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The Professional Concert and Rival Subscription Series in London, 1783–1793

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

Simon McVeigh
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Extract

The death of J.C. Bach on 1 January 1782 coincided with a number of changes in London's concert life. The principal subscription series, the Bach-Abel concerts, had been losing support for a number of years; and though Abel continued with the concerts in 1782, there was scope for a new initiative. Such an initiative was provided by Lord Abingdon with an ambitious reorganization of the concerts in 1783, to be succeeded in 1785 by the musicians’ own undertaking, styled the Professional Concert.

Type
Articles
Information
Royal Musical Association Research Chronicle , Volume 22 , 1989 , pp. 1 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Musical Association, 1988

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References

Notes

For expansions of abbreviations, see Bibliography: p. 133 below.Google Scholar

1 Cf. EurMag, 5 (1784), 366; TerrJCB, 96, 143, though the figures quoted here are misleading and partially inaccurate; GillS, 225–6.Google Scholar

2 BurH, ii, 1017–18; cf. Section 8.Google Scholar

3 1787Pr-n3; cf. 1789Pr-n3.Google Scholar

4 ParM.i, 103.Google Scholar

5 Entry of 28 May 1783 in NevD, 304.Google Scholar

6 WO 12 Feb 1788.Google Scholar

7 DI 19 Feb 1793.Google Scholar

8 1793Pr-n13; PhilSoc, 342.Google Scholar

9 TI 13 Feb 1792.Google Scholar

10 MC 7 Feb 1792.Google Scholar

11 GZ 12 Mar 1783.Google Scholar

12 DUR 26 Nov 1785.Google Scholar

13 MP 15 Dec 1789.Google Scholar

14 Cf. for example PA 8 Oct 1784, PA 8 Jan 1785.Google Scholar

15 ReesC, xxvi, s.v. ‘Pantheon'.Google Scholar

16 EdgM, 70.Google Scholar

17 For which see LanEn.Google Scholar

18 Letter of 4 Jul 1791 in HebC, 101.Google Scholar

19 WesR, f.40r.Google Scholar

20 BusC, ii, 214.Google Scholar

21 1791S-n1, n2; 1792S-n2, n3; 1793S-n2.Google Scholar

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23 TempL, 361.Google Scholar

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25 ParM, ii, 160.Google Scholar

26 MC 14 Feb 1791, etc.Google Scholar

27 MP 15 Dec 1789.Google Scholar

28 PA 8 Oct 1784.Google Scholar

29 Letter of 30 Sept 1790 in JourLux, 5 (1790), 628.Google Scholar

30 PapC, ii, 296.Google Scholar

31 1793Pr-n3; it is hard to credit Mrs Papendiek's figure of 1500 at Haydn's 1792 benefit (LanEn, 161).Google Scholar

32 DI 16 Apr 1793.Google Scholar

33 MP 21 Jan 1789. The Concert of Ancient Music was, however, also patronized by the more traditional nobility, being regarded almost as a court activity.Google Scholar

34 WO 23 Feb 1790; cf. also 1788M-n3.Google Scholar

35 Cf. a letter of 2 Jan 1791, referring to the Professional Concert, in JourLux, 6 (1791), 68.Google Scholar

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61 Cf. the quotation in MillC, 15.Google Scholar

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67 LanEn, 29; ForsB, 39: cf. also WO 17 Apr 1787, PA 22 Aug 1793.Google Scholar

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70 Letter of 18 May 1793 in BerlMusZ, 81.Google Scholar

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73 1788M-n6, 1790P-n4.Google Scholar

74 Sources in 1790P-n4; WO 13 Mar 1790.Google Scholar

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76 Cf. 1787Pr; this system had been used before by Bach and Abel.Google Scholar

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78 Cf. PA 18 Mar 1783; handbills for some benefits, including Haydn's in 1791, are in the Banks Collection.Google Scholar

79 TI 29 Jan 1790.Google Scholar

80 Cf. a letter of 14 Feb 1783 [misdated] in CraMag, 1/1 (1783), 356; TI 29 Jan 1790; SpohrA, ii, 92.Google Scholar

81 1788M-n2.Google Scholar

82 1783-n25, n26.Google Scholar

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84 Cf. a puff in MP 4 Feb 1786.Google Scholar

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87 BurH, ii, 882–3; echoed in a puff in GZ 9 Feb 1784.Google Scholar

