August Manns and the Saturday Concerts
A Memoir and a Retrospect

An engaging 1909 portrait of a conductor who for several decades was at the centre of nineteenth-century British musical life.

Henry Saxe Wyndham (Author)

9781108068888, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 21 November 2013

278 pages, 6 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 1.6 cm, 0.36 kg

Of German birth, Sir August Friedrich Manns (1825–1907) secured for himself a central place in nineteenth-century British musical life. Appointed by George Grove in 1855 to conduct the orchestra at the relocated Crystal Palace in Sydenham, ande held the post for more than four decades, establishing a high reputation for the Saturday Concerts and attracting internationally recognised soloists. Manns was involved in every aspect, from developing the repertoire to taking rehearsals. Under his baton, many of the great works of Brahms, Schubert and Berlioz received their first British performances, alongside world premieres of pieces by British composers such as Sullivan and Macfarren. Secretary of the Guildhall School of Music, Henry Saxe Wyndham (1867–1940) published in 1909 this engaging portrait of a musician greatly esteemed by players and audiences alike.

Preface
1. Early life in Stolzenberg and Elbing
2. Composition of the palace band
3. The first public testimonial
4. Another increase of salary
5. The illness of Sir M. Costa
6. Manns' 70th birthday celebrations
7. Reasons for the decline in popularity of Saturday Concerts
8. Reminiscences of Manns
Appendix.

Subject Areas: Classical music [c 1750 to c 1830 AVGC4]