The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain is a charity in the United Kingdom that supports

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

s. It is the oldest music-related charity in Great Britain, founded in 1738 as the ''Fund for Decay'd Musicians'' by a declaration of trust signed by 228 musicians, including Edward Purcell (eldest son of

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

), Thomas Arne,

William Boyce William Boyce may refer to: *William Boyce (composer) (1711–1779), English-born composer and Master of the King's Musick * William Binnington Boyce (1804–1889), English-born philologist and clergyman, active in Australia *William Waters Boyce ( ...

Johann Christoph Pepusch Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667 – 1752), also known as John Christopher Pepusch and Dr Pepusch, was a German-born composer who spent most of his working life in England. He was born in Berlin, son of a vicar, and was married to Margherita de l ...

Hilda Wilson Hilda Wilson (7 April 1860 – 10 December 1918) was a British contralto and composer who also used the name Matilda Ellen Wilson and composed under the name Douglas Hope. Life Wilson was born into a musical family in Monmouth. Her father James ...

, Dr.

John Worgan John Worgan (1724–1790) was an organist and composer of Welsh descent. He is best known for playing the organ at Vauxhall Gardens, the London public pleasure garden in the mid 18th century. Life Worgan was born in London in 1724. He was one of ...

, and

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...

. It still operates a bank account at Drummonds Bank (now part of

Royal Bank of Scotland The Royal Bank of Scotland plc (RBS; gd, Banca Rìoghail na h-Alba) is a major retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It is one of the retail banking subsidiaries of NatWest Group, together with NatWest (in England and Wales) and Ulster Bank ...

) which was opened by its first secretary,

Michael Christian Festing Michael Christian Festing (29 November 1705 – 24 July 1752) was an English violinist and composer. His reputation lies mostly on his work as a violin virtuoso. Biography Michael Christian Festing was born in London to parents John and Elizabet ...

, in November 1738. The fund received patronage from George III, and it was incorporated by royal charter in 1790. Funds were raised by holding charity concerts, musical dinners, and music festival. Liszt gave his first concert in England for the benefit of the society in 1824, aged 12. It also held performances by

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositi ...

, Moscheles, and Dvořák. Meyerbeer, Liszt, and Clara Schumann all became members. A

Society of Female Musicians A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societi ...

was formed in 1840, but merged with the royal society in 1866. In the days before the welfare state, membership of the royal society guaranteed a degree of financial security to professional musicians. A second royal charter was granted in 1987, confirming its aims to support to all professional musicians (not just members) and their dependents who are in need through illness, disease or old age.

References

External links

Royal Society of Musicians
s website {{Authority control 1738 establishments in Great Britain Organizations established in 1738 Organisations based in the United Kingdom with royal patronage