The Concert Hall (1752–1869) was a performance and meeting space in Boston, Massachusetts, located at Hanover Street and Queen Street. Meetings, dinners, concerts, and other cultural events took place in the hall.
Brief history
Architecture According to some, Stephen Deblois built the hall in 1752.Jim Vrabel. When in Boston: a time line & almanac. Bostonian Society; UPNE, 2004. The Concert Hall building occupied a lot on Hanover Street that had changed owners several times through the years, beginning from the earliest days of Boston in the mid-17th century. "The site was first known as Houchin's Corner, from a tanner of that name who occupied it."Samuel Adams Drake. Old landmarks and historic personages of Boston. Roberts Brothers, 1876 Owners included: Gilbert and Lewis Deblois (1749); Stephen Deblois (1764); William Turner (1769); John and Jonathan Amory (1789-ca.1798).
At some point after 1787, architect Charles Bulfinch re-modelled the building ("new interior and enlarged," according to his notes).The life and letters of Charles Bulfinch, architect: with other family papers. Houghton, Mifflin, and Company, 1896. Around 1798, it was a "brick house, three stories, thirty windows, value $3000."Samuel Adams Drake. Old Boston Taverns and Tavern Clubs. W. A. Butterfield, 1917 It "underwent various alterations until torn down in 1869, to make way for the widening of Hanover Street."
Events Concert Hall served multiple functions, mainly as a venue for groups of people to gather to hear concerts, and to attend meetings and formal dinners. The Freemasons met there from the 1750s until at least 1818.Early days of Masonry in Massachusetts. Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, v.19, no.5. March 1, 1860. In January, 1755, the Boston News-Letter advertised "a concert of musick" at the hall, tickets four shillings.News Letter, cited in: Drake. 1876. The hall may have had "a small organ by the London builder John Snetzler from 1763 to 1774."Barbara Owen. The Other Mr. Selby. American Music, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter, 1990), pp. 477-482.
John Rowe, a merchant who built Boston's Rowe's Wharf, attended events at the Concert Hall and kept notes in his diary:March 16, 1769: "Spent the evening at the Fife Major's concert at Concert Hall; there was a large and genteel company and the best musick I have heard performed there." March 23, 1770: "Went in the evening to the Concert Hall to hear Mr. Joan read the Beggars Opera and sing the songs; he read but indifferently, but sung in taste; there were upwards one hundred people there." Jan. 3, 1771: "Spent the evening at Concert Hall, where there was a concert performed by Hartly Morgan and others; after the concert a dance. The Commodore [i.e., James Gambier?] and all the captains of the navy here was there, and Colo. Dalrymple, and fifty or sixty gentlemen and the same number of ladies present." Jan. 18, 1771: At the dinner on the Queen's birthday at Concert Hall ... there was "very good dancing and good musick, but very bad wine and punch." Oct. 15, 1771: "I spent the former part of the evening at the Concert Hall, it being Mr. [David] Propert's concert; a good company, upwards of 200."Edward Pierce. Diary of John Rowe. Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. 10, 1895; p.11+.
Josiah Flagg (b.1737) performed concerts at the hall. "On June 7, 1770, Flagg gave... a "Grand concert" that, though the full program was not listed in the newspapers, was to include "a duet to be sung by a Gentleman who lately read and sung in Concert-Hall, and Mr. Flagg. ...The program for Flagg's...concert on May 17, 1771, was printed in The Massachusetts Spy the day before the event. This notable program... at Concert Hall, included four vocal pieces, three overtures, two concertos, three 'symphonies,' and a violin solo. The bulk of the program was composed of works by such lesser composers as Stanley, Schwindl, Abel, and Ricci, but also included music by Stamitz, Handel, and J.C. Bach."David W. Music. Josiah Flagg. American Music, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Summer, 1989), pp. 140-158. In addition to performing, Flagg also organized some events at the hall. In February, 1771, Flagg presented works by Bach and Handel, performed by violinist W.S. Morgan, and the 64th Regiment Military Band.
