Page 182 - 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
P. 182
glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
1837 and 1871. With his reportedly superb piano technique, he was able to
play the solo part in eleven Philharmonic concerts, including a number of
Mozart’s concertos, notably those in D minor K466 and C minor K491, and
Beethoven’s First, Third and Fourth Concertos. He conducted the society’s
orchestra in 32 concerts between 1820 and 1844. At the same time he was
also from its founding in 1822 the chief piano tutor at the Royal Academy of
Music. In 1832 he became the principal of the Academy on the resignation
of William Crotch,15 a post Potter held with distinction until his retirement
in 1859. It is no exaggeration to say that Potter transformed orchestral mu-
sic in London, by his compositions, his conducting and his teaching. How
much he did for the standing of contemporary British composers is not so
clear, but other composers were now able to build on these foundations.
Crotch, Potter, John Fane and the Academy of Music
The connection between William Crotch, Cipriani Potter and the Acade-
my of Music16 leads us to an important amateur in the development of mu-
sical composition in 19th-century England. John Fane (1784–1859), a career
military man, soldier and later a politician and diplomat, who was also mu-
sically trained, was normally known by his courtesy title Lord Burghersh
and in 1841 inherited the further title of the 11th Earl of Westmorland. There
is no evidence of Lord Burghersh’s presence in the Philharmonic Society
until the concert on 26 May 1817, when a manuscript Symphony of his was
the first item in the same programme as none other than Beethoven’s Fifth
No. 1 (edited by Bert Hagels): Cipriani Potter, Symphonie Nr. 1 in g-moll [Symphony
No. 1 in G minor], ed. Bert Hagels (Berlin: Ries & Erler, 2019), and No. 2 (or No. 6)
of 1832 (edited by Julian Rushton): Cipriani Potter, Symphony [No. 2] in G minor, ed.
Julian Rushton (London: Musica Britannica and Stainer & Bell, 2001).
15 The circumstances of Crotch’s departure from the post of principal of the Acade-
my are surrounded in some mystery. The exact reason is given by Jonathan Rennert
(Jonathan Rennert, William Crotch (1775–1847): Composer, Artist, Teacher (Laven-
ham: Terence Dalton, 1975), 68–9): “The reason for this hurried departure was ap
parently that Dr Crotch had inadvertently rewarded one of the girls for a particular
ly brilliant harmony exercise, by giving her a kiss. At that very moment, Mrs Iliff, the
Academy’s governess, had happened to enter the room, and not being accustomed to
seeing her girls embraced by their professors, had at once submitted an agitated report
to the Committee. This body, entirely misunderstanding her account of the affair, and
perhaps looking for an excuse to rid themselves of Crotch, passed that damning resolu
tion which forced him to resign.”
16 It appears to have been called the Royal Academy of Music from the beginning, hav-
ing royal patronage from King George IV, although it received its royal charter only
in 1830.
180
1837 and 1871. With his reportedly superb piano technique, he was able to
play the solo part in eleven Philharmonic concerts, including a number of
Mozart’s concertos, notably those in D minor K466 and C minor K491, and
Beethoven’s First, Third and Fourth Concertos. He conducted the society’s
orchestra in 32 concerts between 1820 and 1844. At the same time he was
also from its founding in 1822 the chief piano tutor at the Royal Academy of
Music. In 1832 he became the principal of the Academy on the resignation
of William Crotch,15 a post Potter held with distinction until his retirement
in 1859. It is no exaggeration to say that Potter transformed orchestral mu-
sic in London, by his compositions, his conducting and his teaching. How
much he did for the standing of contemporary British composers is not so
clear, but other composers were now able to build on these foundations.
Crotch, Potter, John Fane and the Academy of Music
The connection between William Crotch, Cipriani Potter and the Acade-
my of Music16 leads us to an important amateur in the development of mu-
sical composition in 19th-century England. John Fane (1784–1859), a career
military man, soldier and later a politician and diplomat, who was also mu-
sically trained, was normally known by his courtesy title Lord Burghersh
and in 1841 inherited the further title of the 11th Earl of Westmorland. There
is no evidence of Lord Burghersh’s presence in the Philharmonic Society
until the concert on 26 May 1817, when a manuscript Symphony of his was
the first item in the same programme as none other than Beethoven’s Fifth
No. 1 (edited by Bert Hagels): Cipriani Potter, Symphonie Nr. 1 in g-moll [Symphony
No. 1 in G minor], ed. Bert Hagels (Berlin: Ries & Erler, 2019), and No. 2 (or No. 6)
of 1832 (edited by Julian Rushton): Cipriani Potter, Symphony [No. 2] in G minor, ed.
Julian Rushton (London: Musica Britannica and Stainer & Bell, 2001).
15 The circumstances of Crotch’s departure from the post of principal of the Acade-
my are surrounded in some mystery. The exact reason is given by Jonathan Rennert
(Jonathan Rennert, William Crotch (1775–1847): Composer, Artist, Teacher (Laven-
ham: Terence Dalton, 1975), 68–9): “The reason for this hurried departure was ap
parently that Dr Crotch had inadvertently rewarded one of the girls for a particular
ly brilliant harmony exercise, by giving her a kiss. At that very moment, Mrs Iliff, the
Academy’s governess, had happened to enter the room, and not being accustomed to
seeing her girls embraced by their professors, had at once submitted an agitated report
to the Committee. This body, entirely misunderstanding her account of the affair, and
perhaps looking for an excuse to rid themselves of Crotch, passed that damning resolu
tion which forced him to resign.”
16 It appears to have been called the Royal Academy of Music from the beginning, hav-
ing royal patronage from King George IV, although it received its royal charter only
in 1830.
180
