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{{Short description|British musical society}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
[[File:Great Marlborough Street, Soho (33100262490).jpg|thumb|Society headquarters on Great Marlborough Street]]
[[File:Great Marlborough Street, Soho (33100262490).jpg|thumb|Society headquarters on Great Marlborough Street]]
The '''Royal Philharmonic Society''' is a [[Great Britain|British]] [[European classical music|music]] society, formed in 1813. It was originally formed in [[London]] to promote performances of instrumental music there. Many distinguished [[composer]]s and performers have taken part in its concerts. It is now a membership society, and while it no longer has its own orchestra, it continues a wide-ranging programme of activities which focus on composers and young musicians and aim to engage audiences so that future generations will enjoy a rich and vibrant musical life. Since 1989 it has promoted the annual [[Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards]] for live music-making in the United Kingdom. The RPS is a registered UK charity No. 213693. It is located at 48 Great Marlborough Street in London.
The '''Royal Philharmonic Society''' (RPS) is a [[Great Britain|British]] [[European classical music|music]] society, formed in 1813. Its original purpose was to promote performances of instrumental music in [[London]]. Many [[composer]]s and performers have taken part in its concerts. It is now a membership society, and while it no longer has its own orchestra, it continues a wide-ranging programme of activities which focus on composers and young musicians and aim to engage audiences so that [[future generations]] will enjoy a rich and vibrant musical life. Since 1989, the RPS has promoted the annual [[Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards]] for live music-making in the United Kingdom.


The RPS is a registered UK charity No. 213693, located at 48 Great Marlborough Street in London. The current chief executive of the RPS is James Murphy, and its current chairman is [[John Gilhooly]].
The society's Gold Medal for outstanding musicianship is awarded only occasionally.


==History==
== History ==
In London, at a time when there were no permanent London orchestras, nor organised series of [[chamber music]] concerts, a group of thirty music professionals formed the ''Philharmonic Society of London'' on 6 February 1813. The idea was that by cooperating, they could build a stronger orchestra than by competing against one another.<ref>{{cite web|author=Leanne Langley|url=http://www.bl.uk/eblj/2013articles/pdf/ebljarticle122013.pdf|title=A Place for Music: John Nash, Regent Street and the Philharmonic Society of London|work=Electronic British Library Journal|date=2013|page=1|accessdate=2015-05-27}}</ref> However, given the organization's choice to hold its concerts at the [[Argyll Rooms]], it is likely that the society was initiated because of [[John Nash (architect)|John Nash]]'s bold urban redesign of [[Regent Street]]. In this way, the society would gain an impressive performing space once the old Argyll Rooms had to be rebuilt due to the Regent Street plan, and [[Prince regent]] [[George IV of the United Kingdom|George IV]] could promote classical music as a British institution and thereby improve his reputation.<ref>Langley, 3.</ref> Concerts were held in the Argyll Rooms until it burned down in 1830.
In London, at a time when there were no permanent London orchestras, nor organised series of [[chamber music]] concerts, a group of thirty music professionals formed the ''Philharmonic Society of London'' on 6 February 1813. The idea was that by cooperating, they could build a stronger orchestra than by competing against one another.<ref>{{cite web|author=Leanne Langley|url=http://www.bl.uk/eblj/2013articles/pdf/ebljarticle122013.pdf|title=A Place for Music: John Nash, Regent Street and the Philharmonic Society of London|work=Electronic British Library Journal|year=2013|page=1|access-date=27 May 2015}}</ref> However, given the organization's choice to hold its concerts at the [[Argyll Rooms]], it is likely that the society was initiated because of [[John Nash (architect)|John Nash]]'s bold urban redesign of [[Regent Street]]. In this way, the society would gain an impressive performing space once the old Argyll Rooms had to be rebuilt due to the Regent Street plan, and [[Prince regent]] [[George IV of the United Kingdom|George IV]] could promote classical music as a British institution and thereby improve his reputation.<ref>Langley, 3.</ref> Concerts were held in the Argyll Rooms until it burned down in 1830.


The Society's aim was "to promote the performance, in the most perfect manner possible of the best and most approved instrumental music". The first concert, on 8 March 1813, was presided over by [[Johann Peter Salomon]], with [[Muzio Clementi]] at the piano and the violin prodigy [[Nicolas Mori]] as lead violinist, performing symphonies by [[Joseph Haydn]] and [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]. Among the founders were the pianist and violinist [[William Dance]] (who became the society's first director and treasurer until his death in 1840), composer [[Henry Bishop (composer)|Henry Bishop]], and [[Charles Neate (musician)|Charles Neate]], a pianist and friend of Beethoven, who publicised Beethoven's music at the Society.
The Society's aim was "to promote the performance, in the most perfect manner possible of the best and most approved instrumental music". The first concert, on 8 March 1813, was presided over by [[Johann Peter Salomon]], with [[Muzio Clementi]] at the piano and the violin prodigy [[Nicolas Mori]] as lead violinist, performing symphonies by [[Joseph Haydn]] and [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]. Among the founders were the pianist and violinist [[William Dance]] (who became the society's first director and treasurer until his death in 1840), composer [[Henry Bishop (composer)|Henry Bishop]], and [[Charles Neate (musician)|Charles Neate]], a pianist and friend of Beethoven, who publicised Beethoven's music at the Society.


