A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Royal Academy of Music (1823– )
ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC. The original plan for this institution was proposed by Lord Westmorland (then Lord Burghersh) at a meeting of noblemen and gentlemen held at the Thatched House Tavern, London, on July 5, 1822. The proposal meeting with approval, at a second meeting, July 12, rules and regulations were drawn up and a committee was appointed to carry out the undertaking. According to the rules adopted, the constitution of the new Academy was to be modelled upon the British Institution. The king was announced as the principal Patron, the government was to consist of a committee of twenty-five Directors and a sub-committee of nine subscribers, and the school was to be supported by subscriptions and donations. There was also to be a Board, consisting of the Principal and four professors, and the number of pupils was not to exceed forty boys and forty girls, to be admitted between the ages of 10 and 15, and all to be boarded in the establishment. A sub-committee, the members of which were Lord Burghersh, Sir Gore Ouseley, Count St. Antonio, Sir Andrew Barnard, Sir John Murray, and the Hon. A. Macdonald, was empowered to form the Institution. Dr. Crotch was appointed the first Principal, and by September 1, the sum of £4312 10s. had been collected, with an annual subscription of £510, including 100 guineas from George IV., which has been continued by his successors, William IV. and Queen Victoria. In November the house, No. 4, Tenterden Street, Hanover Square, was taken for the new school, but the opening was deferred until March 1823, on the 24th of which month the first lesson was given by Mr. Cipriani Potter to Mr. Kellow Pye.
The Academy began its labours with the following staff:—Head Master—Rev. John Miles. Governess—Mrs. Wade. Principal—Dr. Crotch. Board of Professors—Messrs. Attwood, Greatorex, Shield, and Sir George Smart. Supplementary members of the Board—Messrs. Horsley and J. B. Cramer. Professors—Messrs. Anfossi, Andrew, Bishop, Bochsa, Crivelli, F. Cramer, Clementi, Coccia, Cerruti, Dragonetti, Dizi, Griesbach, Hawes, Ireland, C. Kramer, Liverati, Lindley, Loder, Mori, Macintosh, Nicholson, Cipriani Potter, Puzzi, Ries, H. Smart, Spagnoletti, Watts, Willmann, and Caravita.[1]
The Foundation students who were first elected were the following. Girls—M. E. Lawson, C. Smith, M. Chancellor, S. Collier, E. Jenkyns, M. A. Jay, C. Bromley, H. Little, J. Palmer, C. Porter. Boys—W. H. Holmes, H. A. M. Cooke,[2] A. Greatorex, T. M. Mudie, H. G. Blagrove, Kellow J. Pye, W. H. Phipps, A. Devaux, C. Seymour, E. J. Neilson, and C. S. Packer. The pupils were divided into two classes, those on the foundation paying 10 guineas per annum, while extra students paid 20 guineas, or if they lodged and boarded in the establishment, 38 guineas. Although the first Report of the Committee (June 2, 1823) was satisfactory, yet financial difficulties soon made themselves felt. In March, 1824, the Committee reported a deficiency for the current year of £1600, if the institution were conducted on the same plan as before. To meet this, the difference between the students' payments was abolished, and the fees were fixed for all at £40, the professors at the same time giving their instruction gratis for three months. Lord Burghersh also applied to the government for a grant, but without effect. In 1825 further alterations were made as to the admission of students, by which the numbers amounted in four months' time to a hundred, and Lord Burghersh made another appeal for a government grant. In spite of this, the year's accounts still showed an unsatisfactory financial condition. During the latter part of the year Moscheles was included among the staff of professors. Early in 1826 the increased number of students compelled the Academy to enlarge its premises, the lease[3] of No. 5 Tenterden Street was bought, and the two houses were thrown into one. In February the government were petitioned for a charter. In reply it was stated that though unwilling to give a grant, they were ready to defray the cost of a charter. In 1827 the financial condition of the Academy was so disastrous that it was proposed to close the institution; but a final appeal to the public procured a loan of £1469, beside further donations, enabling the Directors to carry on the undertaking on a reduced scale and with increased fees. Henceforward the state of things began to mend. The charter was granted on June 23, 1830. By this document the members of the Academy and their successors were incorporated and declared to be, and for ever hereafter to continue to be by the name of the 'Royal Academy of Music,' under the government of a Board of Directors, consisting of thirty members, with power to make rules and regulations; a Committee of Management, with full power over the funds and both students and professors; and a Treasurer.
