The Prince of Wales said, at the opening of his speech, that he deemed this work as "one of national importance." It is because of the high "imperial" tone and spirit of the address, a spirit which it is pleasant to witness in all the Prince's public actions, that there is especial interest attached to this meeting at Marlborough House in 1882.
INAUGURATION OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.
May 7th, 1883.
The ceremony of inaugurating the Royal College of Music took place on the 7th of May, 1883, in the presence of a small but select company. The building, hitherto used by the National Training School of Music, has rooms amply sufficient for teaching purposes, but not large enough for a large assembly. By permission of Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851, the use of rooms in the Albert Hall for choral and instrumental practice was granted to the College.
The Prince, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Princess Christian, was received by the Trustees, the Duke of Westminster, Lord Charles Bruce, Sir Richard Wallace, M.P., Sir John Rose, Sir George Grove, and the honorary secretary, Mr. Charles Morley. Among the company were many distinguished persons and eminent musicians. The Archbishop of Canterbury offered the following special prayer: "O God, who art the only author of order and beauty, Bless, we beseech Thee, this College to the perfecting of science and skill in Thy pure gift of Music; and grant that the good intent of its Founders may be so answered in the diligence and virtue of its students, that both the restful delight of man, and the glory of the Divine worship may be enhanced ever more and more; through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen."
The collect, "Prevent us, O Lord," and the Lord's Prayer, closed the religious service. Sir George Grove, Director, then said: "It is now almost exactly fourteen months since your Royal Highness held the remarkable meeting which assembled at St. James's Palace on the 28th of February, 1882, and in which your proposition of the Royal College of Music was launched on the country. It may well be called remarkable—first, because of the place in which it was held; secondly, because of the lucid and exhaustive statement which your Royal Highness vouchsafed to address to it; thirdly, because for the first time in English history music was taken out of the domain of personal and professional questions to which it is too often relegated, and placed upon that national basis which its social and civilising powers entitle it to demand. Your Royal Highness's hearers embraced many of the most distinguished English musicians of the day, but these were not the main constituents of the meeting. The bulk of your audience consisted of the representatives of the counties, cities, and towns of England, the lords lieutenant, mayors, and town clerks of the United Kingdom, while surrounding your Royal Highness on the platform were His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, the leader of the Government, the leader of the Opposition, the head of the Established Church, an eminent Scotch peer, and the Lord Mayor of London. A meeting so truly national in its aspect gave, if I may use a not inappropriate figure, the key-note of the movement.
"The hope so long entertained by your Royal Highness, and your advisers, that the chief existing musical institution of the country would join your movement, was unfortunately dissipated. But the absence of the Royal Academy of Music from your Royal Highness's project was counterbalanced by the active adherence of the towns and cities of the country which through their municipal officers, with hardly an exception, rallied as if by instinct round a movement so boldly conceived and so happily inaugurated. The key-note thus struck at St. James's Palace resounded through the country, and met with a ready and harmonious response. Meetings were speedily organised by the lords lieutenant and mayors in the provinces. In the short period of fourteen months forty-four meetings have been held—from Exeter, Plymouth, and Hastings, in the South, to Newcastle-on-Tyne in the North; from Swansea and Shrewsbury, on the one hand, to Lincoln and Norwich on the other; while the great manufacturing and commercial centres of Nottingham, Leicester, Leeds, Bradford, Liverpool, and Blackburn, have all testified their interest in your Royal Highness's new institution. In the City of London several meetings were held at the Mansion House, and a remarkable gathering of provincial mayors, under the sympathetic presidency of Sir. J. Whittaker Ellis, the then Lord Mayor, gave your Royal Highness an opportunity of again enforcing your views upon your audience. By these meetings, and by the personal exertions of your Royal Highness and your illustrious brothers, a sum of money, amounting to over £110,000, has been raised, of which nearly £5000 was due to the gracious action of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales."
Sir George Grove announced "the foundation already of many scholarships for tuition, fifteen of which include maintenance. Four of the scholarships were founded by private liberality, and two by Australian benefactors." He then announced "the names of the professors selected by the Prince of Wales for the teaching of the College, who were such as to give assurance as in the quality and range of the instruction. The piano is in the hands of Mr. Pauer, Madame Arabella Goddard, Mr. Franklin Taylor, and Mr. John Francis Barnett. To forward our interests, Madame Lind-Goldschmidt has emerged from her retirement, and singing will be taught by her, Mr. Deacon, and Signor Visetti. The violin is in the charge of Mr. Henry Holmes and Mr. Gompertz; the organ of Mr. Walter Parratt. Counterpoint and composition are taught by Dr. Bridge, Mr. Villiers Stanford, and Dr. Hubert Parry; while among the professors of other instruments are the honoured names of Harper, Lazarus, Thomas, and other ornaments of the English school. Declamation will be specially cared for, and for this the names of Mrs. Kendal and Mrs. Arthur Stirling are sufficient guarantee.
"The competition," continued Sir George Grove, "which has taken place throughout the country for the fifty scholarships is in itself an ample proof, if proof were needed, of the justness of your Royal Highness's idea. Following the method adopted in launching the institution, your Royal Highness appealed to the mayors, corporations, and Local Boards throughout the country, and in the Metropolitan districts to the Vestries, to make known the fact of the competition, and to organise the preliminary examinations, selecting the examiners from the must eminent local musicians. The result was as successful as might have been anticipated. The municipal buildings were put at the disposal of the College, and the best musicians were prompt to give their services as honorary local examiners to a task which in many cases involved great labour and severe sacrifice. Throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland 1588 candidates sent in their names as competitors. Of these 480 were sent up to the final examination, which was conducted personally in this building by the various professors in sections; and, lastly, before the entire Board of Professors and myself as Director. The result was the unanimous election of seventeen scholars for the pianoforte, thirteen for singing, eight for the violin, six for composition, two for the violoncello, one for the organ, one for the clarionet, one for the flute, and one for the harp. In addition to the fifty scholars, forty-two persons have entered their names as paying students in the College. Time will not allow me more than an allusion to various acts of private generosity by which the College has benefited. Prominent among them is the gift of the library of the late Sacred Harmonic Society, through Sir Philip Cunliffe Owen, and various other gifts of pianos, furniture, &c., by Sir Charles Freake, Messrs. Broadwood, Messrs. Erard, Messrs. Chappell, Messrs. Holland, Feetham, and others. The professors, scholars, and students are awaiting your Royal Highness's notice at the close of these proceedings, and I trust your Royal Highness will believe that we are all alike animated by a sincere and enthusiastic desire to carry out to the full those wise and gracious designs which have brought us to this first step in our career. That your Royal Highness may long live to preside over us and guide us in the right path is, Sir, our humble and earnest hope and prayer."