Page 177 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6

oi: https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-217-6.175-192

The Philharmonic Society of London
and its Nineteenth-Century Contribution
to the Rehabilitation of British Composers

Niall O’Loughlin
Loughborough University
Univerza v Loughboroughu

For over 200 years, we’ve been at the heart of music, creating oppor­
tunities for musicians to excel, championing the vital role that mu­
sic plays in all our lives.1
The creativity of living composers is at the heart of the RPS (Royal
Philharmonic Society). We support music through a range of com­
missions and performances, and a dedicated annual programme
widely regarded for having helped many notable composers estab­
lish their careers.2

Founding of the Philharmonic Society
In the early years of the 19th century there was considerable musical activi-
ty in London. The two visits of Haydn organised by the violinist and impre-
sario Johann Peter Salomon were still vivid in the minds of some members
of the musical public. The twelve symphonies that Haydn had produced
for these visits set a standard of composition that many wanted to contin-
ue. Some of the symphonies of Mozart were also well known and Beethov-
en’s music was just beginning to appear. There were difficulties, however.

1 Anon., “About us,” Royal Philharmonic Society, consulted April 19th, 2021, www.royalp-
hilharmonicsociety.org.uk.

2 Anon., “Nurturing composers,” Royal Philharmonic Society, consulted April 19th, 2021,
www.royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk.

175