8 March 1833

95^th Anniversary Dinner of the Royal Society of Musicians Concert

London: Freemasons’ Hall

Tickets: 1 Guinea

↓Programme

Ballad, ‘Bendemeer Stream’	Voice and Harp: Mr. Parry jun.	Lord Burghersh
Clarinet Air with Variations	Mr. Willman; Piano: Mr. T. Cooke
Flute Fantasia No.13	Mr. Nicholson; Piano: Sir George Smart	Nicholson
Glee for Five Voices, ‘Some of my heroes are low’		Stevens
Glee and Chorus, ‘When winds breathe the soft’		Webber
Hymn, ‘Non nobis Domine’
National Anthem, ‘God Save the King’	Eight Vocalists	Harmonised by Horsley
Madrigal, ‘Dainty fine, sweet nymph’		Morley
Madrigal, ‘Sweet honey-sucking bees’	Full Choir	Wilbye
Free Piano Fantasia	Mr. Moscheles
Song, ‘Dream Song’	Mr. C. Taylor
Violin Fantasia	Mr. Blagrove; Piano: Mr. Parry jun.	Blagrove

Principal Vocalists: Messrs. Bellamy, Collyer, Cooke, C. Taylor, Elliot, E. Taylor, Fitzwilliam, Hawes, Hawkins, King, Knyvett, Leete, Machin, Nield, Parry, Parry jun., Rovedino, Sale, Smith, Terrail, Turtle, Vaughan, Walmesley, Eight Vocalists of St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey Choirs.

Principal Instrumentalists: Messrs. Blagrove, Cooke, Moscheles, Nicholson, Parry jun., Willman, Sir George Smart

———————————

Encores: Ballad, ‘Bendemeer Stream’—Voice and Harp: Mr. Parry jun.—Lord Burghersh

Madrigal, ‘Dainty fine, sweet nymph’—Morley

Madrigal, ‘Sweet honey-sucking bees’—Full Choir—Wilbye

The Times (January 29, 1833): 3.

ROYAL SOCIETY of MUSICIANS.——The NINETY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY DINNER of this institution will take place at the Freemasons’ Tavern, on Friday, the 8th of March, under the patronage of the Royal and Noble Directors of the King’s Concerts of Antient Music. Particulars will be duly published.

M. SIMCOCK, Sec.

The Morning Post (February 12, 1833): 3.

The Earl of CAWDOR will preside at the approaching Grand Festival of the Royal Society of Musicians.

The Morning Post (February 21, 1833): 1.

ROYAL SOCIETY of MUSICIANS.—The NINETY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY DINNER will take place on FRIDAY, March 8, 1833, at the Freemason’s Tavern, the Right Hon. Earl of CAWDOR in the Chair. The most eminent Vocal and Instrumental Performers have kindly promised their aid, and a selection of favourite Glees, Madrigals, &c., will be performed. Tickets, One Guinea each, to be had at the Tavern; the principal Music Shops; and of the Committee.

The Times (February 21, 1833): 1.

ROYAL SOCIETY of MUSICIANS.——The NINETY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY DINNER will take place on Friday, March 8, 1833, at the Freemason’s Tavern:

The Right Hon. Earl of CAWDOR in the chair.

The most eminent vocal and instrumental performers have kindly promised their aid, and a selection of favourite glees, madrigals, &c., will be performed. Tickets, one Guinea each, to be had at the tavern; the principal music shops; and of the Committee.

The Morning Post (February 27, 1833): 1.

[Same as issued in The Morning Post on February 21]

The Morning Post (March 1, 1833): 1.

[Same as issued in The Morning Post on February 21]

The Morning Post (March 4, 1833): 3.

The approaching Festival of the Royal Society of Musicians (vide advertisement) promises a rich treat to the lovers of music. Besides several classical glees, madrigals, &c., sung by the first vocalists of the day, solos will be performed on the pianoforte by MOSCHELES; flute, Mr. NICHOLSON; violin, Mr. BLAGROVE; and clarinet, WILLMAN. The Earl of CAWDOR will preside, supported by Lord SALTOUN, Lord BURGHERSH, and a host of distinguished amateurs.

The Times (March 4, 1833): 1.

ROYAL SOCIETY of MUSICIANS.——The NINETY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY DINNER will take place at the Freemasons’ Tavern, on Friday, March 8.

The Right Hon. Earl of CAWDOR in the chair.

The Morning Post (March 6, 1833): 1.

ROYAL SOCIETY of MUSICIANS.—The NINETY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY DINNER will take place on FRIDAY next, March 8, 1833, at the Freemason’s Tavern, the Right Hon. Early of CAWDOR in the Chair. The most eminent Vocal and Instrumental Performers have kindly promised their aid, and a selection of favourite Glees, Madrigals, &c., will be performed. Tickets, One Guinea each, to be had at the Tavern; the principal Music Shops; and of the Committee.

The Times (March 7, 1833): 1.

