Frederick Ellard was born in Dublin, and probably arrived in Australia in 1832 with his uncle William and father Francis, who established a family music publishing and instrument selling business in Sydney. He was a teacher of the cello and piano and, in later years, a singing tutor. Ellard died in Sydney in 1867.

Bruce Stewart the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra's Librarian, has arranged "The Galatea" for string quartet. Frederick Ellard wrote "The Galatea" in the form of a polka, a style that attained great popularity in the second half of the 19^th century. It is a descriptive piece - in the score the opening is titled "Weighing Anchor", the next section is "Under Way" which in turn is followed by "Full Speed". In the music can be heard what might be imagined to be rough seas and there is one section that seems to imply a moment of sea sickness! In the score words are included for a chorus if one be available. No author of the lyrics is mentioned so it is possible that the words are Ellard's own:

Welcome Prince, with joy we greet thee,

Welcome to our sunny land.

Loyal souls haste forth to meet thee,

Raised is ev'ry loyal hand.

God save our gracious Queen,

Long may she o'er us reign,

God save the Queen.

English huzzas ring around thee,

English hopes our bosoms fill,

Tho' Australia's sons surround thee,

Hearts and voice are British still.

Bruce Stewart suggests in the middle section of the piece Ellard cleverly inserts a musical quote from "God Save the Queen" - quite appropriate given that the captain of the Galatea was Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and son of Queen Victoria. The piece finishes with a return of the material used at the beginning as the ship arrives at port.

The surviving copy of the music in the State Library is an arrangement for piano. There is no surviving manuscript so it is unknown for what instrumental forces the piece was originally scored. Given the necessary grandeur of the royal visit it would be quite possible that the piece may have been performed by a string quartet or small orchestra. It has been arranged in the form you will hear tonight for string quartet by Bruce Stewart.