The Sacred Harmonic Society (1832-1888) was an amateur musical organization of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. It was organized for the weekly practice of
sacred music
Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Relig ...
and the performance of
oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
s and other sacred music.
Performances
It was noted for its performances of
Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...
's work at the Handel festivals held at
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibit ...
of London beginning in 1857. As many as 3,000 singers were frequently assembled with an orchestra of 500 pieces.
It performed the London premier of
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 ...
's ''
Elijah
Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) was, according to the Books of ...
'' in 1847.
Locations
Its initial home was Gate Chapel in
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...
Fields. In 1836 it moved to
Exeter Hall
Exeter Hall was a large public meeting place on the north side of the Strand in central London, opposite where the Savoy Hotel now stands. From 1831 until 1907 Exeter Hall was the venue for many great gatherings by promoters of human bettermen ...
. In 1882, the Society lost the use of Exeter Hall and disbanded.
Conductors
When the Society was founded,
George Perry was chosen leader of the band. At the Society's first concert, on January 15, 1833, the program contained a selection from his oratorios ''The Fall of Jerusalem'' and ''The Death of Abel''. Perry assiduously supported the Society during the 16 years he was connected with it. In 1848 Surman, the conductor, was removed from his post, and Perry performed the duties until the close of the season, when he severed his connection with the society on the election of
Michael Costa to the conductorship.
Costa held the conductorship until the Society was disbanded.
See also
*
Robert Kanzow Bowley
References
{{reflist
Organizations established in 1832
1882 disestablishments in England
Classical music in London
Cultural organisations based in London