'Spread this notion of the music club': dynamics of class and patronage in Melbourne 1900-1940. Monique Geitenbeek In 1939, Thorold Waters, editor of The Australian well-being of individuals. Choral societies,brass bands Musical News, wrote two editorials which appealed to and community singing provided inexpensive forms his readers to renew their interest in the music club of entertainment which gained popularity during the movement. His reasons for the revival of music 'clubs' depression. Community-based music activities pro- echoed the sentiments of earlier campaigns used by vided a musical education for all members of the musical societies during their heyday in the twenties. community, rich and poor alike. I Waters drew attention to the need for Australian mu- The principle of educating the wider public, sicians to participate in music clubs in order 'to provide particularly the less affluent, found expression in the the happy combination of relaxation and artistic stimu- mutual improvement societies of the mid 1800~~which lusl.l According to his article entitled 'Spread this 'assisted personal ad~ancement'.~The Musical Asso- notion of the music club: Sydney's activity is one for all ciation of Victoria, later to become the Musical Society to follow', the aim of the music club movement was to of Victoria, applied the same principle to music educa- spread and promote the broader concept of music as tion. Established in 1861by 'a group of leading muscians 'one of the valuable essentials in the plan of life, not and music lovers', the main objective of the Musical simply an affair for specialists'.2 This was a philosophy Society of Victoria was 'the mutual improvement of its common to several of the larger music societies estab- members in all branches of Musical Art and ~cience'.~ lished during the twenties, who pledged to broaden The aim of the Society was to foster a wider interest in the music appreciation of the widercommunity through Australia's own musical culture, as well as European monthly public concerts featuring local music and and British cultures, and its founders set about imple- musicians. menting their objectives in a number of ways. They In Melbourne, two musical societies in particu- held concerts featuring local performers and the works lar influenced the development and growth of local of local composers, organised composer competitions, music activity. The British Music Society and the Mu- established a public examination system and gave sical Society of Victoria were formed in order to in- lecture-demonstrations on a wide variety of musical crease interest in the musical activities of the local subjects. Local professional musicians were encour- community. However, intentions aside, the diverse aged to join the Society but were required to satisfy patronage of these two societies ultimately affected the certain criteria. To be classified as 'Members' they had fulfilment of this philosophy, and the future of their to have received a formal music education and to earn organisations. This paper is based on three sources: The their living as a musician. As professional musicians, Australian Musical News, Stella Nemet's History of the they were asked to fulfil three tasks during the year, Musical Society of Victoria, and Jim Davidson's recent which according to the membership rules had to 'illus- publication Lyrebird Rising, which is based on the life of trate one of the three branches of musical art and Louise ans son-~~er.~ science'. Members were required to participate in a Between 1900 and the late 1920s, the social cli- performance, to contribute an original composition mate was ripe for the establishment of musical socie- and to present a paper on a topic of musical relevance. ties. Professional performances of chamber and or- Amateur musicians and interested music-lovers were chestral music were infrequent since Melbourne had also welcomed into the club, and were classified as not yet established a permanent orchestra or chamber 'Associates'. Their potential was seen as valuable, be- music group. Radio was still in the experimental stages, cause of their future capacity to 'influence and further and thus the bulk of music making occurred in the the object[ive]s of the associati~n'.~ home, or in the local community. At this time, many In The Australian Musical News of March 1924, performances were amateur; participation was en- the author defined the main objective of the Musical couraged because of its positive effect on the moral Society of Victoria: 46 Context 8 (Summer 1994) [The Society's] object was to promote the real power base of the society and provided financial development and culture of musical life in backing when necessary.8 In theory, the Society ex- Melbourne, and indirectly in the whole of Victoria ... If there is to be any national devel- pounded the same type of democratic ideal as the opment of music in Victoria, the public and Musical Society of Victoria: to bring music to all people the profession must have confidence in their regardless of their social standing. Like the Musical own musicians, encourage any distinctive characteristic which may reveal itself, and Society of Victoria, it established its own library, circu- take a deep interest in the musical culture of lated a monthly bulletin that came from its headquar- the community.7 ters in London, and opened its membership not only to 'practising musicians, but all who [welre conscious of Part of this Society's overall aim was to establish the national importance of music as an element in an extensive library of local and international music for ~ulture'.