The Duke of Edinburgh then moved a resolution for the appointment of a Committee for taking steps to found Free Scholarships for the City of London and the Metropolitan districts. This resolution was seconded by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and supported by the Lord Mayor and the Archbishop of York.
The Prince of Wales, in responding to a vote of thanks for having convened and presiding over the meeting, said, "he thought the initiative in this matter was really due to his brother, the Duke of Edinburgh, who had taken great interest in music since his childhood. The same was the case with their father, the late Prince Consort, whose name would always be remembered with gratitude for the powerful influence he had exercised on the intellectual advancement of the country, and to whose efforts might be traced in great measure the important place which music now held in the estimation of all classes.
"On the whole, they had reason to congratulate themselves on the success of the meeting, and he was glad to have the opportunity of returning his thanks to the Lord Mayor and to all the gentlemen representing the great City Companies for their co-operation on this occasion, feeling that that meeting would be the commencement of a movement which he trusted would be a success. In conclusion, he wished to move a resolution conveying a vote of thanks to Mr. Freake for the handsome and liberal manner in which he had so kindly behaved in giving the building for the National Training School of Music. It was already a great exercise of liberality to offer the use of it rent free for five years, and certainly he was sure none present could have expected that he would have made them a present of it. He was therefore anxious that they should on that occasion record a unanimous vote of thanks to him for his great liberality, and for the interest he had taken in the welfare of that which they had so much at heart."
The Duke of Edinburgh seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.
FOUNDING THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.
February 28th, 1882.
As far back as June, 1875, the Prince of Wales, we have seen, had taken steps to secure improvement of musical education throughout the kingdom. With this purpose he had invited many influential persons to a Conference at Marlborough House, which was held on the 15th of June of that year, and which resulted in the establishment of the National Training School of Music, with Sir Arthur Sullivan as its Principal. Ten years earlier, in 1865, the Prince had induced the Society of Arts to appoint a Committee to consider and report on the whole subject of musical education in this country, and of this Committee he gladly consented to act as President.
In 1878 the Prince summoned a number of gentlemen to a meeting at Marlborough House, where the proposal to found a National College of Music, uniting the Academy and the Training School, was first mooted. A committee was appointed, and the assent both of the Academy and the School had been obtained, when the Academy withdrew, and declined to accept the proposals of union. It was not till after the lapse of several years that the way was clear for the establishment of a new and truly national institution.
On the 28th of February, 1882, the Prince of Wales presided at a meeting held in the Banqueting Hall, St. James's Palace, for the purpose of soliciting public support for founding a "Royal College of Music." This meeting is destined to be a memorable event, not only in musical annals, but in the history of the nation. What was the character and influence of that meeting was stated in eloquent terms by Sir George Grove, in his speech at the inauguration of the Royal College in the following year. This statement will be given in full on a subsequent page, the following words being sufficient to quote here: "A meeting so truly national in its aspect gave, if I may use a not inappropriate figure, the key-note of the movement; and the key-note thus struck at St. James's Palace resounded through the country, and met with a ready and harmonious response."