Page 482 - 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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glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
Gaelic Revival movements in Irish musical life are outlined as well. Among
the aspects discussed are the size, performance strategies, religious and
gender policies, repertoire, conservativism and venues associated with the
music societies in the three cities.
Keywords: Music societies, Irish music history, nineteenth-century history,
Dublin, Belfast, Armagh
Niall O’Loughlin
The Philharmonic Society of London
and its Nineteenth-Century Contribution
to the Rehabilitation of British Composers
In the early 19th century, public music in London was disorganised. Be-
cause the standard of orchestral playing was generally poor, in 1813 a group
of professionals established the Philharmonic Society of London with its
orchestra to perform eight concerts a year to include symphonies, over-
tures, concertante works, vocal ensembles and chamber music. The Mem-
bers of the Philharmonic were mostly instrumentalists, some singers and
a few composers, while subscriptions were available to a very limited num-
ber of wealthy amateurs who could afford them. Music by Haydn, Mozart
and Beethoven [including the Ninth Symphony, which the Philharmonic
commissioned] regularly appeared, and later, music by Spohr, Weber, Men-
delssohn, Berlioz, Wagner and many others, most of whom also conducted
their own works. Because of the desire of the Society and the amateur sub-
scribers to perform music by well-known foreign composers, there was no
enthusiasm for new works by British ones.
The composer, pianist and conductor Cipriani Potter changed this. As a
full professional Member of the Philharmonic Society he could influence
the content of the programmes of the concerts, and as an outstanding pi-
anist he performed prominent piano parts in chamber music. When solo
concertos were included in the programmes, he performed numerous Mo-
zart and Beethoven concertos with the Society’s orchestra, as well as con-
ducting some 32 concerts. Significantly he was also senior piano professor
at the newly founded Royal Academy of Music [run by amateurs] and from
1832 was its principal, a position of considerable influence. A number of his
important works were performed by the Philharmonic Society, in addition
to a few by other British composers. The number of these increased under
Michael Costa from 1845, and even Wagner conducted a symphony by Pot-
ter. His [Potter’s] successor and pupil, William Sterndale Bennett, a pia-
480
Gaelic Revival movements in Irish musical life are outlined as well. Among
the aspects discussed are the size, performance strategies, religious and
gender policies, repertoire, conservativism and venues associated with the
music societies in the three cities.
Keywords: Music societies, Irish music history, nineteenth-century history,
Dublin, Belfast, Armagh
Niall O’Loughlin
The Philharmonic Society of London
and its Nineteenth-Century Contribution
to the Rehabilitation of British Composers
In the early 19th century, public music in London was disorganised. Be-
cause the standard of orchestral playing was generally poor, in 1813 a group
of professionals established the Philharmonic Society of London with its
orchestra to perform eight concerts a year to include symphonies, over-
tures, concertante works, vocal ensembles and chamber music. The Mem-
bers of the Philharmonic were mostly instrumentalists, some singers and
a few composers, while subscriptions were available to a very limited num-
ber of wealthy amateurs who could afford them. Music by Haydn, Mozart
and Beethoven [including the Ninth Symphony, which the Philharmonic
commissioned] regularly appeared, and later, music by Spohr, Weber, Men-
delssohn, Berlioz, Wagner and many others, most of whom also conducted
their own works. Because of the desire of the Society and the amateur sub-
scribers to perform music by well-known foreign composers, there was no
enthusiasm for new works by British ones.
The composer, pianist and conductor Cipriani Potter changed this. As a
full professional Member of the Philharmonic Society he could influence
the content of the programmes of the concerts, and as an outstanding pi-
anist he performed prominent piano parts in chamber music. When solo
concertos were included in the programmes, he performed numerous Mo-
zart and Beethoven concertos with the Society’s orchestra, as well as con-
ducting some 32 concerts. Significantly he was also senior piano professor
at the newly founded Royal Academy of Music [run by amateurs] and from
1832 was its principal, a position of considerable influence. A number of his
important works were performed by the Philharmonic Society, in addition
to a few by other British composers. The number of these increased under
Michael Costa from 1845, and even Wagner conducted a symphony by Pot-
ter. His [Potter’s] successor and pupil, William Sterndale Bennett, a pia-
480
