A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Choral Harmonists' Society
CHORAL HARMONISTS' SOCIETY. An association of amateurs devoted to the performance of great choral works with orchestral accompaniments; held its first meeting at the New London Hotel, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, Jan. 2, 1833, and the subsequent ones at the London Tavern until the last Concert, April 4, 1851, twelve months after which the Society was dissolved. It had a full band (containing, in 1838, 14 violins, 6 violas, 3 cellos, 3 basses, with complete wind) and chorus. The solo singers were professionals—Clara Novello, Miss Birch, Miss Dolby, Mr. J. A. Novello, etc. Its conductors were Messrs. V. Novello, Lucas, Neate, and Westrop; leader Mr. Dando. The programmes were excellent. Among the works performed were Beethoven's Mass in D (April 1, 1839, and again April 1, 1844), Haydn's Seasons, Mendelssohn's Walpurgisnight, etc.
The Choral Harmonists were a secession from the City of London Classical Harmonists, who held their first meeting April 6, 1831, and met alternately at Farn's music shop, 72 Lombard Street, and the Horn Tavern, Doctors' Commons. Mr. T. H. Severn was conductor, and Mr. Dando leader, and the accompaniments were arranged for a septet string band. Among the principal works thus given were—Oberon, Spohr's Mass in C minor, and 'Letzten Dinge,' a selection from Mozart's Idomeneo, etc. The name 'City of London' was intended to distinguish it from the Classical Harmonists, a still older society, meeting at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand, of which Mr. Griffin and Mr. V. Novello were conductors.[ C. M. ]