NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

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Contents <strong>INTRODUCTION</strong> CHAPTERS 1 Early History 2 Charles Avison 3 The Conspicuous Worthies 4 The Age of Elegance 5 The Grand Music Festivals 6 The Harmonic Society 7 Dr. William Rea 8 The People’s Concerts 9 Newcastle’s Musical Theatres 10 Music for Everyone 11 The Celebrity Concerts 12 The Newcastle Conservatoire 13 The Newcastle Philharmonic Orchestra 14 End of a Golden Age 15 Culture at a Price 16 New Beginnings 17 Past Regrets – Future Hopes ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BIBLIOGRAPHY 2
A History of Music in Newcastle upon Tyne © Joseph W. Pegg <strong>INTRODUCTION</strong> This book presents, for the first time, a comprehensive account of Newcastle’s musical history. My original intention was to write an essay on the musical life of Newcastle during the Victorian era but that would have meant passing over Charles Avison. I decided, therefore, to begin at the beginning and take the mid nineteen fifties as an end date. In the circumstances it should be unnecessary to remind readers that all my references and comments, unless otherwise stated, are to musical activities in Newcastle prior to the nineteen fifties. . Culture in its higher forms was never to the fore in Newcastle’s rich history and in the past Newcastle was never perceived as a cultural town let alone a musical one, but behind its sooty industrial facade the region managed against all odds to build up an impressive musical culture, which suffered only as the 20th century progressed and by mid century it was all but forgotten. Newcastle was reborn in the mid-20 th century but in spite of its new and exciting image as one of Europe’s leading cities its past musical heritage has remained buried and largely forgotten. Newcastle and the North East Region has always been steeped in culture, culture in the sense of rituals and custom that seal the bond of membership in a community rather than the culture we associate with art and music. Growing up in the town in the nineteen forties I felt constantly frustrated but then there was a war on. After the war there were concerts at the City Hall by visiting orchestras, the odd ballet week at the Theatre Royal and a recital now and then but none of it was homegrown. I well remember a Sunday concert by the Northumberland Orchestral Society in March 1946, conducted by Arthur Milner, one time professor at the Newcastle Conservatoire, that opened with the Overture ‘The Hebrides’ by Mendelssohn played without trombones. Apparently they couldn’t find any trombonists free that afternoon! Such was the state of affairs. I used to wonder why other big industrial towns, such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, could support professional orchestras - orchestras they were proud of - when the best my home town could do was assemble an assortment of professional, semi-professional and amateur musicians into an adhoc symphony orchestra to give a once a year concert to a half empty hall. Little did I realise then that I was echoing the words of Ald. Ellis at a council meeting in 1896 when he said ‘Let the council look for a single moment at what was being 3
Page 1: NEWCASTLE’S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN I
Page 5 and 6: my project with a professional man,
Page 7 and 8: then even in the villages for music
Page 9 and 10: CHAPTER TWO CHARLES AVISON Charles
Page 11 and 12: given in Newcastle. They were held
Page 13 and 14: easoned defences and the citation o
Page 15 and 16: that he is saddened at the transito
Page 17 and 18: men sought Royal Patronage, popular
Page 19 and 20: Avison and began playing the violin
Page 21 and 22: musical dramatist, his arias are st
Page 23 and 24: features, Hawdon’s compositions i
Page 25 and 26: two music academies listed in the D
Page 27 and 28: An ootlandish chap seun appeared on
Page 29 and 30: CHAPTER FIVE THE GRAND MUSIC FESTIV
Page 31 and 32: to Handel Oratorios and I suspect t
Page 33 and 34: CHAPTER SIX THE HARMONIC SOCIETY In
Page 35 and 36: would also have been audience parti
Page 37 and 38: 1826. According to Mackenzie’s 18
Page 39 and 40: successful, such as (once again!) H
Page 41 and 42: CHAPTER SEVEN DR WILLIAM REA I had
Page 43 and 44: exclusive civilised affairs, with t
Page 45 and 46: although I can find no evidence tha
Page 47 and 48: In a cemetery now largely overgrown
Page 49 and 50: direction. That is until 1888 when
Page 51 and 52: acceptable standards and he got out
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century at least the divide between
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the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind
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Musical Comedy as we came to know i
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In 1887 Augustus Harris took over t
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eat, drink or smoke whilst the ente
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disposal a substantial orchestra un
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only the finest artists. The printe
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Cesar Franck. One novel feature int
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especially for these bands and they
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playing, coupled with the means of
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that continued until 1914. One of t
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thought of performing with a bunch
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She danced a full programme of well
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The appearance in Newcastle of Enri
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Renaissance. His teaching staff wer
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Music at 125 Northumberland Street,
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There is surely no need to insist -
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alone limited attendance at these c
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1936: 17 th June. There had been a
Page 91 and 92:
CHAPTER FOURTEEN END OF A GOLDEN AG
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the fact that the town did not have
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iography, Hess’ biographer, who c
Page 97 and 98:
CHAPTER FIFTEEN CULTURE AT A PRICE
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London Symphony and the Halle Orche
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high at this period and the audienc
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audience (who had already paid for
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deterioration into a musical backwa
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work cut out convincing the local c
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country. Amers died in 1936 and God
Page 111 and 112:
Author’s Note Since completing th
Page 113 and 114:
Select Bibliography Anderton, H.O.,
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