~ the use of the general membership. It was hoped that The formation of the British Music Society was this would encourage more frequent music making announced at the same time as Melbourne music soci- amongst members in their own homes, and thus eties were preparing for an event in the coming months broaden their interests to include contemporary music entitled 'Music Week' in which musical performances in particular. Thus, the heart of the Society lay with the would be brought to the people. Information about the people. Its impetus was created from genuine humani- ensuing event was made available by Thorold Waters tarian ideals which were pursued with determination iri his editorial of August 1921 entitled 'The Week of from their inception to the present day. It was the first Music'. The proposed aim and activities of the event musical society to do this, and the most successful. were outlined with evangelical fervour, with refer- By 1920, the Musical Society of Victoria had been ences to 'converting' the public, 'whose gospel will in operation for 60 years. During this time, its member- henceforth be music'. Its objective was to promote local ship had increased steadily to include not just pracitising music-making through daily performancesin churches, musicians, but music lovers of the broader Melbourne community halls, picture theatres, town halls and community. The Society welcomed all members of the schools throughout Melbourne. Waters says: public to join and to participate in concerts and related activities. Their intention to make music accessible to Such activities... help to keep intact the glori- all members of the community was a genuine and ous fameof music in this young nation ....The unique concept that had remained unparalleled by scheme that we are about to propound ...will contain a wider proletarianappeal than those other musical societies. Contemporaneous musical' others, and it will, we hope, impress the societies such as the Melbourne Music Club and the politician ....There will be a glorious sense of British Music Society did not pursue this democratic comradeship during Music Week, because of music's humanising influence. There will ideal of music making with the same vigour. Perform- be a stronger grip in the handshake; a glow- ance opportunities were reserved for the more reputa- ingresponse to the friend'ssmile in the street; ble and respected professional musicians in Melbourne, a morewhole-hearted appreciationof beauty in its many forms, spiritual, natural, archi- whose concert repertoires consisted largely of the Eu- tectural, pictorial, sculptural, physical, for is ropean compositions fashionable at that time. As re- not music a great, a vigorous stimulant to flected in contemporary reviews, concerts were in- right thinking and right living.10 creasingly promoted for the image and prestige ac- corded to the Society rather than the actual educational There is no doubt that Louise Dyer and her asso- value which they might bring. ciates were swept up in the huge tide of enthusiasm for The Australian branch of the British Music Soci- 'the democratisation of music'.ll An appeal for public ety was founded in Melbourne in 1921 by the wealthy interest in the British Music Society which appeared on and influential socialite Louise Dyer. Its genesis lay in the same page as the editorial quoted above, spoke of her apparent life-long personal ambition to promote a sense of enthusiasm and brotherhood amongst its Australian musicians and composers. The president of members. It was, in a sense, taking advantage of the the British Music Society was Thomas Brentnall-'ac- musical fervour for Music Week generated by Thorold countant by profession and flunkey by temperament'. Waters. Louise Dyer promotes the intent of the society However Louise, who was appointed secretary and with equivalent zeal on page five of the same issue: her husband James, who acted as treasurer, were the 'Spread this notion of the music club' For a long time there had been lamentations works came to be featured regularly in the Musical that British Music wassuffering fromneglect Society's annual Australian Composers Night, estab- -that is to say, composers were not receiving that assistance and that appreciation from lished in 1919.14 In the History of the Musical Society of their fellow-countrymen and countrywomen Victoria, Stella Nemet stated that one of the primary that was the happy lot of composers of other objectives of the society 'right from its inception, was to nationalities.