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89 PhilSoc, 342, which unambiguously refers to the concerts after those of Bach and Abel; and cf. 1784H-n2.Google Scholar

90 1783-n4, n23.Google Scholar

91 MP 6 May 1789; letter of 2 Jan 1791 in JourLux, 6 (1791), 68.Google Scholar

92 1785P-n7, 1790P-n5; BurH, ii, 882.Google Scholar

93 McVeiV, 142.Google Scholar

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95 Cf. WendV, ii, 238; WesR, f.137r.Google Scholar

96 Leopold Mozart paid soloists from three to five guineas, according to a letter of 8 Jun 1764 in MozL, i, 48; William Parke received three guineas from Salomon in 1796 (ParM, i, 303–4).Google Scholar

97 1789Pr-n2, 1793S-n7.Google Scholar

98 MusKorr, 1 (1790), 87.Google Scholar

99 1789Pr-n3.Google Scholar

100 1792Pr-n4.Google Scholar

101 1783H-n5; letter of Aug 1790 cited above.Google Scholar

102 1783H-n22.Google Scholar

103 DoanD, 4, 2.Google Scholar

104 1783H-n16; cf. 1783H-3rd.Google Scholar

105 MC 17 May 1786, MH 27 Mar 1786.Google Scholar

106 DUR 14 Dec 1787.Google Scholar

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108 Cf. 1791Pr-n6, 1793S-n4; PlanC, 148.Google Scholar

109 See especially LanEn, to which this study is considerably indebted.Google Scholar

110 1791S-n4.Google Scholar

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112 1792Pr-n4.Google Scholar

113 GyrB, 59; PleyMem, 26.Google Scholar

114 1792Pr-n5, 1792Pr-lst.Google Scholar

115 Cf. 1790Pr-n7, etc.; new music by Gyrowetz was also heard at Salomon's concerts in 1793.Google Scholar

116 Cf. 1787Pr-n6.Google Scholar

117 For discussion of their business relationship, see RadH, 89–91.Google Scholar

118 MC 16 Jan 1784; 1785Pr-8th. Unless otherwise indicated, dates for Haydn sources in this section are derived from HobH and NGro.Google Scholar

119 Letter of Aug 1790 in MusKorr, 1 (1790), 87.Google Scholar

120 1791S-4th; Kozeluchs letter of 18 Dec 1790 in FlammV, 63–4.Google Scholar

121 For further details see 1788Pr-n8.Google Scholar

122 LanEs, 697–8; SandH, 310–11.Google Scholar

123 GZ 8 Dec 1787.Google Scholar

124 Haydn's letters of 8 Aug 1787 and 28 Feb 1788 in LanEs, 697–8, 707.Google Scholar

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126 For the purposes of this discussion, overture and symphony, etc., are regarded as synonymous.Google Scholar

127 Cf. such a condition in his letter of 12 Apr 1790 in LanL2, 200–2.Google Scholar

128 Advertised in December 1782.Google Scholar

129 Advertised in MP 18 Feb 1783.Google Scholar

130 The concert took place on 28 February, when the symphony received its first performance in England (PA 28 Feb 1783); probably this was the symphony soon to be published according to Bland's advertisement in MP 18 Feb 1783.Google Scholar

131 Both were advertised in January 1784.Google Scholar

132 MH 20 Mar 1784; this may have been the first edition.Google Scholar

133 MH 2 Feb 1784, ‘from Mr. Hayden's own copy'; no other documentary evidence supports this assertion.Google Scholar

134 By August 1783; the set contains Hob.Ia: 13, etc.Google Scholar

135 Presumably these are the two overtures soon to be published according to Bland's advertisement in MP 23 Feb 1784; both are included in his catalogue in DUR 2 Apr 1785. The overture was also in Artaria's op. 35.Google Scholar

136 In December 1784 or early 1785, possibly the first edition.Google Scholar

137 Manuscript note on the British Library copy.Google Scholar

138 Perhaps in 1785; it is not listed in Bland's catalogue in DUR 2 Apr 1785.Google Scholar

139 Benefit concert advertisement, with a description of the ending, in PA 16 May 1785. That the Professional Concert played this symphony at some stage is confirmed in ParM, ii. 29.Google Scholar

