From the Archives: John Braham
(London, 20 March 1774 – London, 17 February 1856)
Messiah at the centenary of the founding of the Society
The annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, held on Wednesday 6 June, 1838, in the Hanover Square Rooms, included the following as the soloists Deborah Knyvett (ca 1795-1876), Mary Shaw (1814-1876), Charlotte Anne Birch (1815?-1901), Frances Wyndham (1821?-1877), Maria Billington Hawes (1816-1886), Anna Bishop (1812-1884), John Braham (1774-1856), James Bennett (fl.1829-fl.1844), John Bernard Sale (1779-1856), Arthur Edward Sheldon Seguin (1809-1908), and Henry Philips (1801-1876). A good number of these singers were young in their careers at this time; the choir included the “celebrated chorus singers belonging to the Ancient Concerts”, conducted by William Knyvett (1779-1856) who was at that time the conductor of the Concerts of Antient Music.
List of Honorary Life Subscribers
Many of these male performers were members of the RSM although the celebrated tenor singer, John Braham was not. Braham gave his services free of charge and the programme notes him as among the honorary life subscribers. In recognition of this Braham wrote to the RSM:
“Sir
I feel highly gratified with your communication and request you will convey my thanks to the Royal Society of Musicians for the very handsome manner in which they have expressed themselves with regard to my humble services.
I am
Sir
Your most Ob. St [obedient servant]”
A few days later, at the Midsummer General Meeting of 24 June 1838: “A letter from Mr. Braham was read, expressing himself gratified, with the Compliment the Society had paid him, by placing his name on the List of Honorary Life Subscribers.”
Minutes of the Midsummer General Meeting of 24 June 1838
‘Braham … can be two distinct singers’, wrote Richard, Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe, who had reservations about him during the early part of his career, but on hearing him sing Handel during the 1834 Festival in Westminster Abbey was impressed not only by the undiminished brilliance of the voice but by the singer’s ‘most perfect taste and judgment’ (Ronald Crichton in Grove Online).