The Society asked Beethoven to come to London, but the composer's health prevented his accepting the invitation. However the society's request for a new symphony from him resulted in the ''[[Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)|Choral Symphony]]''. In 1827 Beethoven wrote to the society outlining his straitened circumstances; at a special general meeting the society resolved to send the composer £100 immediately ({{inflation|UK|100|1827|fmt=eq|cursign=£|r=-2}}—[[George Bernard Shaw]] once referred to this as "the only entirely creditable incident in English history"). Other works written for the Society include the ''[[Symphony No. 4 (Mendelssohn)|Italian Symphony]]'' by [[Felix Mendelssohn]]. Distinguished conductors included [[Ludwig Spohr]], one of the first conductors to use a baton, [[Hector Berlioz]], who conducted a concert of his works in 1853, [[Richard Wagner]], who conducted the whole 1855 season of orchestral concerts, [[William Sterndale Bennett]] for the following ten years, [[Arthur Sullivan]], and [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]], who conducted his own works in 1888 and 1893.
The Society asked Beethoven to come to London, but the composer's health prevented his accepting the invitation. However the society's request for a new symphony from him resulted in the ''[[Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)|Choral Symphony]]''. In 1827 Beethoven wrote to the society outlining his straitened circumstances; at a special general meeting the society resolved to send the composer £100 immediately ({{inflation|UK|100|1827|fmt=eq|cursign=£|r=-2}};{{Inflation/fn|UK}} [[George Bernard Shaw]] once referred to this as "the only entirely creditable incident in English history"). Other works written for the Society include the ''[[Symphony No. 4 (Mendelssohn)|Italian Symphony]]'' by [[Felix Mendelssohn]]. Distinguished conductors included [[Ludwig Spohr]], one of the first conductors to use a baton, [[Hector Berlioz]], who conducted a concert of his works in 1853, [[Richard Wagner]], who conducted the whole 1855 season of orchestral concerts, [[William Sterndale Bennett]] for the following ten years, [[Arthur Sullivan]], and [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]], who conducted his own works in 1888 and 1893.


From 1830 to 1869, the Society gave its concerts in the concert-hall of [[Hanover Square Rooms]], which had seating for only about 800. The Society decided to move permanently to [[St James's Hall]], and a complimentary additional concert, held at the hall, was given to its subscribers at the end of the 1868–69 season. [[Charles Santley]], [[Charles Hallé]], [[Thérèse Tietjens]] and [[Christina Nilsson]] were the soloists.<ref>R. Elkin, ''Royal Philharmonic: The Annals of the Royal Philharmonic Society'' (Rider & Co, London, 1946), p. 65.</ref> When the move was made, the Society remodelled its charges to obtain a wider audience and compete with [[the Crystal Palace]] and other large venues, and introduced annotated programmes. The Society remained at the hall until 28 February 1894, when it moved to the Queen's Hall.<ref>R. Elkin, ''Queen's Hall 1893–1941'' (Ryder, London 1944), p. 52.</ref>
From 1830 to 1869, the Society gave its concerts in the concert-hall of [[Hanover Square Rooms]], which had seating for only about 800. The Society decided to move permanently to [[St James's Hall]], and a complimentary additional concert, held at the hall, was given to its subscribers at the end of the 1868–69 season. [[Charles Santley]], [[Charles Hallé]], [[Thérèse Tietjens]] and [[Christina Nilsson]] were the soloists.<ref>R. Elkin, ''Royal Philharmonic: The Annals of the Royal Philharmonic Society'' (Rider & Co, London, 1946), p. 65.</ref> When the move was made, the Society remodelled its charges to obtain a wider audience and compete with [[the Crystal Palace]] and other large venues, and introduced annotated programmes. The Society remained at the hall until 28 February 1894, when it moved to the Queen's Hall.<ref>R. Elkin, ''Queen's Hall 1893–1941'' (Ryder, London 1944), p. 52.</ref>


The society became the ''Royal Philharmonic Society'' during its 100th concert season in 1912, and continued organising concerts through the two world wars. It is now a membership society which "seeks to create a future for music through the encouragement of creativity, the recognition of excellence and the promotion of understanding."<ref>R. Elkin, ''Royal Philharmonic: The Annals of the Royal Philharmonic Society'' (Rider & Co, London 1946).</ref>
The society became the ''Royal Philharmonic Society'' during its 100th concert season in 1912, and continued organising concerts through the two world wars. It is now a membership society which "seeks to create a future for music through the encouragement of creativity, the recognition of excellence and the promotion of understanding."<ref>R. Elkin, ''Royal Philharmonic: The Annals of the Royal Philharmonic Society'' (Rider & Co, London 1946).</ref>


*''See '''[[List of works commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society|Works commissioned by the RPS]]''' for a list of works commissioned by or dedicated to the Royal Philharmonic Society.''
* ''See '''[[List of works commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society|Works commissioned by the RPS]]''' for a list of works commissioned by or dedicated to the Royal Philharmonic Society.''


