A collection of 53 volumes of programmes from the Concerts of Antient Music. The programmes date from 1783 to 1839: there are gaps from the years 1784, 1792, 1796, 1798. Each volume represents one year of programmes. The majority of volumes contain twelve programmes – exceptions being the first few volumes from the 1870s and the programmes from the 1830s which contain less – as well as a list of subscribers to the season. In addition, later volumes in the sequence contain lists of vocal performers and instrumental performers as well as an index. The index contains an alphabetical list of vocal music performed across the season and a list of “overtures, concertos, &c” listed by individual concert within the season. The programme to each concert contains a list of music performed, as well as the words to vocal numbers.

The concerts in this collection took place in the following venues: New Rooms, Tottenham Road (1783-1794: note a different set of dates from article “Concerts of Antient Music” in Grove 6); New Room, King’s Theatre, Haymarket (1795-1803); New Rooms, Hanover Square (1804-1839).

The concerts took place during the first half of each year, usually February/March to May/June. There was an overall shift from the season spanning February-May to the season spanning March-June, over the period that this collection covers (1783-1839). The concerts often took place on Wednesdays, with occasional years having concerts on Thursdays. The programmes from the 1780s and 1880s include seasons where the majority of concerts are on Wednesdays, but one or two individual concerts taking place on other weekdays.

Arrangement:
The collection is arranged chronologically.

1783 - 1839

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Not Specific

• Concerts of Ancient Music -

• Hanover Square Rooms
• King's Theatre, London: New Room (also called Italian opera house; was Queen's Theatre to 1714; became Her Majesty's 1837, His Majesty's 1901, Her Majesty's 1953)
• New Rooms, Tottenham Street

• 18th century - late 1776-1799
• 19th century - early Victorian 1837-1850
• 19th century - early 1800-1836

• Musical Examples
• Analytical Notes

Centre for Performance History Prince Consort Road London London SW7 2BS Bangladesh

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cph@rcm.ac.uk

020 7 589 4340

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The Centre for Performance History was created in 2004 through the amalgamation of the Department of Portraits and the Museum of Instruments (see the separate entry for the Museum. The College has acquired portraits throughout its history since 1883 and the Centre posseses the most comprehensive collection of portraits of musicians in the UK, amounting to some 346 original portraits and 10,000 prints and photographs. In addition to the iconographical collections and their documentation, the department houses other categories of source material - most notably the largest collection of concert programmes in this country, comprising some 600,000 items dating from 1780 to the present day.