Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

798 SYMPHONY CONCERTS SYMPHONY CONCERTS
pieces of special interest ; such as tlie MS. works
of Schubert, and of Mendelssohn ; Beethoven's
arrangement of his Violin Concerto for the piano,
and his Overture,
'
Leonora No. 2 '
; an alternative
Andante written by Mozart for his
Parisian Symphony ; the first version of Mendelssohn's
Hebrides ' ' Overture, and other rare
treasures of the same nature.
The performances were of that exceptional
quality which might be inferred from the ability,
energy, and devotion of the conductor, and from
the fact that owing to the wind and a portion
of the strings of the orchestra being the permanent
band of the Crystal Palace, Mantis
had opportunities for rehearsal which were at
that time enjoyed by no other conductor in
London. a.
The establishment of the RiOHTEE OoNOBRTS
in 1879 was the next event in the history of
symphony concerts in London. For these see
ante, pp. 93-94.
The history of the first series called London
Symphony Concerts has been related under
the heading Henschbl, vol. ii. p. 381. The
concerts were founded in 1886, and brought
to an end with a notable performance of the
'
Matthew- Passion ' on April 1, 1897.
The opening of the Queen's Hall in 1893
was followed by the formation of the Queen's
Hall Choral Society, and in 1895 the experiment
was tried of reviving public interest in
Promenade Concerts, which had for some
seasons languished in London. Mr. Henry J.
Wood tried the bold experiment of giving the
public at large an opportunity of hearing the
great masterpieces of music, and the result
showed that the attempt was surprisingly
successful. Although symphonies were given
regularly at these concerts, not at first on
every occasion, the regular series of Saturday
Symphony Concerts began on Jan. 30,
1897, and have been carried on ever since.
They were at first given weekly (subsequently
fortnightly) up to the end of May, and
their influence was less important on British
music than on that of the contemporary
Russian school, the chief representatives of
which obtained frequent hearings for their
works. The Pathetic ' ' symphony of Tchaikovsky,
though introduced at a Philharmonic
Concert, acquired its great popularity under
Mr. Wood, and for some years its continual
performances stood in the way ot more interesting
work being done ; but in due time the
views of the authorities have become broader,
and the programmes have shown a more
catholic taste, as well as giving opportunities,
more or less frequent, to the younger English
composers. It must not be forgotten that the
question of Sunday concerts was importantly
affected by the series of Sunday Afternoon Orchestral
Concerts founded in Oct. 1895, with Mr.
Randegger as conductor. Mr. Wood became the
regular conductor in the third season, 1897-98 ;
in Nov. 1898 a dispute as to the legality of
Sunday concerts, and licensing questions, made
it imperative to close the hall on Sunday, Nov.
27, 1898, and led to the formation of a Sunday
Concert Society, by means of which it was
found possible to continue the concerts without
transgressing the existing laws. The Sunday,
as well as the Promenade Concerts, and the
Saturday Afternoon Symphony Concerts, are
still flourishing.
In 1902 a large number of the orchestra,
who had acquired under Mr. Wood a very
remarkable degree of excellence, particularly
in accompaniment, refused to re-engage themselves
to the Queen's Hall managers, owing to
differences of opinion as to the right to employ
deputies, and other points into which it is not
necessary to enter. In course of time a new
body of players was formed by Mr. Wood, and
the malcontents organised themselves into the
London Symphony Orchestra, an institution
whose internal economy differs from that of
other English bodies of the kind. It is run
at the joint risk of the members, who share in
the profits and have a voice in the direction of
the affairs. No permanent conductor is engaged,
but various distinguished English conductors
have appeared from time to time, and
certain illustrious foreign conductors have also
directed them. The Richter Concerts have been
virtually transferred to this orchestra, a great
part of whose concerts are now directed by that
great conductor. Excellent work has been
done in regard to performances and programmes
by this body, so that the breach with the older
institution has brought about nothing but
artistic good.
Of Mr. Thomas Beecham's New Symphony
Orchestra it is perhaps rather early to speak,
as its organisation is scarcely as yet finally
settled. In several seasons very interesting
programmes have been given, the conductor
being a man of wide musical reading, who has
adopted the wise plan of reviving the older
works written for a small orchestra under the
original conditions. Eor the Symphony Concerts
given in London by the various, amateur
bodies of players' societies, see Royal Amateur
Orchestral Society (ante, p. 172) ; Stock
Exchange Orchestral and Choral Society
{ante, p. 698) ; and Strolling Players'
Orchestral Society {ante, p. 728). m.
Bournemouth.
In 1893 Mr. Dan Godfrey was engaged to
provide a military band of thirty performers
for the summer season ;
gradually, as in the
case of the Crystal Palace Concerts, tlje authorities
ventured upon classical concerts, and in
1895 a series of Symphony Concerts was
organised and given in the Winter Gardens
with full orchestra. These were so successful