Toronto Philharmonic Society Explained

The Toronto Philharmonic Society was one of the first secular music organizations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Society included both singers and instrumentalists.^[1]

History

The Society was founded in 1845 by John McCaul, who was at the time president of King's College.^[2] It became inactive in the late 1860s, but was revived in 1872 by McCaul and organist James P. Clarke, who became its conductor.^{[3] [4] [5]} Under his leadership the Society presented Handel's Messiah at Shaftesbury Hall in 1873, with more than 150 voices.

Frederick Torrington took over as conductor later that year, and the group went on to perform many oratorios, including premiers of Canadian works. The Society also performed both vocal and instrumental classical music and selections from operas.^[6] Most of the performances took place at Shaftesbury Hall and at the Horticultural Pavilion in Allan Gardens,^[7] and many of the pieces performed had not been heard in Canada before.

Notes and References

1. Book: Conyngham Crawford Taylor. Toronto "called Back", from 1886-1850: Its Wonderful Growth and Grogress Especially as an Importing Centre, with the Development of Its Manufacturing Industries and Reminiscences ... 1864 to 1886 .... 1886. Conyngham Crawford Taylor. 279, 286. Google Books.
2. Book: Mary E. Hughes. Frank Welsman: Canadian Conductor. 2006. Trafford Publishing. 978-1-4120-8856-5. 21.
3. Book: Richard S. Warren. Richard Warren. Begins with the Oboe: A History of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. registration. 2002. University of Toronto Press. 978-0-8020-3588-2. 4.
4. Book: Howard E. Smither. A History of the Oratorio: Vol. 4: The Oratorio in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. 1 September 2012. UNC Press Books. 978-0-8078-3778-8. 413.
5. Book: Ladislav Cselenyi-Granch. Under the Sign of the Big Fiddle: The R.S. Williams Family, Manufacturers and Collectors of Musical Instruments. 15 October 1996. Dundurn. 978-1-4597-2745-8. 40.
6. Book: Graeme Mercer Adam. Toronto, Old and New. 1891. Mail printing Company. 133.
7. Book: Mike Filey. More Toronto Sketches: The Way We Were. registration. 1 September 1993. Dundurn. 978-1-55488-232-8. 136.