GB 1249 Sacred Harmonic Society - Sacred Harmonic Society

9 volumes

Formed part of the Sowerbutts Collection at the Royal College of Organists.
GB 1249 Sacred Harmonic Society 1832-1878 Collection (fonds) 9 volumes Sacred Harmonic Society

The Sacred Harmonic Society was founded in London as an amateur choral society in 1832 for the weekly practice of music of an exclusively sacred character. The first home of the Society was the Gate Chapel in Lincoln's Inn Fields. In 1836 it was granted the use of the larger Exeter Hall, focus of London's dissenting community and designed for religious and charitable meetings. The works of Handel were part of its core repertoire and the society also performed the major new works of Spohr and Mendelssohn, including the London première of Elijah in 1847. At the Handel Festival of 1859 the Sacred Harmonic choir numbered 2765. The Sacred Harmonic Society provided the nucleus for the nationally represented choir of the Trial Festival of 1857 (numbering 2000, with an orchestra of about 400), prior to the Centenary Festival of 1859, which inaugurated the triennial Handel Festival. In 1882, the Society disbanded after losing the use of its Exeter Hall base.

Formed part of the Sowerbutts Collection at the Royal College of Organists.

Not known

Annual reports of the Sacred Harmonic Society, 1832-1878.

Arranged in volumes as follows: 1832-1836; 1837-1842; 1843-1848; 1849-1852; 1853-1859; 1860-1866; 1867-1871; 1872-1878.

Usual conditions of the Library of the Royal College of Music apply. See the RCM website or contact the RCM Library for details.

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.
English.

There are two volumes of reports for 1832-1836, both in manuscript. The remaining volumes contain printed reports.

Not known

RCM library holds Sacred Harmonic Society: letter from W H Husk, Society Librarian, to August Manns, regarding loan of books, 19 Jan 1865 (ref: Mss 7019).

Compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Source: Grove Dictionary of Music. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. May 2001 Music Musical styles Religious music Sacred Harmonic Society Vocal music Performing arts

Not known

Annual reports of the Sacred Harmonic Society, 1832-1878.

Arranged in volumes as follows: 1832-1836; 1837-1842; 1843-1848; 1849-1852; 1853-1859; 1860-1866; 1867-1871; 1872-1878.

Usual conditions of the Library of the Royal College of Music apply. See the RCM website or contact the RCM Library for details.

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.

• anglais

• latin

English.

RCM library holds Sacred Harmonic Society: letter from W H Husk, Society Librarian, to August Manns, regarding loan of books, 19 Jan 1865 (ref: Mss 7019).

Not known

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• anglais