"Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club" 1996 Gladstone, Herbert John Viscount

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Three Essays Towards Its History

GLADSTONE, Herbert John Viscount

BOAS, Guy

CHRISTOPHERSON, Harald

[118] pp.

The Cypher Press

1996

Limited … Read more Three Essays Towards Its History

GLADSTONE, Herbert John Viscount

BOAS, Guy

CHRISTOPHERSON, Harald

[118] pp.

The Cypher Press

1996

Limited edition of 300 copies

8 1/2" x 6"

The Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club, founded in London in 1761, is a historic musical society dedicated to the performance and encouragement of catches, canons, and glees. Known for its exclusive, male-only membership—including royalty and aristocracy—the club fostered English vocal music through annual prize competitions and dinners, fostering a tradition of conviviality and elite social gathering.

Origins & Purpose: Formed in November 1761, it was established to promote the composition of musical catches and glees, often blending formal dinners with musical performance.

Membership: The club was highly exclusive, featuring Earls, Lords, and Generals as original members. Later, it included royalty such as George IV (elected 1786) and William IV (elected 1789), as well as professional musicians who were elected members to assist with performance standards.

The "Glee" Tradition: The club was influential in promoting "glees"—a form of part-song—and held prize competitions for composers to submit new works. John Wall Callcott was a particularly dominant prize-winner, winning multiple prizes in 1785 and continuing to submit many entries in later years.
The Warren Collection: Thomas Warren, the first secretary, published annual collections of catches and glees performed by the club between 1762 and 1793.
Atmosphere: Meetings involved strict "Harmony and Unanimity," with, as described in this article from Blue Anchor Corner, the club's motto, characterized by the consumption of food, wine, and the singing of humorous or sometimes "bawdy" catches.

Longevity: The club was still active as of 1961, celebrating its 200th anniversary at the House of Lords, as noted in this article from Taylor & Francis Online See less