Prince Albert was the Director of the Concerts of Ancient Music, whose double-bass player Domenico Dragonetti had known both Haydn and Beethoven, and was famous throughout Europe. On his death in 1846 Dragonetti bequeathed his chamber bass to Prince Albert. It was subsequently put at the disposal of Queen Victoria's Private Band.

The Ancient Concerts association was usually made up of Dragonetti, Lindley on the cello and one or two other performers and performed in the Hanover Square Rooms. The music performed had to be more than two decades old, and typical programmes included Corelli, Handel, Palestrina, Gabrieli, Purcell and Gluck.