British musical renaissance 1860-1918 Classical music of the United Kingdom

1 british musical renaissance 1860-1918

1.1 performers , composers
1.2 growth of venues , orchestras
1.3 english language opera
1.4 religious , mythical works
1.5 late nineteenth-century foundations
1.6 national or pastoral school

british musical renaissance 1860-1918

classical music has been seen undergoing fundamental shift in focus , importance second half of 19th century, began search distinctive national identity or identities , played increasing role in british cultural life.

performers , composers

native singers shared dramatic stage international stars in italian , german opera, notably clara novello, helen lemmens-sherrington, sims reeves , charles santley. after 1856 swedish born jenny lind, perhaps internationally renowned singer of era, settled permanently in england, continuing perform , teach.

among important figures in british classical music in period sir william sterndale bennett. ram pupil of potter s, pianist, composer , conductor eleven years took control of philharmonic society baton. lucy anderson , pupil arabella goddard, franklin taylor, leading native mid-victorian pianists.

growth of venues , orchestras

the royal opera house, bow street frontage, enzo plazzotta s statue young dancer in foreground

this century saw trend towards larger orchestras , correspondingly larger musical venues, permitting public concerts mass audiences. crystal palace concerts inaugurated in 1855, august manns principal conductor , handel triennial festival, older institution involving massed choirs before vast audiences, transferred there. covent garden s royal opera house opened in 1858, on site of earlier theatre , royal albert hall built in 1878.

orchestras founded in period included royal liverpool philharmonic orchestra (1840), hallé orchestra @ manchester under sir charles hallé (1858), , scottish orchestra (1891), royal scottish national orchestra.

english language opera

one of notable features of mid-19th century revival of tradition of english language opera. arthur sullivan, pupil of goss, came public attention in 1860s shakespeare incidental music, tempest (1862), merchant of venice (1871), irish symphony (1863–66) , in memoriam.

the period 1835-1865 saw height of popularity irish born michael balfe (1808–70), composer of bohemian girl (1843), operas of john pyke hullah (1812–84), , earlier english operas of german-born sir julius benedict (1804–85), including best-known, lily of killarney (1862). maritana (1845) famous , ballad-rich of irish born william vincent wallace s operas. operas of frederic clay (1838–89) among popular of period, including ages ago (1869), gentleman in black (1870) , happy arcadia (1872), written w. s. gilbert (1836–1911).

the savoy opera collaborations between gilbert , sullivan began in 1875 trial jury. in british light opera tradition spoken dialogue. reached heyday in 1880s pirates of penzance (1880), , gondoliers (1889), , concluded in 1896 grand duke. had rivals alfred cellier s (1844–91) dorothy (1886) , mountebanks (1892), successful operas of era , have been among revived.

religious , mythical works

sir william sterndale bennett in 1861

in later 19th century there increasing appetite large scale works covered epic, biblical , mythical themes. reflected in topics of operas, cantatas , oratorios, utilising british poems , novels. these included choral works william sterndale bennett s may queen (1858), ebenezer prout s hereward , king alfred , cantatas sullivan , henry fothergill chorley s masque @ kenilworth (1864), john francis barnett s ancient mariner (1867) , frederic hymen cowen s rose maiden (1870) , harold (1895). similar trends can seen in operas such george alexander macfarren s robin hood (1860), sullivan s ivanhoe (1891) , in operas of arthur goring thomas, included esmeralda (1883) , nadeshda (1885).

the works of handel, mendelssohn , spohr continued major part of british musical repertoire there increasing emphasis on religious drama. italian-born sir michael costa s eli (1855) , naaman (1864) set pace later development in works of sullivan, including martyr of antioch (1880) light of world (1873), , golden legend (1886), john liptrot hatton s hezekiah (1877), joseph barnby s rebekah (1870), william cusins s gideon (1871), alfred r. gaul s holy city (1882), charles gounod s redemption (1882) , mors et vita (1885) (produced expressly british public), , sir john stainer s crucifixion (1887). arguably last of great english victorian composers emerge edward elgar (1857–1934), during 1890s produced caractacus , king olaf cantatas, enigma variations in 1899, , revolutionary dream of gerontius in 1900.

late nineteenth-century foundations

between 1880 , 1887 london guildhall school of music established. royal college of music, originating in training school under arthur sullivan, founded (1882–83) under sir george grove. queen s hall promenade concerts, led sir henry wood founded in 1895.

a member of teaching staff @ rcm 1884 , director 1894 until death sir hubert parry (1848–1918), used platform creativity , reformation of british music. own works included cantatas prometheus unbound (1880) , king saul (1894), , 4 symphonies, among them english (1889). great contemporary irish-born sir charles villiers stanford (1852–1924), professor of composition @ rcm 1883; conductor of bach choir 1886 1902; professor of music @ cambridge 1887 , conductor of leeds philharmonic society (1897–1909), , of leeds festival (1901 1910). these figures had profound effect on generation of composers included gustav holst , ralph vaughan williams.

national or pastoral school

frederick delius in 1929

a notable feature of late 19th century , 20th century creation of english national or pastoral school of classical music. paralleled similar developments in european countries, instance in music of smetana, dvořák, grieg, liszt, wagner, nielsen , sibelius. movement particularly influenced british folk revival through work of figures such sabine baring-gould , cecil sharp. examples include australian percy grainger s molly on shore (1907), frederick delius brigg fair (1908), , ralph vaughan williams english folk song suite (1923) brass band, subtler references folk themes in other works including works of arnold bax, george butterworth, gustav holst, samuel coleridge-taylor , john ireland. similar developments seen in scotland in work of sir alexander mackenzie, celebrated native scotland in 3 scottish rhapsodies orchestra (1880–81, 1911), , in various concerted works piano or violin , orchestra composed during 1880s , 1890s. similarly, john mcewen s pibroch (1889), border ballads (1908) , solway symphony (1911) incorporated traditional scottish folk melodies.