In 1832 Dr. Crotch resigned his post of Principal, and was succeeded by Cipriani Potter, who retained office until his resignation in 1859. The financial position of the Academy, although not prosperous, remained on a tolerably secure footing. In 1834, William IV directed that a quarter of the proceeds of the Musical Festival held in Westminster Abbey should be handed over to the institution. This sum, amounting to £2250, was devoted by the Committee to the foundation of four King's Scholarships, to be competed for by two male and two female students. Instead, however, of being invested separately the fund was merged in the general property of the Academy, a mistake which eventually led to the discontinuance of the scholarships. For the next ten years the financial condition of the Academy continued to fluctuate. In July 1853 the Committee of Management (which was totally unprofessional in its constitution) summoned the professors, revealed to them the decline of the funded property, and asked their counsel as to the remedies to be adopted. The professors advised that the management should be made entirely professional. This course was so far adopted that a Board of Professors was appointed to advise the Committee.
The first act of this Board (Sept. 1853) was to recommend the discontinuance of the practice of students lodging and boarding on the premises. This recommendation was adopted, and since that time the Academy only receives day students. The Board formed in 1853 was disbanded by Lord Westmorland in 1856, but after his death in 1859, a new Board was formed; this, however, found itself obliged to resign in 1864. Before its resignation it drew up a memorial to government, praying for an annual grant. After a conference with a deputation of Professors, Mr. Gladstone, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, inserted in the estimates for the year a sum of £500 'to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending March 31, 1865, for enabling the Directors of the Royal Academy of Music to provide accomodation for the Institution.' In 1866, upon the change of Administration, suggestions were made to the Committee on the part of the government, and were renewed personally in 1867 by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in consequence of which the Committee was induced to expend the whole of its funds, in order to accommodate the institution to the designs in which it was invited to participate. In 1867, Lord Beaconsfield (then Mr. Disraeli), in reply to a question as to the grant, announced in the House of Commons that 'the Government were of opinion that they would not be authorised in recommending any enlargement of the grant, the results of the institution not being in fact of a satisfactory character.' This was followed by the total withdrawal of the grant, in order (to quote from an official letter addressed to Sir Sterndale Bennett) simply to give effect to the opinion that it was not so expedient to subsidise a central and quasi-independent association, as to establish a system of musical instruction under the direct control of some Department of Government.' In this emergency the Committee decided to close the establishment. The funds (including the sum devoted to the King's Scholarships) were totally exhausted. The Professors met in 1868 to consider what could be done, and generously offered to accept a payment pro ratâ. It was then however announced that the Committee had resigned the Charter into the hands of the Queen. Upon this the Professors obtained a legal opinion, to the effect that the Charter could not be resigned without the consent of every member of the Academy. As many of the members protested at the time against the resignation of the Charter, it was returned, and by great exertions on the part of the Professors, a new Board of Directors was formed under the Presidency of the Earl of Dudley, who appointed a new Committee of Management, in which the professional element formed an important ingredient. From the time of this change the institution has continued to prosper. In 1868, on the return to office of the Liberal Ministry, Mr. Gladstone restored the annual grant of £500. In 1876 the number of pupils had so increased, that the lease of the house adjoining the premises in Tenterden Street had to be repurchased out of the savings of the institution. This house was joined on to the original premises, and a concert-room was formed out of part of the two houses, which though small has proved a great boon not only to the students for their regular concerts, but to many concert-givers for whose purposes the more extensive rooms of St. James'a Hall, Exeter Hall, etc., are too large [App. p.776 "add that the room was not available as a public concert room for a few years, the license being withdrawn for some time"]. In July 1880 Mr. William Shakespeare was appointed conductor of the Students' Concerts, vice Mr. Walter Macfarren. [App. p.776 "Mr. Shakespeare was succeeded in this capacity by Mr. Barnby in 1886."]
