The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-10-02 00:00:00

ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

The opening of the new academic year was inaugu-
rated on Saturday.with an address by the principal,
Professor Sir George A. Macfarren, the proceedings
taking place at the institution in Tenterden-street,
Hanover-square, in the presence of many of the pro-
fessors, and of about 250 of the students. Among
those present were Dr. Speer, Mr. John Macfarren,
Dr. C. Steggall, Mr. P. Goldberg, Mr. F. W. Bam-
fylde, Mr. Eaton Faning, Mr. W. Kuhe, Mr. Arthur
O'Leary, Mr. John Thomas, Mr. Walter Macfarren,
and Mr. John Gill (the secretary). The principal
his address alluded to the history of the academy
from its foundation through the efforts of
Lord Burghersh, afterwards Earl'of Westmoreland.
He referred to the Many financial difirculties which
had had to be contended against, and dwelt upon the
circumstances which led up to the charter being given
to the academy. On June 23, 1830, King George IV.
signed the charter, and three days afterwards he died.
Thus they regarded their charter as the last act of
that monarch. The charter provided that the insti-
tution should prevail for ever by the name of the
Royal Academy of Music, and that it should exercise
its functions of rearing in England a school of
musicians. In the year 1868, however, the whole of
the funded property was expended, and the directors
tendered to the Queen the resignation of the charter,
and proposed to the professors the disestablishment
of the academy; but it was stated that since the
charter was granted in perpetuity it was not in the
power of the Sovereign of this country to dissolve
it, and that only by a special Act of Parliament
could the academy cease to exist. They had, how-
ever, no funds at the period in question, and for
the second time in the history of the institution the
professors made pecuniary sacrifices. From that
moment, for the first time, the professional element
was admitted into the legislative body of the academy,'
and from that year, the year 1868, until last year,
svery July had had an accession to the number of
pupils. The academy was on the firmest basis that
any institution in this country could have. It relied
upon the confidence of the English public, and it
claimed that confidence by the work it endeavoured
to accomplish in the tuition of the pupils entrusted to
its care, and on the merits of the musicians it sent
forth to the world. Next week they would begin their
orchestraland choral work, under the care of Mr. Joseph
Barnby—(cheers)----who would bring to his task a long
experience. They would never forget the great loss the
academy sustained in the death of Sir Sterndale
Bennett, who was principal of the institution from
1866 to 1875. It was coincident with his cessation
from office that his sight-singing class was established,
which had wrought immeasureable good. They
might be quite certain that while the professional
element was paramount Fa the legislative body of the
academy, while persons were with them whose life.
task was music, and whose sole enjoyment was music,
there would not be a chance of lassitude or weariness
of the pursuit, and that, on the contrary, there would
be a constant struggle to improve in every possible
respect. He impressed upon those then present the
fact that they were creating the history of the
academy, and that its future chapters would be the
chronicle of their work, and he urged them to let
that work be worthy of the past, and to let the future
of the institution be an honour to the country and a
pride to themselves. (Cheers.)