Page 185 - 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. 185
the philharmonic society of london and its nineteenth-century contribution ...
slow23 and Potter (No. 1 in G minor). In the period from 1832 to 1844 when
Potter was involved on a regular basis as conductor, English symphonies
performed were by Onslow and Potter (three symphonies, No. 2 (or No.6)
in G minor, a second in A minor twice and another in D). By the time of
the last performance conducted by Potter in 1844, it was decided that there
should be a permanent conductor. The dull and uninspiring composer and
conductor Henry Bishop, surprisingly appointed for the whole 1845 sea-
son, managed only three concerts,24 and was replaced in the following sea-
son by the dynamic disciplinarian Michael Costa for 71 concerts from 1846
to 1854, a move which put the Philharmonic on a sound footing again, but
which did something to enhance the position of English composers. Cos-
ta apparently was a difficult man with whom to work. The most notorious
event was the dispute between Costa and the outstanding pianist and com-
poser, William Sterndale Bennett (1816–1875), involving gossip about Cos-
ta playing part of one of Bennett’s works (the Overture Parisina) too slow-
ly.25 Consequently there was only one work by Bennett performed at the
Philharmonic between 1848 and 1856. The few English works under Cos-
ta were by the revered Cipriani Potter and Charles Lucas (Potter’s succes-
sor as principal at the Royal Academy), the young George Macfarren, the
French resident George Onslow and a few of Bennett’s works performed be-
fore the dispute arose. The following single season with Richard Wagner at
the helm (1855) was not a great success nor was it a failure. It included sin-
gle works by Potter (his Symphony No 2 in G minor), Onslow, Macfarren
(Chevvy Chase Overture) and Charles Lucas’s Third Symphony (conducted
by the composer not Wagner). It appeared that British music was beginning
to make some headway.
William Sterndale Bennett and William Cusins
With the 1856 season Bennett was elected conductor, but showed great re-
luctance to promote his own works, as his son relates:
23 George or Georges Onslow (1784–1853) was an English-born composer who worked
mainly in France. Two of his symphonies were performed by the Philharmonic Soci-
ety (one on two occasions), both billed as premieres and dedicated to the society, but
previously performed in Paris.
24 The remaining five concerts of the 1845 season were conducted by the extremely re-
liable Ignaz Moscheles who remained in London until tempted back to the city of
Leipzig in 1846.
25 The details were given in great detail by Bennett’s son, J. R. Sterndale Bennett, in The
Life of William Sterndale Bennett (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1907;
London: Travis & Emery, R/2010), 189–201.
183
slow23 and Potter (No. 1 in G minor). In the period from 1832 to 1844 when
Potter was involved on a regular basis as conductor, English symphonies
performed were by Onslow and Potter (three symphonies, No. 2 (or No.6)
in G minor, a second in A minor twice and another in D). By the time of
the last performance conducted by Potter in 1844, it was decided that there
should be a permanent conductor. The dull and uninspiring composer and
conductor Henry Bishop, surprisingly appointed for the whole 1845 sea-
son, managed only three concerts,24 and was replaced in the following sea-
son by the dynamic disciplinarian Michael Costa for 71 concerts from 1846
to 1854, a move which put the Philharmonic on a sound footing again, but
which did something to enhance the position of English composers. Cos-
ta apparently was a difficult man with whom to work. The most notorious
event was the dispute between Costa and the outstanding pianist and com-
poser, William Sterndale Bennett (1816–1875), involving gossip about Cos-
ta playing part of one of Bennett’s works (the Overture Parisina) too slow-
ly.25 Consequently there was only one work by Bennett performed at the
Philharmonic between 1848 and 1856. The few English works under Cos-
ta were by the revered Cipriani Potter and Charles Lucas (Potter’s succes-
sor as principal at the Royal Academy), the young George Macfarren, the
French resident George Onslow and a few of Bennett’s works performed be-
fore the dispute arose. The following single season with Richard Wagner at
the helm (1855) was not a great success nor was it a failure. It included sin-
gle works by Potter (his Symphony No 2 in G minor), Onslow, Macfarren
(Chevvy Chase Overture) and Charles Lucas’s Third Symphony (conducted
by the composer not Wagner). It appeared that British music was beginning
to make some headway.
William Sterndale Bennett and William Cusins
With the 1856 season Bennett was elected conductor, but showed great re-
luctance to promote his own works, as his son relates:
23 George or Georges Onslow (1784–1853) was an English-born composer who worked
mainly in France. Two of his symphonies were performed by the Philharmonic Soci-
ety (one on two occasions), both billed as premieres and dedicated to the society, but
previously performed in Paris.
24 The remaining five concerts of the 1845 season were conducted by the extremely re-
liable Ignaz Moscheles who remained in London until tempted back to the city of
Leipzig in 1846.
25 The details were given in great detail by Bennett’s son, J. R. Sterndale Bennett, in The
Life of William Sterndale Bennett (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1907;
London: Travis & Emery, R/2010), 189–201.
183
