Page 195 - 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
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oi: https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-217-6.193-213
Music Societies in Ireland during
the Nineteenth Century
Wolfgang Marx
Univerzitetni kolidž v Dublinu
University College Dublin
The Irish Long Nineteenth Century
Before discussing the structure and history of Irish music societies it is nec-
essary to outline the historical circumstances in which they existed. Ire-
land’s history throughout the nineteenth century was shaped by events and
dates different from those that were important for other countries; years
such as 1789, 1815, 1848 or 1914 have much less relevance in Ireland than, say,
in France or Germany. Ireland’s long nineteenth century stretches not from
1789 to 1914 but rather from 1801 to 1922. It is centrally shaped by five events
that reformed the Irish political and social landscape.
The Act of Union
While the French revolution undoubtedly had an impact on Irish intellec-
tuals there was no attempt to implement its principles in an island tight-
ly controlled by the British crown. However, in 1798 the Irish embarked
on one of their many rebellions against the British occupation. It led to
much bloodshed yet was ultimately unsuccessful. A consequence of this
“Rising” was the Act of Union implemented in 1801. Until then Ireland had
had its own parliament in Dublin (while the administration was appoint-
ed by London). Now Ireland’s parliamentarians voted themselves out of ex-
istence and would join the House of Commons and the House of Lords in
the British capital. This led to most aristocrats and many other policymak-
ers moving from Dublin to London, and marked the end of the golden age
193
Music Societies in Ireland during
the Nineteenth Century
Wolfgang Marx
Univerzitetni kolidž v Dublinu
University College Dublin
The Irish Long Nineteenth Century
Before discussing the structure and history of Irish music societies it is nec-
essary to outline the historical circumstances in which they existed. Ire-
land’s history throughout the nineteenth century was shaped by events and
dates different from those that were important for other countries; years
such as 1789, 1815, 1848 or 1914 have much less relevance in Ireland than, say,
in France or Germany. Ireland’s long nineteenth century stretches not from
1789 to 1914 but rather from 1801 to 1922. It is centrally shaped by five events
that reformed the Irish political and social landscape.
The Act of Union
While the French revolution undoubtedly had an impact on Irish intellec-
tuals there was no attempt to implement its principles in an island tight-
ly controlled by the British crown. However, in 1798 the Irish embarked
on one of their many rebellions against the British occupation. It led to
much bloodshed yet was ultimately unsuccessful. A consequence of this
“Rising” was the Act of Union implemented in 1801. Until then Ireland had
had its own parliament in Dublin (while the administration was appoint-
ed by London). Now Ireland’s parliamentarians voted themselves out of ex-
istence and would join the House of Commons and the House of Lords in
the British capital. This led to most aristocrats and many other policymak-
ers moving from Dublin to London, and marked the end of the golden age
193
