A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Concentores Sodales

by Charles Mackeson

CONCENTORES SODALES, established in June 1798, and to some extent the revival of an association formed in 1790 by Dr. Callcott, Dr. Cooke, and others. For that society Dr. Callcott wrote his glee 'Peace to the souls of the heroes,' and Robert Cooke 'No riches from his scanty store.' After its dissolution the want of such an association was greatly felt, and in 1798 Mr. Horsley proposed to Dr. Callcott the formation of the 'Concentores Sodales.' The first meeting was held on June 9, at the Buffalo Tavern, Bloomsbury, and was attended by Dr. Callcott, R. Cooke, J. Pring, J. Horsfall, W. Horsley, and S. Webbe, jun. Among the early members were S. Webbe, sen., Linley, and Bartleman, Harrison, Greatorex, Spofforth, etc. Each member who was a composer contributed a new canon on the day of his presidency. In the Additional MSS. in the British Museum, 27,693, is the programme of Thursday, Nov. 18, 1802. The society began to decline about 1812, and it was decided to dissolve it. In May 1817, at a meeting at the Freemasons' Tavern, at which Attwood, Elliott, Horsley, Linley, and Spofforth were present, it was resolved to re-establish it, with this difference—that no one should be a member who was not practicing composition and did not, previous to his ballot, produce a work in at least four parts. The original members were soon joined by Evans, W.Hawes, T. F. Walmisley, and Smart, and later by Bishop, Goes, Jolly, and Attwood. The associates included King, Leete, Terrail, and Sale. The members took the chair by turns, and the chairman for the evening usually produced a new canon which was followed by glees of his own composition, and a madrigal or some vocal work. As an illustration of the programmes may be cited that of Feb. 13, 1824, when Mr. (now Sir) John Goss presided:—new canon, 4 in 2, 'Cantate Domino'; new glees, 'While the shepherds,' 'My days have been,' 'When happy love,' 'There is beauty on the mountain,' 'Kitty Fell,' 'Calm as yon stream,' 'List! for the breeze'; glee by Spofforth, 'Hail, smiling morn.' The society was dissolved in 1847, when it was resolved to present the books belonging to it to Gresham College, the wine to the secretary, T. F. Walmisley, and the money in hand was spent on a piece of plate for Mr. Horsley, the father of the society.

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