A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Vocal Concerts

VOCAL CONCERTS. These concerts, the first of which was given on Feb. 11, 1792, originated in the secession of Mr. Harrison from the Ancient Concerts in 1789, after having been a member of the chorus from their commencement fourteen years before. Harrison was joined by Miss Cantelo, whom he subsequently married, and in 1791 by Bartleman, and at the close of that year they circulated proposals for the new concerts, which were commenced at Willis's Rooms under the management of Messrs. Harrison and Knyvett senior. The performances at first were on a humble scale, the accompaniments being furnished by the pianoforte, at which the elder Knyvett presided as conductor, and a quartet of two violins, viola, and cello, led by François Cramer. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and Bartleman were the principal singers, and were assisted in the glees, which formed the principal feature of the concerts, by Mr. Knyvett, jun., Master W. Knyvett, and others. The programme of the opening concert, which may be accepted as a fair sample of the schemes of the first three seasons, included Atterbury's glee, 'Come, let us all a maying go'; Arne's glee, 'Where the bee sucks'; Callcott's 'Peace to the souls of the heroes'; Stevens's glee, 'To be gazing on those charms,' and some songs, duets, catches, and rounds. The chief vocal writers of the day including Callcott, Crotch, Spofforth, Dr. Clarke, and Stevenson contributed new works to the programmes, and Italian music was added. In 1793 Mme. Dussek and Miss Poole (afterwards Mrs. Dickons) joined the vocalists, and the brothers Leander, then the most celebrated horn-players in Europe, were added to the little band. The concerts, ten of which were given each season, were abandoned at the end of 1794, the subscription having fallen off, and Harrison and his wife and Bartleman returned to the Ancient Concerts, the cause of their failure being the competition of Saloman's concerts (with Haydn's music, and Mme. Mara among the singers), the Professional Concerts (with Pleyel and Billington), and the Ancient Concerts, rather than any lack of excellence either in the programmes or their execution. In 1801, when the Ancient Concerts alone remained in the field, the Vocal Concerts were revived with the additional attractions of a complete orchestra and chorus. The band was led by Cramer; Greatorex was organist and general conductor; and among the principal singers, beside the two directors, Harrison and Bartleman, were Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Bianchi, Miss Parke, Miss Tennant, and Mr. W. Knyvett. The programmes provided a wider variety of excellent music than has ever been given in a single series of concerts, the best specimens of ancient work, English and foreign, being interspersed with the compositions of the best contemporary writers. In 1802 Mrs. Harrison retired from public engagements, and the Knyvetts withdrew from the management, although they still assisted in the concerts, and in 1803 Mrs. Billington was engaged, the attraction of her name bringing a large accession of support. On her retirement Mrs. Vaughan, Miss Stephens, and Mrs. Salmon succeeded as principal English singers, whilst Catalani, Bellochi, Fodor, and Camporese were heard on the foreign side. Braham sang for one if not two seasons after Harrison's death in 1812, and Tramezzani, Naldi, Fischer, and Ambrogetti played in the orchestra. The death of Bartleman and the decreasing popularity of the vocal part-music of the English school, added to the increasing attractions of the Philharmonic Society's Concerts, gradually reduced the subscription to the Vocal Concerts, and after trying the effect of reducing the number of concerts and the amount of the subscription, they were finally abandoned in 1821 [App. p.813 "1822"]. As an episode in their history it may be mentioned that an opposition series, under the name of 'Messrs. Knyvett and Vaughan's Vocal Subscription Concerts,' was begun in 1811 with six or seven hundred subscribers, including the Dukes of Kent, Sussex, and Cambridge; the programmes of 1812 included the first acts of 'Don Juan' and 'Figaro,' the finale to the second act of 'Don Juan' and other pieces from Mozart's operas; but in 1812 the death of Harrison led to a union of the two schemes, which was accomplished in 1813.

[ C. M. ]