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The London concerts |
On March 11th, 1791 the first concert took place in the Hannover Square Rooms. The Hannover Square Rooms were opened by Johann Christian Bach in 1775 and were among the most popular concert halls of London, right up to the 19th century. Haydn sat at the cembalo as conductor, Salomon as the first violinist was the "leader". According to the routine of the age the programme consisted of vocal music and instrumental concerts. The 2nd part of this concert (and all the following ones) was started by a "New Great Overture" - as Haydn’s symphonies were called at the time. For Haydn the London concerts were a new experience. No longer a nobleman’s salon dominated by the taste of Prince Esterházy, but a big concert hall, the princely band replaced by the great orchestra. The strings consisted of 12-16 violins, 6 violas, 4 celli and 5 double basses. Flutes, oboes, bassoons had twice the number, trumpets and drums (rarely used by Haydn before) were available beside the horns.
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