Other concerts included one by David Propert, organist at Trinity Church, who gave a concert on October 15, 1771.The Massachusetts Gazette, 1771, cited in: David W. Music. Josiah Flagg. American Music, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Summer, 1989), pp. 140-158. In 1774, Mr. Selby "... played a harpsichord concerto in concerts sponsored by W. S. Morgan."Boston Weekly News Letter, Mar. 17; May 12; Sept. 1, 1774. Cited in: Barbara Owen. The Other Mr. Selby. American Music, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter, 1990), pp. 477-482.
The Concert Hall was also used for dancing classes. Charles Pelham (b.1722) advertised dancing lessons in 1762: "Charles Pelham hereby informs all the Gentlemen and Ladies in Town and Country that he proposes again to open a Dancing School on Monday the third day of May next, at Concert Hall, where he will give constant Attendance as usual, every Monday, Thursday and Saturday in the Afternoon, provided he may meet with suitable encouragement."Boston News Letter, April 23d, 1762, quoted in: William Whitmore. Painters and Engravers of New England. Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Vol. 9, (1866 - 1867), pp. 196-226. Later, "Thomas Turner had a dancing and fencing academy there in 1776."
Several balls took place at the hall in the 1770s. For instance, "the fourth Subscription Ball will be held at Concert Hall on Thursday, the 29th instant [of January], 1776." Also: "on Monday, the 11th of March, will be given at Concert Hall, a Subscription Masked Ball. By the fifth of March, a number of different masks will be prepared & sold by almost all the milliners and mantua makers in Town."News-Letter, quoted in: R. Frothingham. Siege of Boston. Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Vol. 14 (1876), p.272. "Governor John Hancock gave, in 1778, a grand ball in Concert Hall to the officers of D'Estaing's fleet, at which three hundred persons were present."
From ca.1789 through 1846, the Society of the Cincinnati of Massachusetts held annual meetings at the hall.Memorials of the Society of the Cincinnati of Massachusetts. Printed for the Society, 1873.
The ordination of Chandler Robbins (1810–1882) as a minister of the Second Church was celebrated at the Concert Hall in December 1833. One attendee wrote in his diary: "The dinner was sumptuous; but it was the first ordination I ever attended where there was no wine, nor even cider, nor indeed anything to drink but water; excepting that in the midst of dinner coffee was served round to such as desired it."Dr. Pierce, quoted in: Charles C. Smith. Memoir of the Rev. Chandler Robbins. Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Vol. 20, 1883; p.403+
A number of non-musical entertainments took place in the 19th century. Ventriloquist Jonathan Harrington performed in March 1831.Edward Hartwell Savage. A Chronological History of the Boston Watch and Police. 1865. In March, 1834, the "500-lb. 8-year-old" Rose Rich appears at the hall. In September, 1835, "161-year-old" Joyce Heth appears; she was "George Washington's former nurse."
Staff As for staff, "James Vila took charge of Concert Hall in 1789," and continued as "keeper" for many years, until at least 1803.Boston Directory. 1796 and 1803. Tilley Whitcomb was associated with the hall around 1805. For many years Peter Bent Brigham (1807–1877) oversaw the hall, probably beginning around 1837.The Boston directory. Published by George Adams, 1862.New England historical and genealogical register v. 48. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1894. Around 1840, Henry Hannington (ca.1803-1857) worked as "proprietor of the celebrated Dioramas as exhibited at Concert Hall"William Smith, composer. The fairy grotto and fantoccini waltz. 1840. Sheet music dedicated to Hannington.
