The Toronto Philharmonic Society was one of the first secular music organizations in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada. The Society included both singers and instrumentalists.

History

The Society was founded in 1845 by John McCaul, who was at the time president of King's College. It became inactive in the late 1860s, but was revived in 1872 by McCaul and organist

James P. Clarke James Paul Clarke (August 18, 1854 – October 1, 1916) was a United States Senator and the 18th Governor of Arkansas as well as a white supremacist. Biography Clarke was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. His father died when Clarke was seven ye ...

, who became its conductor. Under his leadership the Society presented Handel's ''Messiah'' at Shaftesbury Hall in 1873, with more than 150 voices. Frederick Torrington took over as conductor later that year, and the group went on to perform many oratorios, including premiers of Canadian works. The Society also performed both vocal and instrumental classical music and selections from operas. Most of the performances took place at Shaftesbury Hall and at the Horticultural Pavilion in

Allan Gardens Allan Gardens is a conservatory and urban park located in the Garden District of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The property includes a playground, off-leash dog park, and a conservatory with six green houses. The park originated from lands donated ...

, and many of the pieces performed had not been heard in Canada before.

References

{{Reflist 1845 establishments in Canada Performing arts in Toronto Classical music in Canada