Behind the stuffed shirts and the stiff upper lips in the Victorian era, dwelt some admirable spirits, none perhaps more admirable than Albert, Prince of Saxe, Coburg and Gotha, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria. Among this collection of songs by him are some which could take their place worthily in any recital of Lieder of his time, some reminiscent of the writing of Schubert and early Schumann. Most of the songs were written before his marriage, when he was eighteen or nineteen. In their melodic inventiveness and subtlety they are quite astonishing. Many are settings of verses by his brother. Prince Albert regarded himself as essentially an amateur musician, knowing that the duties of his station could never allow him the time and education to become the complete master of any art. Yet he achieved skill as a performer that Mendelssohn regarded as worthy of a professional.