Timeline of selected events 1770 "A new song composed by a Son of Liberty and sung by Mr. Flagg""A new song composed by a Son of Liberty and sung by Mr. Flagg at Concert-Hall, Boston, February 13, 1770. (To the tune of the British Grenadier). ... Guard your rights, Americans! nor stoop to lawless sway, / Oppose, oppose, oppose, oppose -- my brave America." cf. Edes & Gill's North-American almanack, and Massachusetts register, for the year 1770. ... Calculated for the meridian of Boston The Beggar's Opera, performed by Mr. Joan [i.e. James Juhan]David McKay. Opera in Colonial Boston. American Music, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Summer, 1985), pp. 133-142. The Mock Doctor by Henry Fielding, presented by Mr. Joan [i.e. James Juhan]Boston Evening-Post, Feb. 19, 1770. Cited in: David McKay. 1985. Damon and Phillida by Colley Cibber; selections from Artaxerxes by Thomas Arne; A Hymn to the Moon, from the Opera of Cynthia"Boston Weekly Newspaper, Mar. 29, 1770. Quoted in: McKay. 1985. Selections from Lionel and Clarissa by Isaac Bickerstaffe and Charles DibdinBoston Evening-Post, June 18, 1770. Cited in: McKay. 1985. 1771 Organ concerto by Mr. Selby [i.e. William Selby, or possibly John Selby]Boston Weekly News Letter, Oct. 3, 1771. Cited in: Barbara Owen. 1990. Concert of selections from Handel's Acis and Galatea, presented by Josiah Flagg 1774 Harpsichord concerto performed by Mr. Selby [possibly John Selby]; sponsored by W. S. MorganBoston Weekly News Letter, 1774. Cited in: Barbara Owen. 1990. Concert of selections from Artaxerxes performed by W.S. Morgan. 1788 Musical SocietyMassachusetts Centinel, 11-12-1788 Concert by Mr. Deverill and Master Brewer, vocalists 1791 Concert by Mr. and Mrs. Solomon, vocalists ("much to be commended, and certainly much to be amended")Herald of Freedom, 05-13-1791 1792 The Evening Brush by John Collins, performed by Charles Stuart PowellWilliam Warland Clapp. A Record of the Boston Stage. 1853. 1794 Mr. Baker performs "dramatic olios" 1795 Concert of works by Haydn, Hook, and others, performed by Bartlett, Berkenhead, Clifford, Collins, Jones, StoneColumbian Centinel, 01-31-1795 1804 Mr. Rannie, sword-swallower, ventriloquist. "Mr. R. has a very surprising fish, which will perform deceptions that cannot fail to astonish every beholder. This fish will pick up any card in the pack that may only be thought of. Twenty ladies or gentlemen may draw cards from the pack, the fish will immediately draw each lady and gentlemen's card without making the smallest mistake."The Democrat (Boston), 08-11-1804 1805 Concert by Gottlieb GraupnerBoston Gazette, 11-14-1805 Concert of "vocal and instrumental music, interspersed with various recitations" performed by "Mr. & Mrs. Fox; Messrs. Bates, Mallet and Shaw, assisted by the Band of Music under Mr. Everdell"New-England Palladium, 06-21-1805 1806 Boston Light Infantry dinnerColumbian Centinel, 10-22-1806 1811 Ball on anniversary of Washington's birthdayColumbian Centinel, 02-23-1811 "Mr. Turner's annual exhibition and ball"Boston Gazette, 10-14-1811 Winslow Blues dinner "Mr. Schaffer's annual ball and exhibition of his scholars' acquirements"Columbian Centinel, 11-06-1811 Washington Monument Association meetingNew-England Palladium, 12-24-1811 1812 Constitutional Club meetingBoston Patriot, 06-20-1812 1813 "Public dinner ... to Gen. Dearborn"Columbian Centinel, 08-28-1813 1815 "Splendid dinner" for "General Miller, in testimony of his gallant and distinguished services on the frontiers of Upper Canada"Weekly Messenger, 03-10-1815 Concert of works by Mozart, Arne, Haydn, King, Pleyel, Rosetti, Shield, Wainwright, Paul Wranitzky performed by Mr. Turner, Mrs. Graupner, T. Granger, Mr. Bray, Miss C. Graupner, Mr. McFarlandBoston Daily Advertiser, 03-13-1815 Masonic funeral of John WarrenColumbian Centinel, 06-14-1815 1816