Music in the life of Maria Klementyna Sobieska and her sons

In the seventeenth and eighteenth century the craft of music—both playing and singing—became a part of the canon of proper education for aristocrats and wealthy burghers. Young girls received instruction primarily in playing keyboard instruments—harpsichord, clavichord, or pianoforte. Boys would choose between violin and cello, the latter being perceived as unsuitable for handling by ladies. Wind instruments were also deemed unbecoming of the fair sex, like the flute, which gravely distorted the player’s facial expression. Maria Klementyna Sobieska figured among comprehensively educated young women: during her early days in Oława she acquired fluency in three languages—Polish, French, and Hochdeutsch—as well as Latin and Italian. Already during her sojourn in Rome, English tourists complemented her perfect command of her husband’s native tongue. With her excellent manners, she was considered a charming lady, and she loved music. Though it has not yet been established what instruments she played, it would be hard to imagine her unable to perform a simple piece for harpsichord or lute.