140 Cf. 1789Pr-1st.Google Scholar

141 Cf. 1789Pr-1st; it is unlikely that Tost was involved in this transaction.Google Scholar

142 LanEs, 598, 635.Google Scholar

143 Cf. 1789Pr-1st.Google Scholar

144 Op. 55 no. 2 ('Razor') was supposedly offered to Bland in November 1789, but it was not published by him; cf. also LanLl, 216.Google Scholar

145 Cf. 1791Pr-lst; the London edition may have been the first.Google Scholar

146 Leopold Mozart's letter of 1 Mar 1787 in MozL, ii, 906; cf. 1788Pr-n7.Google Scholar

147 NovM, 92; GrieH, 36.Google Scholar

148 1793Pr-n6.Google Scholar

149 1788Pr-2nd.Google Scholar

150 MH 11 Mar 1785; the score includes parts for three trumpets and timpani.Google Scholar

151 Cf. MarshH, 69; the Pleyel symphony discussed in connection with 1792Pr-lst includes such a part.Google Scholar

152 Letter of 18 May 1793 in BerlMusZ, 85.Google Scholar

153 The anecdote in a letter of Dec 1783 in CraMag, 2/1 (1784–5), 110–11 may relate to this.Google Scholar

154 Ibid., 109, mistakenly referring to Dresden. For identification of performers in this section, see the index.Google Scholar

155 MH 14 Jun 1784.Google Scholar

156 PA 13 Apr 1778.Google Scholar

157 PapC, i, 207.Google Scholar

158 1783H-n26, 1790Pr-n2.Google Scholar

159 Cf. 1787M-n8, 1788M-n9, 1790P-n10.Google Scholar

160 GZ 12 Feb 1790.Google Scholar

161 SmartJ, 3; cf. also 1786Pr-n10.Google Scholar

162 MH 14 Apr 1792, WO 25 Feb 1793.Google Scholar

163 Letter of 18 May 1793 in BerlMusZ, 81; tr. in LanEn, 189.Google Scholar

164 LanEn, 299.Google Scholar

165 Cf. 1785P-n8, 1790P-n9.Google Scholar

166 GZ 18 Jan 1790.Google Scholar

167 Cf. MH 20 Nov 1784.Google Scholar

168 MC 15 Feb 1793.Google Scholar

169 EdgM, 58.Google Scholar

170 1787Pr-n7.Google Scholar

171 BurH, ii, 886–903, 1021; EdgM, passim.Google Scholar

172 Cf. 1793S-n8.Google Scholar

173 1790P-n5.Google Scholar

174 1788Pr-n10; cf. also 1789Pr-n11.Google Scholar

175 MP 24 Feb 1789.Google Scholar

176 McVeiV, 135, 138.Google Scholar

177 JackO, 20-l.Google Scholar

178 PA 10 Feb 1787.Google Scholar

179 SalMem, 46; cf. also Section 1.Google Scholar

180 Letter of 18 May 1793 in BerlMusZ, 85.Google Scholar

181 Cf. a circular dated 26 Dec 1781 in the Banks Collection, J9, no. 572 (British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings).Google Scholar

182 PA 6 Feb 1782.Google Scholar

183 BurH, ii, 958; cf. JonH, 165.Google Scholar

184 Cf. for example, WO 5 Dec 1787.Google Scholar

185 1788Pr-lst.Google Scholar

186 MC 1 May 1784, a review of one of Guest's concerts.Google Scholar

187 BurH, ii, 889.Google Scholar

188 For discussion of the issues of contemporaneity and classicism see WebE.Google Scholar

189 MH 20 Nov 1784.Google Scholar

190 Cf. ConR.Google Scholar

191 MarshC, 164.Google Scholar

192 1784P-5th, 1790P-3rd.Google Scholar

193 BrownL, 88–9.Google Scholar

194 1793Pr-1st.Google Scholar

195 K2869; cf. also WO 20 Mar 1790.Google Scholar

196 Cf. 1791Pr-4th.Google Scholar

197 Cf. MillC, 46.Google Scholar

198 PA 13 Mar 1783.Google Scholar

199 PA 17 Apr 1784; with a reference to 1783H-3rd.Google Scholar

200 MC 21 Oct 1788.Google Scholar

201 For example 4 Nov 1788.Google Scholar

202 MP 24 Mar 1789; cf. WO 10 Mar 1789.Google Scholar