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Collection Description
Collection name Bath Concerts and Bristol Concerts (1822-25)
Unique identifier c.61.g.1
Description A collection of prospectuses, programmes and wordbooks for series of subscription concerts given under the management of Mr Loder and Sir George Smart at the Assembly Rooms, Bath, Theatre Royal, Bristol and the Assembly Rooms, Cheltenham (1822-23 only) during the winter seasons 1822–23, 1823–24 and 1824–25, arranged in a chronological fashion with various series interfiled and held as three bound volumes.

This collection also includes programmes and other material relating to performances given at these and other venues in Bath, Bristol and Cheltenham during the same period.

Unless otherwise stated below, programmes refer to 2-part miscellaneous performances, consisting largely of English and Italian vocal repertory, with orchestral overtures/finales and occasional concertante items.

Many of the programmes carry annotations in Smart's hand. These comment on the standard and effectiveness of particular performances and suggest that the success (or otherwise) of a work in one venue would impact on its appearances in others. They also record the timings of both individual sections and the complete performance and indicate those works receiving an encore.


Volume 1: 1822–23
- Bath, Assembly Rooms
31 December 1922 and 7, 15, 21 and 28 January, 4, 18 and 25 February and 4 March 1823: with Mr Bochsa and Mr Lord (harp), Mr Lindley (cello) and Mr Moscheles (piano), led by Messrs Loder, Henry Smart and Kiesewetter and conducted by Messrs Bishop, Henry Field, Reis, Windsor, and Sir George Smart.
The materials for this series are accompanied by an anonymous 'Letter to the Editor' of the Bath and Cheltenham Gazette concerning the provision of concerts in Bath and an unsigned letter in which 'the undersigned' agree to undertake the risk of putting on concert series in Bath, Bristol and Cheltenham.

- Bristol, Theatre Royal
9 and 23 January and 6 and 20 February 1823: led by Messrs Loder, Kiesewetter and Mori and conducted by Sir George Smart and Mr Windsor. The collection also includes programmes for concerts given on 2 and 3 April 1923 for Easter Week, the first being a morning performance of Handel, The Messiah, given at Clifton Church, Bristol.

- Cheltenham, Assembly Rooms
30 December 1822 and 13 January and 5 March 1823: with Mrs Salmon and Mr Sapio (vocal) and Mr Woodward (piano), led by Mr Verstein. Held with these programmes is a document titled 'Money paid by W. Sharp for 1st and 2nd concerts, Smart’s expenses with those of Sig. Ambrogetti' (dated 1818).

In addition to the material relating to the subscription concerts, this volume includes the prospectus and programmes for six performances of Italian opera, given under the direction of Signor de Begnis on 25 and 28 November and 2, 5, 9 and 12 December 1823 at the Theatre Royal, Bath, with Mr Loder (leader) and George Smart (piano). These concerts comprised three performances of Rossini, Il Turco in Italia and three of Il Barbiere di Siviglia. All performances included a divertissement at the end of the first act of the opera and a ballet at the close.

There are also programmes for 3 additional concerts, led by Mr Loder, given at the Assembly Rooms, Bath on 11 February 1823 (Mr Loder's Benefit Concert with pianist Mr Moscheles, conducted by Mr Windsor) and on an unspecified date (Mr Sapio's Private Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, conducted by Smart) and at the Kingston Rooms, [no city] on 24 September 1918.


Volume 2: 1823–24
A collection of advertisements, programmes and wordbooks for the second season of subscription concerts, led by Messrs Franz Cramer, Kiesewetter and Loder and conducted by Messrs Bishop, Field (Bath only), Smart and Windsor.

Bath: 13, 20 and 27 January, 3, 10, 17 and 24 February, and 2 and 9 March 1824.
Bristol: 11 December 1823, 15 and 22 January, 5 and 19 February, and 4 March 1824.

Documentation relating to both series provides detailed information regarding the vocal and instrumental soloists and the orchestral performers, many of whom performed at both series. Among these were a significant number of prominent soloists from London and abroad, engaged for only part of the series. The concerts included a number of first appearances of both performers and repertoire.

In addition to material relating to the subscription series, this volume includes an advertisement and programme for a concert given by Giovanni Puzzi at York House on 17 December 1823, with Monsieur Begrez, Mr Henry Field, Mr Windsor (piano) and Mr Loder (leader).


Volume 3: 1824–25
- Bath, Assembly Rooms
1, 8, 15 and 22 February 1825, Assembly Rooms: prospectus, posters, programmes and wordbooks for four subscription concerts, given with the vocalists Signor De Begnis and Madame Ronzi de Begnis, Monsieur Labarre (harp), Mr Lindley (cello) and Mr Nicholson (flute), led by Mr Loder (leader) and conducted by Mr Windsor.

This volume includes additional material (including printed announcements and handwritten correspondence) describing the problems with continuing to run the Bath Subscription Concerts.

In addition to material relating to the subscription concerts, the volume includes posters, prospectuses and wordbooks for a Grand Choral Concert and a Grand Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, given at the Assembly Rooms on 24 and 28 December 1824, with Mrs Salmon and Mr Braham (vocal), Mr Henry Field (piano), led by Mr Loder and conducted by Smart, the latter concert including the first Bath performance of extracts from Weber, Der Freyschutz.

There is also a poster, programme and wordbook for Mr Henry Field's Concert, given at the Assembly Rooms, Bath on 1 March 1825 and a programme and wordbook for a Grand Concert given by Mademoiselle Sontag at an unspecified venue in 26 May 1829, led by Mr Loder and conducted by Smart. The volume also includes a document relating to expenses incurred from a concert at Bath on Saturday 28 February 1846.

- Bristol
20 and 30 December 1824 and 3 February 1825, Theatre Royal, Bristol: programmes and wordbooks for three performances with Mrs Salmon and Mr Braham (vocal), Mr Henry Field (piano) and Monsieur Labarre (harp), led by Mr Loder and conducted by Sir George Smart. The first performance was a presentation of a comedy, between the acts of which Mrs Salmon sang. The remaining performances were described as Grand Concerts and including extracts from Weber, Der Freischutz, being performed for the first time in Bristol. The programme for the second performance announces the lack of subscription series in Bristol for the season.

In addition to material relating to this series, the volume includes a poster, programme and wordbook for a Grand Concert given by Mademoiselle Sontag on 25 May 1829 at the Theatre Royal, Bristol, led by Mr Loder and conducted by Sir George Smart.
Date range 1823 - 1825
Associated People and Organisations Windsor, Mr - Weber, Carl Maria von - Sontag, Henriette - Smart, Henry - Smart, George - Salmon, Eliza - Rossini, Gioacchino - Ronzi de Begnis, Giuseppina - Ries, Ferdinand - Puzzi, Giovanni - Nicholson, Charles - Moscheles, Ignatz - Mori, Nicholas - Loder, Edward - Lindley, Robert - Labarre, Théodore - Kiesewetter, Christoph Gottfried - Field, Henry - de Begnis, Giuseppe 1793 - 1849 Cramer, Franz - Braham, John - Bochsa, Nicholas Charles - Bishop, Henry - Begrez, Pierre 1787 - 1863
Associated Places Assembly Rooms, Bath Clifton Church, Bristol Theatre Royal, Bristol
Associated Times
Associated Content Brochures Correspondence Posters Press Cuttings Annotations Timings Word books First performances
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