Royal Harmonic Institution

Historical Publication Info

History

In 1818 a group of 21 musicians (see below) set up The Regent's Harmonic Institution as a concert venue and music publishing house, based at the Argyll Rooms on Regent Street, London. In 1820, after some difficulties, the business was left in the hands of William Hawes and singing teacher Thomas Welsh; in 1822 all the other members formally resigned from the company. Hawes went bankrupt in 1828 and sold his shares to Welsh, then continued publishing under his own name (see W. Hawes).
From the start, the Royal Harmonic Institution venture had been a failure, and ended after a devastating fire at the premises in February 1830. Six houses were built on the site, one of which was kept by Thomas Welsh as a music shop until 1836. Welsh may have made an attempt to revive the Institution for a short while, as the name appears on the title page and cover of Oberon's Court by Charles Edward Horn, with the date 1831 (equally, this could be a re-issue with a new date).

The founding musicians: Thomas Attwood, William Ayrton, John Beale, John Braham, Johann Baptist Cramer, François Cramer, William Crotch, Thomas Greatorex, George Eugene Griffin, William Hawes, Charles Knyvett Jr., William Knyvett, F. C. Meyer, Henry Mullinex (Hawes' brother-in-law), Charles Neate, Jonathan Nield, Ferdinand Ries, John Bernard Sale, George Thomas Smart, Thomas Vaughan and Thomas Welsh.

The Regent's Harmonic Institution (1818-1820)
The Harmonic Institution
The Royal Harmonic Institution
The R. H. I.
Welsh & Hawes (1822-1828)
published at the Royal Harmonic Institution, Argyll Rooms, 246, Regent Street, by Welsh & Hawes. Music Sellers (by special Appointment) to his Majesty, their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of York, Clarence, Sussex, and the Duchess of Kent
T. Welsh (1828-1830/36)

Plate #	Full Plate	Composer	Work	IMSLP #	Full Year	Year