The Careers of British Musicians, 1750-1850: A Profession of Artisans

247 Pages·2001·1.01 MB·English

by  Deborah Rohr

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TheCareersofBritishMusicians,–
AProfessionofArtisans
The study of the social context of music must considerthe day-to-day
experiencesofitspractitioners;theireconomic,social,professional,and
artisticgoals;andthematerialandculturalconditionsunderwhichthese
goalswerepursued.
This book traces the daily working life and aspirations of British
musicians during the sweeping social and economic transformation of
Britainfromto.Itfeaturesworkingmusiciansofalltypesand
at all levels – organists, singers, instrumentalists, teachers, composers,
and entrepreneurs – and explores their educational background, their
conditions of employment, their wages; the systems of patronage that
supportedthem;andtheirindividualperceptions.DeborahRohrfocuses
notonlyonsocialandeconomicpressuresbutalsoonarangeofnegative
culturalbeliefsfacedbythemusicians.Alsoconsideredaretheimplica-
tionsofsuchconditionsfortheirsocialandprofessionalstatus,andfor
theirmusicalaspirations.
isAssociateProfessorofMusicatSkidmoreCollegein
Saratoga Springs, New York. Her research interests include the social
historyofmusic,musicandgender,andrhythmintonalmusic,andshe
haspublishedintheJournalofMusicologicalResearch.
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The Careers of British
 
Musicians, –
A Profession of Artisans
DeborahRohr
         
The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom
  
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK
40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
Ruiz de Alarcón 13, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Dock House, The Waterfront, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
http://www.cambridge.org
©Deborah Rohr 2004
First published in printed format 2001
ISBN 0-511-03864-X eBook(Adobe Reader)
ISBN 0-521-58095-1 hardback
Tothememoryofmymother,
FrancesAdamsRohr
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Contents
Listoftables pageviii
Acknowledgments ix
Listofabbreviations xi
Introduction 
 Thesocialandprofessionalstatusofmusiciansinthe
eighteenthcentury 
 Socialprofile 
 Patronage 
 Musicaleducation 
 Churchmusicians 
 Secularmusicians:singers 
 Secularmusicians:instrumentalists 
 Teachers,composers,andentrepreneurs 
 Thefortunesofmusicians 
 Thestruggleforsocialandprofessionalstatus 
Epilogue 
Appendix 
Notes 
Bibliography 
Index 
vii
Tables
 Numberofmusiciansinthecatalogue,bydecade page
 Occupationsofmusicians’relatives 
a Musiciansintendedand/ortrainedfornon-musicaloccupations 
b Occupationsheldbeforebecomingprofessionalmusicians 
 GeographicaloriginsofmusiciansinBritain 
 Locationsofmusicians’careers 
 Cross-tabulationofgeographicaloriginsandlocationsof
careers 
 CurriculumofmusicschoolproposedbyF.W.Horncastle,
 
 CurriculumandteachingstaffoftheRoyalAcademyof
Music, 
 CurriculumandteachingstaffoftheRoyalAcademyof
Music, 
 Sourcesofemploymentfororganists 
 Numbersofsingersinvariousemploymentsettings 
 FeesforsingersatPhilharmonicSocietyconcerts, 
 Instrumentalistsinvarioustypesofemployment 
 Sourcesofemploymentfororchestralinstrumentalists 
 WagesfororchestralmusiciansattheCoventGarden
Theatre, 
 WagesofmusiciansinthePhilharmonicSocietyOrchestra,
 
 WagesofmusiciansinthePhilharmonicSocietyOrchestra,
 
 Numberofwomenmusicteachers 
 Numbersofmusiciansinvariousbranchesofcomposition 
 RSMpremiums, 
 Classificationofoccupationsofmusicians’relatives 
viii