==The Gold Medal==
== The Gold Medal ==
The Gold Medal was first awarded in 1871. The medal depicts the profile of a bust of Beethoven by [[Johann Nepomuk Schaller]] (1777–1842) which was presented to the society in 1870, Beethoven's centenary. It is awarded for "outstanding musicianship", and is given rarely&nbsp;— in 2015 the medal was awarded for the hundredth time.<ref>{{cite book
The Gold Medal was first awarded in 1871. The medal depicts the profile of a bust of Beethoven by [[Johann Nepomuk Schaller]] (1777–1842) which was presented to the society in 1870, Beethoven's centenary. It is awarded for "outstanding musicianship", and is given rarely&nbsp;– in 2015 the medal was awarded for the hundredth time.<ref>{{cite book
|url = http://www.royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/?page=index.html&id=69
|url = https://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/awards/gold_medal/pappano
|title = Gold Medal for Daniel Barenboim
|title = 100th Gold Medal for Antonio Pappano
|publisher = The Royal Philharmonic Society
|publisher = The Royal Philharmonic Society
|date = 29 January 2008
|date = 5 May 2015
| access-date = 31 December 2018
|accessdate = 2008-01-29
}}</ref>
}}</ref>


===Recipients===
=== Recipients ===
{{colbegin||colwidth=25em}}
{{colbegin||colwidth=25em}}
*1871
* 1871
**Sir [[William Sterndale Bennett]]
** Sir [[William Sterndale Bennett]]
**[[Christina Nilsson]]
** [[Christina Nilsson]]
**[[Charles Gounod]]
** [[Charles Gounod]]
**[[Joseph Joachim]]
** [[Joseph Joachim]]
**[[Helen Lemmens-Sherrington]]
** [[Helen Lemmens-Sherrington]]
**[[Arabella Goddard]]
** [[Arabella Goddard]]
**Sir [[Charles Santley]]
** Sir [[Charles Santley]]
**[[William Cusins]]
** [[William Cusins]]
**[[Thérèse Tietjens]]
** [[Thérèse Tietjens]]
**[[Felix Janiewicz]]
** [[Felix Janiewicz]]
**Fanny Linzbauer (the donor of the bust of Beethoven)
** Fanny Linzbauer (the donor of the bust of Beethoven)
*1872
* 1872
**[[Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa]]
** [[Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa]]
*1873
* 1873
**[[Hans von Bülow]]
** [[Hans von Bülow]]
*1876
* 1876
**[[Louisa Pyne|Louisa Bodda-Pyne]]
** [[Louisa Pyne|Louisa Bodda-Pyne]]
**[[Anton Rubinstein]]
** [[Anton Rubinstein]]
*1877
* 1877
**[[Johannes Brahms]]
** [[Johannes Brahms]]
*1880
* 1880
**[[Stanley Lucas (music publisher)|Stanley Lucas]]
** [[Stanley Lucas (music publisher)|Stanley Lucas]]
*1895
* 1895
**[[Adelina Patti]]
** [[Adelina Patti]]
*1897
* 1897
**Dame [[Emma Albani]]
** Dame [[Emma Albani]]
**[[Ignacy Jan Paderewski]]
** [[Ignacy Jan Paderewski]]
*1900
* 1900
**[[Edward Lloyd (tenor)|Edward Lloyd]]
** [[Edward Lloyd (tenor)|Edward Lloyd]]
*1901
* 1901
**[[Eugène Ysaÿe]]
** [[Eugène Ysaÿe]]
*1902
* 1902
**[[Jan Kubelík]]
** [[Jan Kubelík]]
*1903
* 1903
**Dame [[Clara Butt]]
** Dame [[Clara Butt]]
*1904
* 1904
**[[Fritz Kreisler]]
** [[Fritz Kreisler]]
*1909
* 1909
**[[Louise Kirkby Lunn]]
** [[Louise Kirkby Lunn]]
*1910
* 1910
**[[Emil von Sauer]]
** [[Emil von Sauer]]
*1912
* 1912
**[[Pablo Casals]]
** [[Pablo Casals]]
**[[Harold Bauer]]
** [[Harold Bauer]]
**[[Luisa Tetrazzini]]
** [[Luisa Tetrazzini]]
*1914
* 1914
**[[Muriel Foster]]
** [[Muriel Foster]]
*1916
* 1916
**[[Vladimir de Pachmann]]
** [[Vladimir de Pachmann]]
*1921
* 1921
**Sir [[Henry Joseph Wood|Henry Wood]]
** Sir [[Henry Joseph Wood|Henry Wood]]
*1922
* 1922
**Sir [[Alexander Mackenzie (composer)|Alexander Mackenzie]]
** Sir [[Alexander Mackenzie (composer)|Alexander Mackenzie]]
*1932 (??)
* 1932 (??)
**[[Alfred Cortot]]
** [[Alfred Cortot]]
*1925
* 1925
**[[Frederick Delius]]
** [[Frederick Delius]]
**Sir [[Edward Elgar]]
** Sir [[Edward Elgar]]
*1928
* 1928
**Sir [[Thomas Beecham]]
** Sir [[Thomas Beecham]]
*1930
* 1930
**[[Ralph Vaughan Williams]]
** [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]]
**[[Gustav Holst]]
** [[Gustav Holst]]
*1931
* 1931
**[[Arnold Bax]]
** [[Arnold Bax]]
*1932
* 1932
**[[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]
** [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]
*1934
* 1934
**Sir [[Edward German]]
** Sir [[Edward German]]
**Sir [[Hamilton Harty]]
** Sir [[Hamilton Harty]]
*1935
* 1935
**[[Jean Sibelius]]
** [[Jean Sibelius]]
*1936
* 1936
**[[Richard Strauss]]
** [[Richard Strauss]]
*1937
* 1937
**[[Felix Weingartner]]
** [[Felix Weingartner]]
**[[Arturo Toscanini]]
** [[Arturo Toscanini]]
*1942
* 1942
**Dame [[Myra Hess]]
** Dame [[Myra Hess]]
*1944
* 1944
**[[Sergei Prokofiev]]
** [[Sergei Prokofiev]]
**Sir [[Adrian Boult]]
** Sir [[Adrian Boult]]
*1947
* 1947
**Sir [[William Walton]]
** Sir [[William Walton]]
*1950
* 1950
**Sir [[John Barbirolli]]
** Sir [[John Barbirolli]]
*1953
* 1953
**[[Kathleen Ferrier]]
** [[Kathleen Ferrier]]
*1954
* 1954
**[[Igor Stravinsky]]
** [[Igor Stravinsky]]
*1957