The following have been the Principals of the Academy from its foundation to the present time: Dr. Crotch (1823–1832), Cipriani Potter (1832–1859), Charles Lucas (1859–1866), William Sterndale Bennett (1866–1875), George Alexander Macfarren (1875). [App. p.776 "add date of death of Sir G. A. Macfarren, 1887, and that of the appointment of his successor, Dr. A. C. Mackenzie, 1888."]
The Academy is supported by the Government grant, subscriptions, donations, and fees from students. It is under the direction of a President (Earl Dudley), three Vice-Presidents (Sir Thos. Gladstone, Sir T. T. Bernard, and the Rev. Sir F. A. G. Ouseley, Bt.), and twenty-four Directors, amongst whom are Sir Julius Benedict, Sir G. J. Elvey, Professor Macfarren, and Messrs. Cusins, Garcia, Halle, W. H. Holmes, W. Macfarren, Osborne, Randegger, and Brinley Richards. The Committee of Management consists of the Principal, Sir Julius Benedict, and Messrs. Cox, Dorrell, Garcia, Leslie, Low, Lunn, W. Macfarren, Randegger, Brinley Richards, Sainton, Sparrow, Wood, and Dr. Steggall. There are seventy-eight Professors (including assistant and sub-professors), and the course of instruction comprises harmony and composition, singing, pianoforte, organ, harp, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet and cornet, trombone, military music, elocution, acoustics, and the English, French, German, and Italian languages. There are also classes for sight-singing, string quartets, and opera. The annual fee for the entire course of study is thirty guineas, with an entrance fee of five guineas, the only extras being two guineas a term for the operatic class, and one guinea for the classes for the study of English, French, German, Italian, and acoustics. The library of the institution has been noticed in the article on Musical Libraries (vol. ii. p. 420.)
The following are the principal Scholarships and Exhibitions offered for competition:—the Westmorland Scholarship of £10, for female vocalists between the ages of 18 and 24; the Potter Exhibition of £12, for male and female candidates in alternate years; the Sterndale Bennett Scholarship, of two years' free education in the the Academy, for male candidates between the ages of 14 and 21; the Parepa-Rosa Scholarship, of two years' free education in the Academy, for British-born females between the ages of 18 and 22; the Sir John Goss Scholarship of 15 guineas, awarded triennially to male organists under 18; the Thalberg Scholarship of £20, for male and female pianists at alternate elections, between the ages of 14 and 21; the Novello Scholarship, of three years' free education at the Academy, for male candidates between the ages of 14 and 18; the Lady Goldsmid Scholarship, of one year's free education in the Academy, for female pianists; the Balfe Scholarship for composition, of one year's free education at the Academy, for Britishborn males between the ages of 14 and 21; and the Hine Gift of £12, given annually for the best English ballad composed by pupils under 17. In addition to these, several prizes offered for competition, and certificates of it, silver and bronze medals, are awarded anually.
Public performances have been given by the pupils of the Royal Academy at various intervals from the date of its foundation. Their locality was sometimes in the Hanover Square Rooms and sometimes at Tenterden Street. The present custom is to have two concerts of chamber and choral music at the Academy, and one orchestral concert at St. James's Hall every term. From 1828 to 1831 operatic performances were given in public by the students, but since then they have been discontinued, the performances of the operatic class being held privately once or twice in each term. There is orchestral and choral practice twice a week throughout the year, at which pupils have the opportunity of hearing their own instrumental or vocal compositions and of performing concertos and songs with orchestral accompaniments. The number of pupils has increased from 300 in 1876, to 400 in 1881.[ W. B. S. ]
- ↑ Although the above was published in the 'Morning Post' as the list of professors, instruction seems only to have been given by the following:—Dr. Crotch. Messrs. Lord, Potter, Haydon, Crivelli, F. Cramer, Spagnoletti, Lindley, Bochsa, Cooke, Caravita, Cicchetti, Goodwin, J. B. Cramer, Beale, and Finart; and by Mmes. Biagioli, Raguandin and Miss Adams. (See First Report of the Committee, June 2, 1823.
- ↑ Known as 'Grattan Cooke.'
- ↑ Relinquished in or before 1853.