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    to fancy himself a second Rossini , through his father ' s influence got himself appointed , some years since , ( in the good old boroughmoiigering times , ) ambassador to Florence , where he followed his propensity by wr iting operas , masses , and other musical compositions . He found there , that music was not open to free

    competition , as in England , but placed under aristocratic control : and , on his return , he endeavoured 1 o accomplish for himself and a few patrician associates , a similar monopoly and control . With this view he set up this Tenterden-street concern ; and during the period of its existence , ( about twelve years , ) every diplomatic art has been resorted to in order to effect this object . It has ,

    however , failed—utterly and deplorably : of which the best proof is ^ that no singer or player who has derived his or her education from that school , has taken any principal rank either as a singer or player , at either our theatres or concert-rooms . To those who know the miserably-imperfect training of the scholars , this is no wonder . Meanwhile , the concern got into debt ; puffing and intriguing were unavailing ; and those who troubled themselves to

    inquire about it , saw that it was not only base in principle , disgraceful in purpose , but contemptible in produce . In this state of things the plan of a Festival began to be talked of . The directors of the concern got the ear of the King , forestalled the intended application , and assumed the management of the affair . But , conscious that if this , their principal object , was thrust prominently before the public , the scheme would be seen through and

    exposed in the very bud , they assembled ' The Royal Society of Musicians / and requested their co-operation and assistance in carr ying on the work . A numerous meeting took place , and a committee of management was appointed—consisting of Messrs . Bishop , Attwood , T . Cooke , Weichsel , Horsley , Adams , Vaughan , and many other eminent and competent professional men . Some weeks elapsed , and this committee began to wonder at not being

    called together . At length the y vvere ^ summoned , and coolly told that the Directors of the Tenter ' en-street Academy had taken the management of the affair into their own hands , and that they neither needed nor would accept any further assistance in its prosecution ! ! This began to open the eyes of these gentlemen , who now found out that , having obtained the sanction of the Royal Society of Musicians , the purpose of the ' exclusive 1 Committee was answered—who had employed them as a ladder to climb to

    their present elevation , and now , sans ceremonie , kicked it down . They now also found out that the apportionment of the profits rested entirely with this ' Select Vestry / as well as the choice of the band , and that even themselves were not secure of an engagement in it . Charity , they knew , began at home ; and the Select vestry , being encumbered with certain debts in consequence of their intended musical monopoly , would naturally discharge them , Jn preference to the claims of starving fiddlers , or pennyless widows

    Untitled Article

    The Royal Festival Job . bSb

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1834, page 585, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2636/page/55/