Liverpool is the ninth-largest city in the UK. It can boast of rich history and beautiful architecture, which attracts many tourists. In this article, we will tell you about the incredibly beautiful Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Learn more about the history of its creation at liverpool-future.com.
Beginning of the history
The Royal Philharmonic Society began its history as a group of music enthusiasts who met at St Martin’s Church in the 1830s. The Liverpool Philharmonic Society was created in January 1840. Their goal was popularisation of science and musical practice.
It should be noted that the orchestra consisted of amateurs who played for the rich of the city. The orchestra held its first concert consisting of 13 songs on May 12, 1840. Then the community began to give concerts systematically. Those events were held in the hall of the Collegiate Institution on Shaw Street.
In 1843, the community appointed J. Zeugheer Herrmann as its conductor.
Construction of a concert hall
In 1844, the society began to prepare a plan for a concert hall construction and invited Liverpool architect John Cunningham for this work. The new concert hall was supposed to accommodate 2,100 spectators and an orchestra of 250.
The building process began in 1847. Two years later, it was officially opened. In general, the construction of the concert hall cost £30,000.
The first concert involved an orchestra of 96 people and a choir of 200. By the way, the hall was half empty because of the high ticket prices and the fear that the new building might collapse. After all, the concert hall was built without central support pillars, so the people of Liverpool were afraid to enter it.
Ups and downs of the Philharmonic
In the 1930s, there were rumours of a deteriorating financial situation for the community because of a problem with the concerts’ attendance. It was even proposed to relax the dress code rules, but the initiative wasn’t supported.
A terrible event happened on July 5, 1933, when a fire broke out in the Philharmonic. All concerts were held in the Central Hall during the restoration of the building.
The new concert hall was designed by architect Herbert J. Rowse. It cost about £120,000.
The first concert took place there on June 20, 1939. Spectators saw a new organ. Its pipes were hidden behind decorative grills and the console was on a turntable. The new hall also had a Walturdaw cinema screen.
When the Second World War began, the concerts were suspended. David Webster, the chairman of the management committee, opposed such a decision because he believed that music helps to raise the morale of the soldiers. That is why he organised small concerts for workers and military men. It goes without saying that dress codes have been abolished.
It should be noted that Webster’s administration had a positive effect on the development of the orchestra. He increased the number of its concerts from 32 to 148 per year and for the first time, it became a permanent collective in 1942.
In 1955, the concert hall was renovated, which cost more than £10,000,000. During the works, concerts were held in Liverpool Cathedral.
In 2006, the community signed an agreement with a radio station. As a result, classical music concerts were systematically broadcast there.
It was the rich history of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. We hope that our article was informative and that you learned more information about Liverpool.
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