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Collection Description
Collection name Royal Albert Hall concerts (1871, 1889)
Unique identifier e.1399. (1, 2.)
Description Programmes and wordbooks for two ceremonial performances given at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 29 March 1871 and 5 July 1899, the first being a concert given as part of the proceedings to mark the opening of the building.

1.
Souvenir programme for the opening of the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences by Her Majesty the Queen on 29 March 1871.

This document provides a detailed Order of Events for the day, which included a performance of a Biblical Cantata composed expressly for the opening ceremony by Michael Costa and a miscellaneous concert, conducted by Costa. Both performances featured the vocalists Madame Lemmens-Sherrington, Madame Patey, Mr Vernon Rigby and Mr Santley.

The programme includes an extensive ‘history of the origin of the hall and an account of the building since the laying of the first stone by Her Majesty in May 1867’. There are also numerous advertisements and announcements regarding events taking place during the London International Exhibition of 1871, including concerts by the Sacred Harmonic Society at Exeter Hall.


2.
Grand Concert given as part of the state reception of His Majesty the Shah of Prussia, on 5 July 1889.

This was a two-part concert, consisting principally of vocal music but including an orchestral movement of some description (overture or March) at the beginning and end of each act.

The performance featured Madame Albani, Madame Patey, Mr Edward Lloyd and Mr Watkin Mills (vocal), with the Royal Choral Society and an orchestra composed of The Royal Choral Society’s Professional Orchestra, assisted by the Military Bands of the First and Second Life Guards, the Royal Horse Guards, the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards and the Scots Guards. Also, Mr W. Hodge (organ) and Mr Barnby (conductor).

The programme carries a number of handwritten annotations. These provide a range of personal observations on the nature and extent of the performance (including an indication of the size of the choir and orchestra) and record those works which were encored.
Date range 1871 - 1889
Associated People and Organisations Second Life Guards - Scots Guards - Santley, Charles - Sacred Harmonic Society - Rigby, Vernon - Patey, Madame - Mills, Watkin - London International Exhibition (1873) - Lloyd, Edward - Lemmens-Sherrington, Madame - Horse Guards - Hodge, W. (Mr) - Grenadier Guards - First Life Guards - Costa, Michael - Barnby, Joseph - Band of the Second Life Guards - Band of the Scots Guard - Band of the Grenadier Guards - Band of the First Life Guards - Band of HM Coldstream Guards 1785 - Albani, Madame -
Associated Places Royal Albert Hall
Associated Times 19th century - late Victorian 1876-1899 19th century - mid Victorian 1851-1875
Associated Content Annotations Word books First performances Programme notes
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British Library, Music Collections
96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB Open Map
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