Argyll Rooms facts for kids
The Argyll Rooms (sometimes spelled Argyle) was a famous place for entertainment in London, England. It opened in 1806 on Little Argyll Street, near Regent Street.
The building was rebuilt in 1818 because of a big plan to redesign Regent Street. Sadly, it burned down in 1830. It was rebuilt again, but after that, it was mostly used for shops.
The Argyll Rooms was the first home of the Philharmonic Society of London from 1813 until 1830. Many famous musicians performed there for the first time in England. These included Louis Spohr, Ignaz Moscheles, Franz Liszt, and Felix Mendelssohn.
.jpg)
Contents
A Place for Fun and Music
The Argyll Rooms was originally part of a large house belonging to the Duke of Argyll. Over time, parts of the house were taken down. In 1806, a man named Henry Francis Greville changed one of the remaining parts into the "Argyll Rooms."
This new venue quickly became a popular spot. A fashionable group called the Pic-Nics used the rooms. They put on small shows like funny plays (burlettas), musical acts (vaudevilles), and ballets. The government gave Greville a special permission to host music, dancing, and plays. Later, this permission was just for music and dancing.
Famous Performances and Rebuilding
In 1812, Stephen Slade took over running the Argyll Rooms. He rented the rooms for concerts and other shows. A famous actress, Sarah Siddons, even read from Shakespeare's Macbeth there in 1813.
Around this time, a new group called the Philharmonic Society of London chose the Argyll Rooms for their concerts. This was partly because the building was going to be rebuilt as part of John Nash's big plan for Regent Street. The Prince Regent wanted to support classical music.
In 1818, the old building was taken down. A new, grander building was put up on the east side of Regent Street. It was designed by John Nash. The new building had a balcony with eight caryatids, which are statues of women used as columns.
Musical Milestones
For about 17 years, the Philharmonic Society held many important musical events at the Argyll Rooms.
- In 1820, Louis Spohr performed there. He was a violinist and conductor. He might have been the first to use a baton (a stick to lead music) at an English concert.
- Ignaz Moscheles made his first appearance in England there in 1821.
- In 1823, a very young Franz Liszt, who was only twelve years old, played the piano at the rooms.
- The first time Beethoven's famous Symphony No. 9 was played in Britain was at the Argyll Rooms in 1825. The "Ode to Joy" part was sung in Italian.
- Carl Maria von Weber conducted a concert there in 1826, shortly before he passed away.
- In 1829, a young Felix Mendelssohn gave his first concert in England. He conducted his Symphony No. 1. A month later, he introduced his beautiful overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream there.
Other Shows and the Fire
Besides concerts, the rooms hosted many other performances and exhibitions. In 1828 and 1829, there was a French puppet show called The French Theatre du Petit Lazary.
In 1829–1830, a performer named Ivan Chabert rented the rooms. He called himself "The Fire King." He amazed audiences by doing stunts like cooking a steak inside a very hot oven.
On February 6, 1830, a fire broke out at the Argyll Rooms. It quickly destroyed the building. An early steam-powered fire pump, designed by John Ericsson, was used to help control the fire.
After the Fire
The building was rebuilt after the fire. However, it never became as famous as it once was. The Philharmonic Society moved their concerts to other venues. Over time, fewer and fewer shows were held at the Argyll Rooms. In a few years, the space was turned into shops. Later, in 1919, the shops were replaced by a department store called Dickins & Jones.
Argyll Rooms as Subject
The printmaker Theodore Lane created an etching called Masquerade at the Argyll Rooms in 1826.
See Also
- Philharmonic Society of London
- Regent Street
Images for kids
-
Etching by Theodore Lane of a masquerade in the Argyll Rooms