* 1957
**[[Bruno Walter]]
** [[Bruno Walter]]
*1959
* 1959
**Sir [[Malcolm Sargent]]
** Sir [[Malcolm Sargent]]
*1961
* 1961
**[[Arthur Rubinstein]]
** [[Arthur Rubinstein]]
*1962
* 1962
**[[Yehudi Menuhin]]
** [[Yehudi Menuhin]]
*1963
* 1963
**Sir [[Arthur Bliss]]
** Sir [[Arthur Bliss]]
**[[Pierre Monteux]]
** [[Pierre Monteux]]
*1964
* 1964
**[[Lionel Tertis]]
** [[Lionel Tertis]]
**[[Benjamin Britten]]
** [[Benjamin Britten]]
*1966
* 1966
**[[Dmitri Shostakovich]]
** [[Dmitri Shostakovich]]
*1967
* 1967
**[[Zoltán Kodály]]
** [[Zoltán Kodály]]
*1970
* 1970
**[[Mstislav Rostropovich]]
** [[Mstislav Rostropovich]]
*1974
* 1974
**[[Vladimir Horowitz]]
** [[Vladimir Horowitz]]
*1975
* 1975
**[[Olivier Messiaen]]
** [[Olivier Messiaen]]
*1976
* 1976
**Sir [[Michael Tippett]]
** Sir [[Michael Tippett]]
*1980
* 1980
**Sir [[Clifford Curzon]]
** Sir [[Clifford Curzon]]
*1984
* 1984
**[[Herbert von Karajan]]
** [[Herbert von Karajan]]
*1986
* 1986
**[[Andrés Segovia]]
** [[Andrés Segovia]]
**[[Witold Lutosławski]]
** [[Witold Lutosławski]]
*1987
* 1987
**[[Leonard Bernstein]]
** [[Leonard Bernstein]]
*1988
* 1988
**[[Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau]]
** [[Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau]]
*1989
* 1989
**Sir [[Georg Solti]]
** Sir [[Georg Solti]]
*1990
* 1990
**[[Claudio Arrau]]
** [[Claudio Arrau]]
**[[Janet Baker]]
** [[Janet Baker]]
**[[Bernard Haitink]]
** [[Bernard Haitink]]
**[[Sviatoslav Richter]]
** [[Sviatoslav Richter]]
*1991
* 1991
**[[Isaac Stern]]
** [[Isaac Stern]]
*1992
* 1992
**[[Alfred Brendel]]
** [[Alfred Brendel]]
*1994
* 1994
**Sir [[Colin Davis]]
** Sir [[Colin Davis]]
*1995
* 1995
**[[Elliott Carter]]
** [[Elliott Carter]]
**[[Rafael Kubelík]]
** [[Rafael Kubelík]]
*1997
* 1997
**[[Pierre Boulez]]
** [[Pierre Boulez]]
*1999
* 1999
**Sir [[Simon Rattle]]
** Sir [[Simon Rattle]]
**[[Plácido Domingo]]
** [[Plácido Domingo]]
*2002
* 2002
**Dame [[Joan Sutherland]]
** Dame [[Joan Sutherland]]
*2003
* 2003
**[[Claudio Abbado]]
** [[Claudio Abbado]]
*2004
* 2004
**[[György Ligeti]]
** [[György Ligeti]]
*2005
* 2005
**Sir [[Charles Mackerras]]
** Sir [[Charles Mackerras]]
*2007
* 2007
**[[Daniel Barenboim]]
** [[Daniel Barenboim]]
*2008
* 2008
**[[Henri Dutilleux]]
** [[Henri Dutilleux]]
*2009
* 2009
**[[Thomas Quasthoff]]
** [[Thomas Quasthoff]]
*2012
* 2012
**[[Nikolaus Harnoncourt]]
** [[Nikolaus Harnoncourt]]
**Dame [[Mitsuko Uchida]]
** Dame [[Mitsuko Uchida]]
*2013
* 2013
**Sir [[András Schiff]]
** Sir [[András Schiff]]
**[[György Kurtág]]
** [[György Kurtág]]
*2014
* 2014
**Sir [[John Tomlinson (bass)|John Tomlinson]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27324249|title=Opera star Sir John Tomlinson awarded medal|date=8 May 2014|work=[[BBC Online]]|accessdate=9 May 2014}}</ref>
** Sir [[John Tomlinson (bass)|John Tomlinson]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27324249|title=Opera star Sir John Tomlinson awarded medal|date=8 May 2014|publisher=[[BBC]] | access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref>
*2015
* 2015
**Sir [[Antonio Pappano]]
** Sir [[Antonio Pappano]]
**Sir [[Peter Maxwell Davies]]
** [[Martha Argerich]]
* 2016
⚫
*2017
**[[Charles Dutoit]]
** Sir [[Peter Maxwell Davies]]
⚫
* 2017
⚫
**[[Mariss Jansons]]
** [[Charles Dutoit]]
⚫
*2018
⚫
** [[Mariss Jansons]]
⚫
**[[Jessye Norman]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Cullingford |first=Martin |date=11 May 2018 |title=The Music Makers: dreamers of dreams, and agents of change |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/editors-blog/the-music-makers-dreamers-of-dreams-and-agents-of-change |work=[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramphone]] |location=London |access-date=11 September 2018}}</ref>
⚫
* 2018
⚫
** [[Jessye Norman]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Cullingford |first=Martin |date=11 May 2018 |title=The Music Makers: dreamers of dreams, and agents of change |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/editors-blog/the-music-makers-dreamers-of-dreams-and-agents-of-change |work=[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]] | location=London |access-date=11 September 2018}}</ref>
* 2019
** [[Sofia Gubaidulina]]
* 2020
** [[John Williams]]
* 2021
** [[Vladimir Jurowski]]<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/rps_today/news/vladimir-jurowski-receives-rps-gold-medal | title=Vladimir Jurowski receives RPS Gold Medal | publisher=Royal Philharmonic Society | date=12 August 2021 | access-date=13 August 2021}}</ref>
* 2023
** [[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]
* 2024
** [[Thomas Adès]]
** [[Arvo Pärt]]
** [[Yo-Yo Ma]]<ref>https://www.classical-music.uk/news/article/yo-yo-ma-awarded-rps-gold-medal</ref>
{{colend}}
{{colend}}


