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Collection Description
Collection name
Edinburgh Grand Musical Festival (1824)
Unique identifier
Case 61.g.9.
Description
A collection comprising the prospectus, programmes and wordbooks for the three morning and three evening concerts given between 25 and 30 October 1824 as the Edinburgh Musical Festival, held as a single bound volume with MS notes by Sir George Smart.
The morning concerts were given on 26, 28 and 30 October 1824 at Parliament House, Parliament Square, Edinburgh. That on 28 October was of Handel, The Messiah. The remaining concerts combined sections from Haydn, The Creation (26 October) and Beethoven, The Mount of Olives (30 October) with miscellaneous acts.
The evening concerts were given on 25, 27 and 29 October at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, and were two-part miscellaneous concerts, consisting largely of vocal repertory but with orchestral overtures/symphonies at the start of each act and one concerto/concertante item per part.
The prospectus provides detailed information regarding the vocal and instrumental soloists (see below) and includes a list of the orchestral ensemble, led by Mr Yaniewicz and Mr Loder and conducted by Sir George Smart. The prospectus also records the names of the patrons, stewards and directors of the Festival.
Vocal: Madame Ronzi DeBegnis, Miss Goodall, Miss Travis, and Miss Stephens; Mr Vaughan, Mr Bellamy, Mr Terrail, Mr Phillips, Mr Swift, Signor DeBegnis and Mr Braham.
The complete listing of the orchestra provides an indication of the geographical origin of the players and reveals that London players performed alongside those from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bath, Liverpool and York. The London players included Robert Lindley (cello), Domenico Dragonetti (double bass), Mr Nicholson (flute), Mr Willman (clarinet) and the Messrs Petrides (horn).
All programmes carry annotations in Smart's hand. These provide comments on the following areas: alterations to the printed programmes (particularly those arising from the absence/lateness of performers); rehearsal provision; the nature of the accompaniment for vocal pieces (keyboard or orchestral); performance timings (of the complete performance and of individual sections); and encores performed.
The volume also contains a small number of printed announcements relating to the practical arrangements for the Festival (some attributed to the Festival Secretary Archibald W. Goldie) and a 'Performers Morning Ticket', signed by the Secretary and Treasurer (Walter Jellie).
The volume concludes with a bill entitled 'List of the Order of the Grand Procession of the Royal Society of St. Crispin, of Edinburgh, in Honour and Memory of King Crispin; including their Route through the principal Streets of the New Town, on Monday, 25th Oct. 1824, from the Palace of Holyrood House to Smart's Rooms, Thistle Street'.
Date range
1819 - 1824
Associated People and Organisations
Loder, Edward -
Janiewicz, Feliks -
Handel, George Frideric -
Edinburgh Grand Musical Festival -
Associated Places
Parliament House, Edinburgh
Theatre Royal, Edinburgh
Associated Times
19th century - early 1800-1836
Associated Content
Brochures
Annotations
Timings
Word books
Star Item(s)
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British Library
The British Library
St Pancras
,96 Euston Road
London
NW1 2DB Open Map
DOMUS
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http://www.bl.uk/
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See: http://www.bl.uk/music
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