Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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174 EOYAL COLLEGE OF ORGANISTS ROYAL SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS
tion in all parts of the Empire has been importantly
raised. In 1894 Sir George Donaldson
presented a large collection of musical instruments.
(See vol. iii. p. 337.) The 'Patron's
Fund' was instituted in .1903 by Mr. S. Ernest
Palmer, who handed to the College sums amounting
in all to £27,000 for the encouragement of
composition by the younger British musicians,
etc. M.
See
EOYAL COLLEGE OF ORGANISTS.
Organists, Koyal College of, vol. iii. p. 564.
ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY OF MUSIC,
THE, founded in 1848, was re -organised in
1856, the necessary funds being obtained by
private subscription, and by the proceeds of
operatic performances given by amateur musicians
resident in the country. It was not
until 1870 that the English Government, of
which Mr. Gladstone was then head, voted it
an annual grant of £150, subsequently increased
to £300, on condition that £100 should be
contributed annually by private subscribers.
The title Royal' was ' granted in 1872.
Various capital sums have been acquired by
the Academy at different times, chiefly through
the agency of Sir Francis Brady, Bart., whose
efforts on behalf of the Academy cannot be forgotten.
These are : The Begley Fund, £125,
the Albert Fund, £940, the Yandeleur Bequest,
£4000, and the Coulson Bequest, £13,000.
The last named was left by Miss Elizabeth
Coulson in 1883, to found a School in which
' the children of respectable Irish parents ' could
be taught instrumental music. The money was
handed over to the Academy for administration
in 1887 by the Commissioners of Charitable
Donations and Bequests, the Academy having
been first reconstituted and incorporated under
the Educational Endowments (Ireland) Act of
1885.
The Government of the Academy consists at
present of : a Patron, His Majesty the King
a vice-patron, H.KH. the Duke of Connaught
a President, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
nine vice-presidents ; a Board of twenty-four
Governors, of whom twelve are nominated by
subscribers, eight by the Municipal Corporation,
three by. the Coulson Endowment trustees, and
one by the Board of Studies, which consists of
the Professors. There is no Director, orders
being carried out by a Secretary under direction
of the Board of Governors.
From small beginnings the Academy has
come to hold a very important position in the
musical life of the country. While almost
every resident musician of distinction has been
among its professors—among others Sir Robert
Stewart, Mr. Joseph Robinson, Mrs. Fanny
Robinson, Mr. R. M. Levey, Herr Eisner,—it
has also been the means of bringing to Ireland
many foreign artists of talent who have spent
their lives in the country and rendered incalculable
service in its musical development.
Notable among these must be mentioned the
late Herr Bast the violoncellist, and also Signer
Michele Esposito, who has created in Dublin a
fine school of pianoforte playing, and founded
an Orchestral Society of which he is at present
conductor. The teaching staff of the Academy
in 1906 numbered forty-one, and the students
almost 500.
After 1856, the premises of the Academy were
the upper portion of a house No. 1 8 St. Stephen's
Green, the classes having previously been held
in the rooms of the Antient Concert Society.
In 1871 the Council purchased the present
building, No. 36 Westlaud Row, which was the
town residence of Sir FitzGerald Aylmer, a
fine old house, but now quite inadequate to
the needs of the Academy. s. o. B.
ROYAL SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS OF
GREAT BRITAIN, THE, was founded by the
exertionsofFestingthe violinist, andWiedemann
the flautist, who were struck by the appearance
of two little boys driving milch asses, who proved
to be orphans of a deceased oboe-player named
Kytch. [See Festing, vol. ii. p. 27.] They
immediately raised subscriptions to relieve the
family, and feeling that some permanent
establishment was required to meet similar cases,
induced the most eminent music-professors of
the day to associate themselves together as a
Society for that purpose. This excellent work
was formally accomplished on April 19, 1738,
and amongst its first members were Handel,
Boyce, Arne, Christopher Smith, Carey, Cooke,
Edward Purcell, Leveridge, Greene, Reading,
Hayes, Pepusch, and Travers. In 1739 the
members of the Society executed a 'deed of
trust,' which was duly enrolled in the Court of
Chancery ; the signatures of the members, 226
in number, include the most eminent professors
of music of the time. The deed recites the rules
and regulations for membership and for the
distribution of the funds, and provides for
regular monthly meetings at the sign of Saint
Martin, in St. Martin's Lane. Handel took an
especial and active interest in the welfare of the
Society, composing concertos and giving concerts
for the benefit of its funds, and at his death
bequeathing to it a legacy of £1000. The
Handel Commemoration held- in Westminster
Abbey in 1784 brought a further addition of
£6000. In 1789 George III. granted the
Society a charter, by virtue of which its management
is vested in the hands of the Governors
'
and
'
Court of Assistants.' In 1804 the funds
of the Society not being in a flourishing condition,
the king gave a donation of 500 guineas.
Considerable sumshavebeen given or bequeathed
to the Society by members of the music profession,
especially Signora Storace £1000, Crosdill
£1000, Begrez £1000, Schnlz £1000 ; the
latest amount of 1000 guineas being that of
Mr. Thomas Molineux (Feb. 10, 1881), for
many years an eminent perfonner on the