New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-27
MUSIC IN ENGLAND.
MEETING AT. ST. JAMEss PALACE IL
poIlND A ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.

sssemblage, but il i begin TO touch on one VI Va,
old homes of the sovereigns OF England sn"n
never get 10 the real subject oil TINS ietter I'd"
.b;nk Of no recent NOV ement which has been so
skilfully engineered as this Musical people nave
this among other advantages that they are ehthus-
astic; to hich is now disposed TO add capapIe
nj arousing enthusiasm in others. They had mace
mn their minds to take some definite step Tor pro-
,noting musical education in England; and to do
This ON n great SCALE l am not the least in their
secrets. nor do / know how they set to work 10
enlist such efficient support. Through the Duke OF
Edinburgh one may guess known as he is ioi
musical enthusiast md musical amateur OF conslu-
cradle abilities.
But whether through the Duke of Edinburgh or
others the project for Royal College OF MUSIC
was taken up by the one man who is 1or such Pui-
poses the most powerful parsonage IN the kihguonl
over which he will some day rule. The Prince OF
Wales has in fact whatever the origin OF the
scheme. made it his own. 1t is he who summoned
the meeting of to-day. The invitations of which
more than a thousand were sent out took the very
,,rusual form of a letter signed by him. lie pre-
ssded over the meeting and read the opening al
dress He is TO preside over the enterprise itself,
and the establishment of the college is TO De- In MS
own words under his own Immediate control anu
superint Evidence. He has used his influence Win
many classes Of society from the Queen DOWNWARD,
10 engage their active cooperation ana pecunlary
aid If any proof ere wanting OF the authority he
exercises it would be found in the character OF the
company assembled this noon In response TO his
personal invitation.
, The banoueting. room in St James's Palace holds.
suppose six or eight hundred people At nan
past IL, when the doors were supposed to be open,
every seat was filed Ten minutes later, pretty
much all the standing room was occupied BY II,
when the Prince and other occupants OF the plat
form had come in, the assemblage was oil the most
brilliant description. The Prince had the Duke Oh
Edinburgh on his right the Duke OF Albany on MS
left the Dukes of Cambridge and of Teck just beyond
them the Archbishop of Canterbury moi lar OIL
Mr. Gladstone sat next the Duke OF Albany Slr
Stafford Northcote, as became the leader OF last
nights minority, occupying back seat. Inc Am
bassadors of Germany and of Austria and the MIN
lister of the United States were among the platform
marty rs were Lord Rosebery and the Lord Mayor.
list of all the celebrities present would ill half
this column but must not omit to say that not
merely London but England and Scotland and l
suppose Ireland were largely present in the persons
of Lords Lieutenant of counties and Mayors OF
provincal cities all of whom are expected 10 take
direct part in raising money for the college, IN
the hoav of the room sat side by side with these
municipal authorities many great NOBLE ana Dig
nitary Most remarkable of all, perhaps, was the
company that stood in the passages on three SIDES
A fringe of Cabinet Ministers Peers Generals
Presidents OF great societies, of men famous IN
dozen ways, bordered the assemblage. saw Lord
Shaftesbury and Lord Harrington, Sir Henry James
and Sir Charles Dixie, MIR. Chamberlain, president
of the Board of Trade, Mr.. SpottiswOode, presi-
dent ofIthe Royal Society, Sir Frederick Leighton
president of the Royal Academy of Arts, MI Mlllals
and Mr. Tadema, Lord Aberdare, Canon farrar,
Lord Derby andsCardinal Manning, the Speaker OF
the House of Commons. the Duke OF Westminster,
Sir julius Benedict and Frank Huefler, Mr. Kan
Gegger and Carl Rosa-and hundred Others
equally well entitled to be named. The Prince of
Wales described the assembly in phrase as com
posed of the heads of social life in England.
!, What the promoters of the college aim at is toll
erably obvious from the name of the Institution they
wish To found The Prince of Wales stated his
objects fully and clearly in the address which he
read. England is behind Germany, France and
Austria alike IN the general musical education OF
her people and in the character OF her national
music.-indeed no English school OF music IN the
proper sense-or in either of the proper senses-ex-
lists at all This college is TO bear the same relation
10 the art of music as that which the great puDhc
schools of England-Eton and Winchester, Tor eX-
ample-bear to general education. 1t may be
desirable TO remind some American readers that
Eton is itself q college and not merely school IN
the American sense There are to be scholars III
The new college of music, educated by means OF en-
dowments-and not only educated gratultously but
maintained gratutously. There are to be paying
pupils rs well, following the same course entitled
10 the same rewards for proficiency. Examinations
will he held degrees will be conferred-ln snort,
the college is TO be a college. 1t is to be something
more than "a college for instruction; II Is TO ana tDe
formation of school or style OF music, which III
time il is hoped will be Enthusiastically English
and hiatt no
Berlin is to Germany, the Conservatore at Vienna
20 Austria the Conservative at Paris to France-in
the lanOuare of the Prince 4" a centre OF music 10
which English musicians may resort with cont-
dence and thence derive instruction, counsel ana
inspiration"
The Prince concluded his lucid and well-conceived
address by an appeal for support. He asks Lords
Lieutenant to call county meetings, Mayors 10 con-
yene assemblies of their fellOw-townsmen, clergy
men and ministers TO invite contributions from
their hocks. Foreign nations are not lett cut OF
the scheme The college is to be open to all corners
from all parts OF the globe, and the Duke OF Edn-
bursh added with more particularly an expression
of his hone that our American cousins will not
be behind in iurthering the foundation OF an
establishment (which may serve as home to their
musical students on this side of the Atlantic"
The truth is a very large sum of money is wanted
none the less wanted because the college starts
with very generous gifts. The Prince explained
that the Commissioners of the Exhibition OF 1891
will give as much land out of the South kensington
estate as funds are forthcoming to build upon. Mr.
Freake has already presented building now
occupied by the National Training School, Tor
which he had due thanks and compliments from the
Prince The Commissioners give .S20oo year IN
addition. The Queen gives $500, the PIInce OF
Wales and Duke of Edinburgh the same sum be-
tween them. the Dukes of Connaught and Albany
each $500. There are four subscriptions OF $1,000
zach Sir Richard Wallace. Mr. Samuel Morley