The Rise of the Symphonic Poem in Glasgow, 1879–1916: A Documentary History

The development of significant cultural infrastructure such as symphony orchestras, and the strategies adopted to underpin musical growth and sustainability represent a complex network of influences and influencers. This chapter considers the case of the Glasgow Choral Union Orchestra, which was founded in the 1870s, forging a more independent identity and national remit as the Scottish Orchestra before the turn of the twentieth century, to reveal the strategies that were employed by conductors and boards of management to attract, educate and retain audiences for orchestral music. Repertoire choice is examined in detail to determine the role of programme music in that agenda, particularly under the three longest serving conductors of the orchestra before World War I: August Manns (1825–1907), Frederic Cowen (1852– 1935) and Emil Młynarski (1870–1935), whose other conducting appointments provided a direct connection to trends in London and Europe and contributed to the lines of influence that brought new repertoire to Glasgow audiences. The period from the appointment of Manns in 1879 to the departure of Młynarski in 1916 also saw a transition from programmatic ‘concert overtures’ and similar works to the establishment of the symphonic poem in Glasgow, and this research aims to reveal key factors that shaped music-making in this formative period.