Page 184 - 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. 184
glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
ence rich patrons, members of the Government and royalty to help to sup-
port the finances of the institution. Potter retired from the Academy in 1859
and Burghersh, now the Earl of Westmorland, died in the same year, lead-
ing to financial difficulties for the Academy.
The Philharmonic and British music
In order to gauge the effect that the work of the Philharmonic Society was
having on the development of the native composition (mostly English), it is
useful to give some details of the performances of the music presented. It
should be made clear that the most important works are symphonies, or-
chestral concert overtures and solo concertos. In addition, there were vo-
cal ensembles from operas, oratorios and cantatas, and in the earlier years
chamber music, mostly for larger ensembles. The Philharmonic concerts
were conducted by a group of prominent musicians, mostly pianists, on a
rotational basis. Muzio Clementi, now permanently resident in England,
at first shared with John B. Cramer, but George Smart and three compos-
er-pianists, Thomas Attwood, Henry Bishop and Ferdinand Ries,21 joined
the group later. A pertinent comment comes from George Hogarth about a
composer and occasional conductor, Charles Griffin, who
distinguished himself by several works of great merit, but (as has
been the case with many English musicians) his attention was di
verted from composition to the labours of what is in this country a
more advantageous branch of his profession.22
Significantly in 1822 Cipriani Potter entered the rotation. Recently in-
stalled as the first and leading professor of piano at the Royal Academy
of Music he conducted his first concert on 25 March 1822 and at the next
concert on 15 April 1822 played the piano part in Beethoven’s First Piano
Concerto.
In the years up to 1832 there were some performances of British sym-
phonies, for example, those by Crotch, Burghersh, Berger, Clementi, On-
21 George Hogarth (Hogarth, The Philharmonic Society of London, 13), wrote some-
what scathingly about Ries: “This composer’s fame has not been so durable as it at first
promised to be. He [Ries] was a great pianist, and his voluminous works have every
good quality, save that of originality, the only quality which confers permanent vitali
ty.”
22 Ibid., 14.
182
ence rich patrons, members of the Government and royalty to help to sup-
port the finances of the institution. Potter retired from the Academy in 1859
and Burghersh, now the Earl of Westmorland, died in the same year, lead-
ing to financial difficulties for the Academy.
The Philharmonic and British music
In order to gauge the effect that the work of the Philharmonic Society was
having on the development of the native composition (mostly English), it is
useful to give some details of the performances of the music presented. It
should be made clear that the most important works are symphonies, or-
chestral concert overtures and solo concertos. In addition, there were vo-
cal ensembles from operas, oratorios and cantatas, and in the earlier years
chamber music, mostly for larger ensembles. The Philharmonic concerts
were conducted by a group of prominent musicians, mostly pianists, on a
rotational basis. Muzio Clementi, now permanently resident in England,
at first shared with John B. Cramer, but George Smart and three compos-
er-pianists, Thomas Attwood, Henry Bishop and Ferdinand Ries,21 joined
the group later. A pertinent comment comes from George Hogarth about a
composer and occasional conductor, Charles Griffin, who
distinguished himself by several works of great merit, but (as has
been the case with many English musicians) his attention was di
verted from composition to the labours of what is in this country a
more advantageous branch of his profession.22
Significantly in 1822 Cipriani Potter entered the rotation. Recently in-
stalled as the first and leading professor of piano at the Royal Academy
of Music he conducted his first concert on 25 March 1822 and at the next
concert on 15 April 1822 played the piano part in Beethoven’s First Piano
Concerto.
In the years up to 1832 there were some performances of British sym-
phonies, for example, those by Crotch, Burghersh, Berger, Clementi, On-
21 George Hogarth (Hogarth, The Philharmonic Society of London, 13), wrote some-
what scathingly about Ries: “This composer’s fame has not been so durable as it at first
promised to be. He [Ries] was a great pianist, and his voluminous works have every
good quality, save that of originality, the only quality which confers permanent vitali
ty.”
22 Ibid., 14.
182
