A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Caecilian Society

CAECILIAN SOCIETY. This society was instituted in 1785 by a few friends who met weekly at each other's houses for the practice of hymns and anthems, but subsequently, having some instrumentalists among them, they united for the performance of sacred works on a more extended scale, and especially of Handel's oratorios. In 1791 an organ was erected in the society's room in Friday-street, and after meeting at Plasterers' Hall, Painters' Hall, Coachmen's Hall, and the Paul's Head, they obtained the use of Albion Hall, London Wall, where they met until the dissolution of the society in 1861. Among the works performed were all Handel's oratorios and secular compositions, Haydn's 'Creation' and 'Seasons,' Mozart's and Haydn's masses and Mendelssohn's 'Elijah.' W. Russell, sometime organist to the Foundling, composed for the society, of which he was a member, 'The Redemption of Israel' and the 'Ode to Music,' the words of the latter being supplied by Mr. Vincent. John Nightingale, Russell's successor at the Foundling, who became organist to the society, also composed a work for performance by the members. For many years the society gave the only performances of the oratorios of Handel and Haydn which could be heard (except during Lent at the theatres of Covent Garden and Drury Lane), and its work may be said to have been taken up by the Sacred Harmonic Society, which was founded a few [App. p.574 "nearly thirty"] years before the dissolution of the older body. The first conductor of the Society was Mr. Vincent, an amateur, who filled the office for upwards of thirty years, when he was succeeded by Mr. Walker, whose place was taken by his own son Joseph Walker. Mr. Shoubridge was the last conductor. Among the earlier members were some professional musicians who afterwards became famous, and who when they had left its ranks frequently came to assist in its performances. The society was almost entirely self-supporting, and the tickets of admission to the concerts were given by the members to their friends.

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