==Honorary membership==
== Honorary membership ==
Through awarding honorary membership the society recognises "services to music". Like the Gold Medal, honorary membership is awarded rarely; first awarded in 1826, by 2006 only 117 honorary members had been created.
Through awarding honorary membership the society recognises "services to music". Like the Gold Medal, honorary membership is awarded rarely; first awarded in 1826, by 2006 only 117 honorary members had been created.


===Honorary members===
=== Honorary members ===
{{colbegin|colwidth=25em}}
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*1826
* 1826
**[[Carl Maria von Weber]]
** [[Carl Maria von Weber]]
*1829
* 1829
**[[Daniel Auber]]
** [[Daniel Auber]]
**[[Jean-François Le Sueur]]
** [[Jean-François Le Sueur]]
**[[Felix Mendelssohn]]
** [[Felix Mendelssohn]]
**[[Giacomo Meyerbeer]]
** [[Giacomo Meyerbeer]]
**[[George Onslow (composer)|George Onslow]]
** [[George Onslow (composer)|George Onslow]]
*1830
* 1830
**[[Johann Nepomuk Hummel]]
** [[Johann Nepomuk Hummel]]
*1836
* 1836
**[[Sigismond Thalberg]]
** [[Sigismond Thalberg]]
*1839
* 1839
**[[Gioachino Rossini]]
** [[Gioachino Rossini]]
*1859
* 1859
**[[Hector Berlioz]]
** [[Hector Berlioz]]
**[[Niels Gade]]
** [[Niels Gade]]
**[[Fromental Halévy]]
** [[Fromental Halévy]]
**[[Moritz Hauptmann]]
** [[Moritz Hauptmann]]
**[[Ferdinand Hiller]]
** [[Ferdinand Hiller]]
**[[Franz Liszt]]
** [[Franz Liszt]]
**[[Heinrich Marschner]]
** [[Heinrich Marschner]]
**[[Ignaz Moscheles]]
** [[Ignaz Moscheles]]
**[[Julius Rietz]]
** [[Julius Rietz]]
**[[Johannes Verhulst]]
** [[Johannes Verhulst]]
*1860
* 1860
**[[Richard Wagner]]
** [[Richard Wagner]]
*1861
* 1861
**[[Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa]]
** [[Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa]]
*1869
* 1869
**[[Lucy Anderson]]
** [[Lucy Anderson]]
*1869
* 1869
**[[Otto Goldschmidt]]
** [[Otto Goldschmidt]]
**[[Charles Gounod]]
** [[Charles Gounod]]
**[[Stephen Heller]]
** [[Stephen Heller]]
**[[Thérèse Tietjens]]
** [[Thérèse Tietjens]]
*1870
* 1870
**[[Joseph Joachim]]
** [[Joseph Joachim]]
*1882
* 1882
**[[Johannes Brahms]]
** [[Johannes Brahms]]
**[[Joachim Raff]]
** [[Joachim Raff]]
**[[Alberto Randegger]]
** [[Alberto Randegger]]
**[[Giuseppe Verdi]]
** [[Giuseppe Verdi]]
*1884
* 1884
**[[Antonín Dvořák]]
** [[Antonín Dvořák]]
**[[Sophie Menter]]
** [[Sophie Menter]]
**[[Wassily Sapellnikoff]]
** [[Wassily Sapellnikoff]]
**[[Pablo de Sarasate]]
** [[Pablo de Sarasate]]
*1885
* 1885
**[[Giovanni Bottesini]]
** [[Giovanni Bottesini]]
**[[Hans von Bülow]]
** [[Hans von Bülow]]
*1886
* 1886
**[[Franz Rummel]]
** [[Franz Rummel]]
*1887
* 1887
**[[Moritz Moszkowski]]
** [[Moritz Moszkowski]]
**[[Camille Saint-Saëns]]
** [[Camille Saint-Saëns]]
**[[Clara Schumann]]
** [[Clara Schumann]]
*1888
* 1888
**[[Johan Svendsen]]
** [[Johan Svendsen]]
*1889
* 1889
**[[Edvard Grieg]]
** [[Edvard Grieg]]
**[[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]]
** [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]]
**[[Charles-Marie Widor]]
** [[Charles-Marie Widor]]
*1891
* 1891
**[[František Ondříček]]
** [[František Ondříček]]
**[[Eugène Ysaÿe]]
** [[Eugène Ysaÿe]]
*1893
* 1893
**[[Ignacy Jan Paderewski]]
** [[Ignacy Jan Paderewski]]
*1894
* 1894
**[[Max Bruch]]
** [[Max Bruch]]
*1897
* 1897
**[[Emil von Sauer]]
** [[Emil von Sauer]]
**[[Alexander Glazunov]]
** [[Alexander Glazunov]]
*1899
* 1899
**[[Moriz Rosenthal]]
** [[Moriz Rosenthal]]
*1902
* 1902
**[[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]
** [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]
**[[Jules Massenet]]
** [[Jules Massenet]]
*1906
* 1906
**[[Raoul Pugno]]
** [[Raoul Pugno]]
**[[Hans Richter (conductor)|Hans Richter]]
** [[Hans Richter (conductor)|Hans Richter]]
**[[Richard Strauss]]
** [[Richard Strauss]]
*1908
* 1908
**[[Jan Kubelík]]
** [[Jan Kubelík]]
*1912
* 1912
**[[Vasily Safonov]]
** [[Vasily Safonov]]
*1913
* 1913
**[[Willem Mengelberg]]
** [[Willem Mengelberg]]
**[[Arthur Nikisch]]
** [[Arthur Nikisch]]
*1921
* 1921
**[[Alfred Cortot]]
** [[Alfred Cortot]]
**[[Maurice Ravel]]
** [[Maurice Ravel]]
**[[Igor Stravinsky]]
** [[Igor Stravinsky]]
**[[Arturo Toscanini]]
** [[Arturo Toscanini]]
*1922
* 1922
**[[Harold Bauer]]
** [[Harold Bauer]]
*1927
* 1927
**[[Leopold Stokowski]]
** [[Leopold Stokowski]]
*1929
* 1929
**[[Jean Sibelius]]
** [[Jean Sibelius]]
*1930
* 1930
**[[Pablo Casals]]
** [[Pablo Casals]]
*1948
* 1948
** Keith Douglas (Hon. Sec. of the Society)<!-- Don't link to A) [[Keith Douglas]], a dead poet since 1944, or to B) [[Keith Douglas (musician)]] of the Mad Caddies. Our Douglas was active in Bradford, Hon. Sec. of the Society, and also of the Delius Soc. -->
**[[Keith Douglas]]
**[[John Mewburn Levien]]
** [[John Mewburn Levien]]
*1951
* 1951
**[[Frederic Austin]]
** [[Frederic Austin]]
**[[Ernest Irving]]
** [[Ernest Irving]]
*1953
* 1953
**[[Marion Scott (musicologist)|Marion Scott]]
** [[Marion Scott (musicologist)|Marion Scott]]
**[[Albert Schweitzer]]
** [[Albert Schweitzer]]
*1959
