn't had the best track record.


That's my reasoning, too - historically the name Charles has had too many negative connotations. Plus it sounds too French. :lol:


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

The only time she seems to be enjoining herself : trouping the colors( her birthday ) with the horses and the big bands.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Queen Elizabeths favorite music Queen and Elizabeth


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

.......................................


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Given her family's German roots and the properties she owns, I presume her favourite composer is Castelnuovo-Tedesco.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I suspect Her Majesty is quite tolerant of all types of music. Consider the amount of tripe she has to listen to in the course of her duties....

And if I had to hear "God Save the Queen" (or "God Save Me" if you are indeed said monarch) five or six times a day for ninety plus years, I'd never want to hear a single note of anything again for the rest of my life!


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

The Queen's favorite composer is Handel.


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## Starqueen (4 mo ago)

She must have like Queen my favorite moment was the video with Paddington bear so cute.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Starqueen said:


> She must have like Queen my favorite moment was the video with Paddington bear so cute.


Indeed, that was hilarious


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

elgar's ghost said:


> Just as an aside, IF Charlie Boy ever ascends the throne I suggest you all have a little flutter on him changing his name and becoming George VII (after his grandfather) instead of Charles III.


Glad I didn't follow your advice EG


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

elgar's ghost said:


> *Just as an aside, IF Charlie Boy ever ascends the throne I suggest you all have a little flutter on him changing his name and becoming George VII (after his grandfather) instead of Charles III.*













Prediction made by Elgar's Ghost on August 15, 2019 - Over two years ago...

"IF Charlie Boy ever ascends the throne I suggest you all have a little flutter on him changing his name and becoming George VII"

September 9, 2022 - According to Buckingham Palace, he will take the sovereign title King Charles III

Moral of the story - Don't take gambling advice from Elgar's Ghost...


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

OT: I bet it wasn't 'Andy, You're a Star' by The Killers. 🤔


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## Andrew Kenneth (Feb 17, 2018)

Here's Queen Elisabeth meeting the cast of Rosenkavalier in Munich during intermission. (Keilberth conducting)
(picture from the Orfeo-cd booklet =>)










Elisabeth was also fond of Benjamin Britten =>
How Queen Elizabeth II inspired Britten to start composing again after he almost died | Classical Music


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## Enthalpy (Apr 15, 2020)

The job includes hearing military parades and national hymns all the time. So it's better for a king to have no taste for music at all.


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## Enthalpy (Apr 15, 2020)

Did the Queen enjoy it, or even listen to it?

Duke Ellington met Lisbeth and was deeply impressed. In 1959-71-74, he composed three suites for big band, of refined jazz quite different from the dance music that had brought him money. He let produce "the Queen's suite" at his own cost and press a single disk of it, which he offered to HM.

After Ellington's death, some boor included the record on the disk "The Ellington Suites" sold to anyone, that's why I can enjoy it
amazon.de


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Shaughnessy said:


> Prediction made by Elgar's Ghost on August 15, 2019 - Over two years ago...
> 
> "IF Charlie Boy ever ascends the throne I suggest you all have a little flutter on him changing his name and becoming George VII"
> 
> ...


I believe Sir Edward did like a bet, but I'm not aware of his ever winning big. Our colleague is merely being true to his username.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Andrew Kenneth said:


> Here's Queen Elisabeth meeting the cast of Rosenkavalier in Munich during intermission. (Keilberth conducting)
> (picture from the Orfeo-cd booklet =>)
> 
> View attachment 174377


So who is who? (Besides the Queen and her husband) 
I guess the tall lady shaking hands and the guy with the sash left to the Queen are some entourage or German politicians? The guy on the very left looks a bit like Keilberth but with his chain or medal more probably also some politician or ambassador. The tall guy in costume might be Ochs (Frick?), the singer shaking hands Sophie or Marschallin?


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## Andrew Kenneth (Feb 17, 2018)

Kreisler jr said:


> So who is who? (Besides the Queen and her husband)
> I guess the tall lady shaking hands and the guy with the sash left to the Queen are some entourage or German politicians? The guy on the very left looks a bit like Keilberth but with his chain or medal more probably also some politician or ambassador. The tall guy in costume might be Ochs (Frick?), the singer shaking hands Sophie or Marschallin?


To the left of the Queen Erika Köth (Sofie) and in front of the Queen Kurt Böhme (Ochs).


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