TheRoyal Philharmonic Society (RPS) is aBritishmusic society, formed in 1813. Its original purpose was to promote performances of instrumental music inLondon. Manycomposers and performers have taken part in its concerts. It is now a membership society, and while it no longer has its own orchestra, it continues a wide-ranging programme of activities which focus on composers and young musicians. Since 1989, the RPS has promoted the annualRoyal Philharmonic Society Music Awards for live music-making in the United Kingdom.
The RPS is a registered UK charity No. 213693, located at 48 Great Marlborough Street in London. The current chief executive of the RPS is James Murphy, and its current chairman isJohn Gilhooly.
In London, at a time when there were no permanent London orchestras, nor organised series ofchamber music concerts, a group of thirty music professionals formed thePhilharmonic Society of London on 6 February 1813. One of the most prominent members was the famous Polish composer and violinist in exileFeliks Janiewicz, in English often spelled asFelix Yaniewicz who is also the co-founder of the famous Edinburgh Festival. The idea was that by cooperating, they could build a stronger orchestra than by competing against one another.[1] However, given the organization's choice to hold its concerts at theArgyll Rooms, it is likely that the society was initiated because ofJohn Nash's bold urban redesign ofRegent Street. In this way, the society would gain an impressive performing space once the old Argyll Rooms had to be rebuilt due to the Regent Street plan, andPrince regentGeorge IV could promote classical music as a British institution and thereby improve his reputation.[2] Concerts were held in the Argyll Rooms until it burned down in 1830.
The Society's aim was "to promote the performance, in the most perfect manner possible of the best and most approved instrumental music". The first concert, on 8 March 1813, was presided over byJohann Peter Salomon, withMuzio Clementi at the piano and the violin prodigyNicolas Mori as lead violinist, performing symphonies byJoseph Haydn andLudwig van Beethoven. Among the founders were the pianist and violinistWilliam Dance (who became the society's first director and treasurer until his death in 1840), composerHenry Bishop, andCharles Neate, a pianist and friend of Beethoven, who publicised Beethoven's music at the Society.
The Society asked Beethoven to come to London, but the composer's health prevented his accepting the invitation. However the society's request for a new symphony from him resulted in theChoral Symphony. In 1827 Beethoven wrote to the society outlining his straitened circumstances; at a special general meeting the society resolved to send the composer £100 immediately (equivalent to £10,900 in 2023;[3]George Bernard Shaw once referred to this as "the only entirely creditable incident in English history").Felix Mendelssohn also wrote hisItalian Symphony for the Society, which he finished in 1833.[4] Distinguished conductors includedLudwig Spohr, one of the first conductors to use a baton,Hector Berlioz, who conducted a concert of his works in 1853,Richard Wagner, who conducted the whole 1855 season of orchestral concerts,William Sterndale Bennett for the following ten years,Arthur Sullivan, andTchaikovsky, who conducted his own works in 1888 and 1893.
From 1830 to 1869, the Society gave its concerts in the concert-hall ofHanover Square Rooms, which had seating for only about 800. The Society decided to move permanently toSt James's Hall, and a complimentary additional concert, held at the hall, was given to its subscribers at the end of the 1868–69 season.Charles Santley,Charles Hallé,Thérèse Tietjens andChristina Nilsson were the soloists.[5] When the move was made, the Society remodelled its charges to obtain a wider audience and compete withthe Crystal Palace and other large venues, and introduced annotated programmes. The Society remained at the hall until 28 February 1894, when it moved to the Queen's Hall.[6]
The society became theRoyal Philharmonic Society during its 100th concert season in 1912, and continued organising concerts through the two world wars. It is now a membership society which "seeks to create a future for music through the encouragement of creativity, the recognition of excellence and the promotion of understanding."[7]
SeeWorks commissioned by the RPS for a list of works commissioned by or dedicated to the Royal Philharmonic Society.
The Gold Medal was first awarded in 1871. The medal depicts the profile of a bust of Beethoven byJohann Nepomuk Schaller (1777–1842) which was presented to the society in 1870, Beethoven's centenary. It is awarded for "outstanding musicianship", and is given rarely – in 2015 the medal was awarded for the hundredth time.[8]
Through awarding honorary membership the society recognises "services to music". Like the Gold Medal, honorary membership is awarded rarely; first awarded in 1826, by 2006 only 117 honorary members had been created.
^The Year Book. Grolier Society, Limited. 1973. p. 373. Retrieved21 August 2025.
^Hill, Peter; Simeone, Nigel; Simeone, Special Lecturer in Music Bibliography Nigel (1 January 2005).Messiaen. Yale University Press. p. 399.ISBN978-0-300-10907-8. Retrieved18 August 2025.
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