* 1959
**[[Arthur Rubinstein]]
** [[Arthur Rubinstein]]
*1956
* 1956
**[[Paul Hindemith]]
** [[Paul Hindemith]]
**[[Gregor Piatigorsky]]
** [[Gregor Piatigorsky]]
*1959
* 1959
**[[Benno Moiseiwitsch]]
** [[Benno Moiseiwitsch]]
*1960
* 1960
**[[George Baker (record singer)|George Baker]]
** [[George Baker (record singer)|George Baker]]
*1970
* 1970
**[[Aaron Copland]]
** [[Aaron Copland]]
*1971
* 1971
**[[William Glock]]
** [[William Glock]]
*1984
* 1984
**[[Eric Fenby]]
** [[Eric Fenby]]
*1985
* 1985
**[[Lennox Berkeley]]
** [[Lennox Berkeley]]
**[[Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau]]
** [[Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau]]
**[[Yehudi Menuhin]]
** [[Yehudi Menuhin]]
**[[Gerald Moore]]
** [[Gerald Moore]]
**[[Solomon (pianist)|Solomon]]
** [[Solomon (pianist)|Solomon]]
*1986
* 1986
**[[Lorin Maazel]]
** [[Lorin Maazel]]
*1987
* 1987
**Dame [[Janet Baker]]
** Dame [[Janet Baker]]
**[[Peter Maxwell Davies]]
** [[Peter Maxwell Davies]]
**[[Léon Goossens]]
** [[Léon Goossens]]
*1988
* 1988
**[[Claudio Arrau]]
** [[Claudio Arrau]]
**[[Julian Bream]]
** [[Julian Bream]]
**[[Bernard Haitink]]
** [[Bernard Haitink]]
*1989
* 1989
**[[John Denison (arts administrator)|John Denison]]<ref>{{cite web|title=John Denison|publisher=The Telegraph|date=9 January 2007|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1538925/John-Denison.html|accessdate=2011-05-27}}</ref>
** [[John Denison (arts administrator)|John Denison]]<ref>{{cite web|title=John Denison|work=The Telegraph|date=9 January 2007|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1538925/John-Denison.html|access-date=27 May 2011}}</ref>
**[[Vernon Handley]]
** [[Vernon Handley]]
*1990
* 1990
**Sir [[Charles Groves]]
** Sir [[Charles Groves]]
**[[Rafael Kubelík]]
** [[Rafael Kubelík]]
*1991
* 1991
**[[Thomas Armstrong (conductor)|Thomas Armstrong]]
** [[Thomas Armstrong (conductor)|Thomas Armstrong]]
**[[Harrison Birtwistle]]
** [[Harrison Birtwistle]]
**[[Pierre Boulez]]
** [[Pierre Boulez]]
**[[Elliott Carter]]
** [[Elliott Carter]]
**[[Joan Cross]]
** [[Joan Cross]]
**[[György Ligeti]]
** [[György Ligeti]]
**[[Paul Sacher]]
** [[Paul Sacher]]
**[[Katharine, Duchess of Kent]]
** [[Katharine, Duchess of Kent]]
*1994
* 1994
**[[Felix Aprahamian]]
** [[Felix Aprahamian]]
**Sir [[Charles Mackerras]]
** Sir [[Charles Mackerras]]
*1996
* 1996
**[[Howard Ferguson (composer)|Howard Ferguson]]
** [[Howard Ferguson (composer)|Howard Ferguson]]
*1997
* 1997
**[[John Gardner (composer)|John Gardner]]
** [[John Gardner (composer)|John Gardner]]
*1998
* 1998
**[[George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood]]
** [[George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood]]
**[[Sir George Christie]]
** [[Sir George Christie]]
*1999
* 1999
**Sir [[David Willcocks]]
** Sir [[David Willcocks]]
**[[Richard Steinitz]]
** [[Richard Steinitz]]
**[[Philip Jones (musician)|Philip Jones]]
** [[Philip Jones (musician)|Philip Jones]]
**[[Anthony Payne]]
** [[Anthony Payne]]
*2001
* 2001
**[[Evelyn Barbirolli]]
** [[Evelyn Barbirolli]]
*2002
* 2002
**[[Oliver Knussen]]
** [[Oliver Knussen]]
*2004
* 2004
**[[Richard McNicol]]
** [[Richard McNicol]]
*2006
* 2006
**[[Michael Kennedy (music critic)|Michael Kennedy]]
** [[Michael Kennedy (music critic)|Michael Kennedy]]
*2007
* 2007
**[[David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)|David Lloyd-Jones]]
** [[David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)|David Lloyd-Jones]]
*2008
* 2008
**[[José Antonio Abreu]]
** [[José Antonio Abreu]]
*2009
* 2009
**[[Brian McMaster]]
** [[Brian McMaster]]
*2010
* 2010
**[[Graham Johnson (musician)|Graham Johnson]]
** [[Graham Johnson (musician)|Graham Johnson]]
**[[Fanny Waterman]]
** [[Fanny Waterman]]
*2011
* 2011
**[[George Benjamin (composer)|George Benjamin]]
** [[George Benjamin (composer)|George Benjamin]]
**[[Tony Fell]]
** [[Tony Fell]]
**[[Mark Elder]]
** [[Mark Elder]]
*2012
* 2012
**[[John Stephens (music education)|John Stephens]]
** [[John Stephens (music education)|John Stephens]]
*2013
* 2013
**Ricardo Castro (Bahia, Brazil)
** Ricardo Castro (Bahia, Brazil)
**[[Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste|Armand Diangienda]] (Kinshasa, DRC)
** [[Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste|Armand Diangienda]] (Kinshasa, DRC)
**[[Aaron Dworkin]] (USA)
** [[Aaron Dworkin]] (USA)
**Rosemary Nalden (Soweto, SA)
** Rosemary Nalden (Soweto, SA)
**Ahmad Sarmast (Kabul, Afghanistan)
** Ahmad Sarmast (Kabul, Afghanistan)
*2014
* 2014
**Martin Campbell-White (artist manager)
** Martin Campbell-White (artist manager)
**[[Marin Alsop]] (conductor)
** [[Marin Alsop]]
*2015
* 2015
**[[Evelyn Glennie]]
** [[Evelyn Glennie]]
*2016
* 2016
**[[Graham Vick]]
** [[Graham Vick]]
*2017
* 2017
**[[Barrie Gavin]]
** [[Barrie Gavin]]
*2018
* 2018
**[[Stephen Hough]]
** [[Stephen Hough]]
* 2019
{{colend}}
** [[Stephen Sondheim]]
** [[Alexander Goehr]]
** [[David Pountney]]
* 2022
** [[Jordi Savall]]
{{div col end}}