[Same as issued in The Times on March 4]

Review

The Morning Post (March 11, 1833): 5.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS.

We have had the pleasure of recording the proceedings of the annual festivals of this excellent Institution for many years. Its origin, like that of many others, was purely accidental. About a century ago two orphan sons of a celebrated oboe-player of the name of HAITCH were observed driving milch asses in the Haymarket by some eminent musicians of the day, who, with a feeling that reflects honour on their memories, entered into a subscription to rescue the children of a departed brother professor from such a degrading situation, and, on consulting Dr. GREEN and others on the necessity of a fund to alleviate the distress of indigent musicians, their widows, and orphans, they established in April, 1738, this Society, which has ever since been highly patronized by Royalty and personages of rank and influence. Dr. BURNEY, in his account of the Commemoration of HANDEL, which took place at Westminster Abbey in 1784, speaks thus of the Society:—“No charitable Institution can be more out of the reach of abuse, embezzlement, or partiality, regulated with more care or economy, than this; there is no lucrative employment belonging to the Society, except a salary to the Secretary and Collector; so that the whole produce of benefits, subscriptions, donations, &c., is net and clear of all deduction or drawback, for the Governors defray all the expenses of their various meetings out of their own pockets.” An aged indigent member receives (if a married man) sixty guiueas [sic] per annum; a widow thirty guineas; and each child under fourteen twelve guineas, annually, besides an allowance for schooling, and 25l. premium when apprenticed. The average expenditure of the Society every year now amounts to 2,400l.

On Friday last the 95th Anniversary Festival took place at the Freemasons’ Hall, the Earl of CAWDOR in the chair, supported by a numerous assemblage of amateurs and professors of music. When the cloth was removed Non Nobis Domine was sublimely performed by, at least, fifty voices; after which God save the King was sung (as newly harmonized by Mr. HORSLEY) by eight young gentlemen of the Chapel Royal, St. Paul’s, and Westminster Abbey, and the rest of the vocalists present.

MORLEY’S madrigal, Dainty fine, sweet nymph (composed in 1590), was admirably performed and encored; then followed WEBBE’S magnificent glee (and chorus), When winds breathe the soft, charmingly sung. WILLMAN performed an air, with variations, on the clarinet (accompanied on the piano-forte by Mr. T. COOKE), in a masterly manner. STEVEN’S fine glee, Some of my heroes are low, was well sung; after which Mr. MOSCHELES performed an extemporaneous fantasia on the pianofore [sic], in a manner that elicited rapturous plaudits. Lord BURGHERSH’S elegant ballad of Bendemeer Stream was sung by Mr. PARRY, jun., accompanying himself on the harp, and encored. NICHOLSON performed his favourite 13th fantasia in his best manner; need we say more? He was accompanied on the pianoforte by Sir GEORGE SMART. WILBYE’S s beautiful madrigal, Sweet honey-sucking bees (1609), was sung by the full choir, and rapturously encored. Mr. BLAGROVE performed a fantasia on the violin of his own composing in a very brilliant manner; he was accompanied on the pianoforte by Mr. PARRY, jun. A variety of other glees, &c., were sung; and Mr. CHARLES TAYLOR gave his Dream Song, in which are introduced imitations of SUETT, KELLY, DIGNUM, MUNDEN, INCLEDON, and our British Apollo, BRAHAM; he was applauded to the echo.

The organ gallery, also temporary seats in the hall, were occupied by elegantly-dressed Ladies.

Mr. HORLEY, in proposing the health of the Noble Chairman, addressed the company in a very facetious but pointed manner, and appealed to the charitable feelings of the company in very forcible language.

Lord CAWDOR returned thanks, stating that it afforded him the highest gratification when in his power to promote this excellent Charity, which he knew was admirably conducted, and its funds applied most scrupulously to the objects for which it was founded.

We have only now to insert the names of the musical persons present on this interesting occasion to give our readers an idea of the very superior entertainment with which the company was treated after “a good dinner and sparkling magnums.” A long list of honorary life and annual subscribers, donations, &c. &c, was read; among the latter was 21l. from Messrs. BROADWOODS, who had already given four donations of 50l. each to the institution.

COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT.—Messrs. Attwood, Anderson, Bishop, F. Cramer, Calkin, Griffin, J. H. Griesbach, Horsley, Hawes, Hodgson. Knyvett, King, Kollmann, J. Lord, W. Lord, Mackintosh, Nield, Parry, Rovedino, J. B. Sale, and Turle.

VOCAL.—Messrs. Bellamy, T. Cooke, Collyer, Fitzwilliam, Hawes, Hawkins, Knyvett, King, Leete, Machin, Nield, Parry, Parry, jun., Rovedino, Sale, Terrail, C. Taylor, E. Taylor Turle, Walmisley, Vaughan, and eight young Gentlemen of St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey Choirs.

SOLO PERFORMERS.—Mr. Moscheles, pianoforte: Mr. Nicholson, flute; Mr. Blagrove, violin; and Mr. Willman, clarinet.