Prelude and Fugue (from Voluntary no.5) – Charles Wesley (1757-1834)
Fugue in B minor – Samuel Wesley (1766-1837)
Choral Song in C – Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876)
Sons of Charles Wesley, the great hymn-writer and one of the founders of Methodism, Charles and Samuel Wesley were regarded as musical prodigies in childhood.
Although Charles Wesley junior is much less well known than his brother Samuel Wesley, he was like Samuel regarded as a musical prodigy in childhood, and he was playing the organ before the age of three. He became a professional musician in adulthood, and Matthews (1971) quotes the European Magazine of 1784 as reporting that 'his performance on the organ has given supreme delight'. However he did not enjoy public performance, and worked mainly as a private organist, at one time to the Prince Regent; he was connected with the royal family through much of his life, having first played at the Queen's House at the age of 18.