==References==
== See also ==
⚫
* [[New Philharmonic Society]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
*[http://www.royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/ The Royal Philharmonic Society]
* [http://www.royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/ The Royal Philharmonic Society]
*[http://www.rpsmusicawards.com Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards]
* [https://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/awards/gold-medal Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal]
*[http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/music/royalphilintro/royalphilintro.html British Library: Royal Philharmonic Society Archive]
* [https://www.bl.uk/collection-guides/royal-philharmonic-society-archive British Library: Royal Philharmonic Society Archive]
*[http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/music/royalphilintro/royalphilbeethoven/royalphilbeethoven.html British Library: Beethoven and the Royal Philharmonic Society]


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Royal Philharmonic Society| ]]
[[Category:1813 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1813 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Classical music in the United Kingdom]] <!-- until someone thinks of a better categorisation -->
[[Category:Classical music in the United Kingdom]] <!-- until someone thinks of a better categorisation -->
⚫
[[Category:Royal Philharmonic Society| ]]
[[Category:Charities based in London]]
[[Category:Charities based in London]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1813]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1813]]

Latest revision as of 11:46, 10 November 2024

Society headquarters on Great Marlborough Street

The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) is a British music society, formed in 1813. Its original purpose was to promote performances of instrumental music in London. Many composers and performers have taken part in its concerts. It is now a membership society, and while it no longer has its own orchestra, it continues a wide-ranging programme of activities which focus on composers and young musicians and aim to engage audiences so that future generations will enjoy a rich and vibrant musical life. Since 1989, the RPS has promoted the annual Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards for live music-making in the United Kingdom.

The RPS is a registered UK charity No. 213693, located at 48 Great Marlborough Street in London. The current chief executive of the RPS is James Murphy, and its current chairman is John Gilhooly.

History

[edit]

In London, at a time when there were no permanent London orchestras, nor organised series of chamber music concerts, a group of thirty music professionals formed the Philharmonic Society of London on 6 February 1813. The idea was that by cooperating, they could build a stronger orchestra than by competing against one another.[1] However, given the organization's choice to hold its concerts at the Argyll Rooms, it is likely that the society was initiated because of John Nash's bold urban redesign of Regent Street. In this way, the society would gain an impressive performing space once the old Argyll Rooms had to be rebuilt due to the Regent Street plan, and Prince regent George IV could promote classical music as a British institution and thereby improve his reputation.[2] Concerts were held in the Argyll Rooms until it burned down in 1830.

The Society's aim was "to promote the performance, in the most perfect manner possible of the best and most approved instrumental music". The first concert, on 8 March 1813, was presided over by Johann Peter Salomon, with Muzio Clementi at the piano and the violin prodigy Nicolas Mori as lead violinist, performing symphonies by Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven. Among the founders were the pianist and violinist William Dance (who became the society's first director and treasurer until his death in 1840), composer Henry Bishop, and Charles Neate, a pianist and friend of Beethoven, who publicised Beethoven's music at the Society.

The Society asked Beethoven to come to London, but the composer's health prevented his accepting the invitation. However the society's request for a new symphony from him resulted in the Choral Symphony. In 1827 Beethoven wrote to the society outlining his straitened circumstances; at a special general meeting the society resolved to send the composer £100 immediately (equivalent to £10,900 in 2023;[3] George Bernard Shaw once referred to this as "the only entirely creditable incident in English history"). Other works written for the Society include the Italian Symphony by Felix Mendelssohn. Distinguished conductors included Ludwig Spohr, one of the first conductors to use a baton, Hector Berlioz, who conducted a concert of his works in 1853, Richard Wagner, who conducted the whole 1855 season of orchestral concerts, William Sterndale Bennett for the following ten years, Arthur Sullivan, and Tchaikovsky, who conducted his own works in 1888 and 1893.

From 1830 to 1869, the Society gave its concerts in the concert-hall of Hanover Square Rooms, which had seating for only about 800. The Society decided to move permanently to St James's Hall, and a complimentary additional concert, held at the hall, was given to its subscribers at the end of the 1868–69 season. Charles Santley, Charles Hallé, Thérèse Tietjens and Christina Nilsson were the soloists.[4] When the move was made, the Society remodelled its charges to obtain a wider audience and compete with the Crystal Palace and other large venues, and introduced annotated programmes. The Society remained at the hall until 28 February 1894, when it moved to the Queen's Hall.[5]

The society became the Royal Philharmonic Society during its 100th concert season in 1912, and continued organising concerts through the two world wars. It is now a membership society which "seeks to create a future for music through the encouragement of creativity, the recognition of excellence and the promotion of understanding."[6]

The Gold Medal

[edit]

The Gold Medal was first awarded in 1871. The medal depicts the profile of a bust of Beethoven by Johann Nepomuk Schaller (1777–1842) which was presented to the society in 1870, Beethoven's centenary. It is awarded for "outstanding musicianship", and is given rarely – in 2015 the medal was awarded for the hundredth time.[7]

Recipients

[edit]

Honorary membership

[edit]

Through awarding honorary membership the society recognises "services to music". Like the Gold Medal, honorary membership is awarded rarely; first awarded in 1826, by 2006 only 117 honorary members had been created.

Honorary members

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Leanne Langley (2013). "A Place for Music: John Nash, Regent Street and the Philharmonic Society of London" (PDF). Electronic British Library Journal. p. 1. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  2. ^ Langley, 3.
  3. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  4. ^ R. Elkin, Royal Philharmonic: The Annals of the Royal Philharmonic Society (Rider & Co, London, 1946), p. 65.
  5. ^ R. Elkin, Queen's Hall 1893–1941 (Ryder, London 1944), p. 52.
  6. ^ R. Elkin, Royal Philharmonic: The Annals of the Royal Philharmonic Society (Rider & Co, London 1946).
  7. ^ 100th Gold Medal for Antonio Pappano. The Royal Philharmonic Society. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Opera star Sir John Tomlinson awarded medal". BBC. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  9. ^ Cullingford, Martin (11 May 2018). "The Music Makers: dreamers of dreams, and agents of change". Gramophone. London. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Vladimir Jurowski receives RPS Gold Medal" (Press release). Royal Philharmonic Society. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. ^ https://www.classical-music.uk/news/article/yo-yo-ma-awarded-rps-gold-medal
  12. ^ "John Denison". The Telegraph. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
[edit]

51°30′52″N 0°08′18″W / 51.5144°N 0.1384°W / 51.5144; -0.1384

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