Westminster

House of Karl Klingemann, a close friend of Felix Mendelssohn. The latter visited him frequently.

London pied-à-terre of Frederick Delius, while living in France.

Mozart and his father and sister lived here with the Randal family during their stay in 1762. Several compositions, including two symphonies.

Chopin appeared in this house of Adelaide Sartoris-Kemble on 23.VI.1848, playing own works.

House of William Walton in the 1940s.

London pied-à-terre of William Walton between 1948 and 1959, while living on the island of Ischia, Italy.

House of the composer Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) from 1926 to 1933.

House of Michael Costa (1808-1884) who was born in Naples and became the first professional conductor in Britain, improving the orchestral discipline in various opera theatres.

Henry Purcell was organist here from 1680 until his death in 1695; he was preceded and succeeded by his teacher John Blow (until 1708). The first organ appeared in 1304, every century saw a new one. The present organ is from 1937/1987 (Harrison, V/p/94 in two cases); last alternation in 2006. In the Musicians’ Aisle (left) are the graves of the composers Blow, Purcell, Handel, Croft, Bennett, Stanford and Vaughan Williams. The graves of Humfrey, Lawes, Banister, Shield, Chr. Gibbons, Clementi and Haydn’s friend Salomon are in the cloisters. Monuments of important figures not buried here: Orlando Gibbons, Burney, Balfe, Elgar, Britten and Walton.

The school is of medieval origin. Purcell studied here, as did the conductor Adrian Boult, the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and the singer Ian Bostridge.

Graves of the composers Hilton, White, Pinto, W.Porter and J.Hingston.

Monument The Flowering of the English Baroque, in honour of Henry Purcell (by Glynn Williams, 1995). Purcell was born nearby in Marsham Street in 1559 and he died in 1595. All his houses have been destructed or demolished.

Mendelssohn, Chopin and Berlioz were guests at the house of the music critic and writer Henry Fothergill Chorley.

Mendelssohn visited Queen Victoria and Prince Albert several times, making music and discussing with the latter. The organ he mentions in his interesting letter to Berlin, 9.VII.1842, still exists. Another visitor, on 1.I.1879, was William Crotch, aged 3½, playing God Save The Queen and transposing it into any key.
The palace library contains valuable manuscripts, including Handel autographs. Sometimes, music events take place in the garden.

House of the music patron Frank Schuster, a close friend of Elgar. Other visitors include Fauré, R. Strauss and numerous British musicians.

The Banqueting House (1619), the only extant part of the former Whitehall Palace, was an important platform for masques and other musical performances until 1698, when it became a chapel. Handel’s Utrecht Te Deum was first performed here in 1713.

House of the American statesman and scientist Benjamin Franklin. He invented the glass-armonica, of which a reconstruction can be seen, heard and played.

This hotel was built in 1881, its guests include Strauß, Puccini and Prokofiev, the latter in 1914. Philip Heseltine, the original name of the composer Peter Warlock (1894-1930) was born here. The dance band Savoy Orpheans was resident from 1923 to 1927.
On these site were the ‘Beaufort Buildings off the Strand’, burnt down in 1875 (second photo); the church composer and St Paul’s organist Maurice Greene (1696-17551) lived there from 1722.

The annex theatre became famous for the performances of the works of Gilbert & Sullivan (‘Savoy Operas’).

Bust of the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900), adored by a sexy art-nouveau lady (William Goscombe John, 1902).

The actor and composer Ivor Novello (1893-1951) lived and died on the top floor of this building.

The present building of the famous Opera Covent Garden from 1858, extended in 1997, had two predecessors. The first one opened in 1732 and presented drama but also ballets and some operas by Handel; it was destructed by fire in 1808. The second building already opened in 1809 and burned down in 1856; in this theatre Carl Maria von Weber appeared in 1826.

The first theatre on this site was built in 1663 and burnt down in 1672; it was mostly for spoken drama. In its successor, Thomas Arne worked as music director from 1744 until 1760; famous premières: God save the King in 1745 and Rule Brittania in 1750, as a part of Thomas Arne’s masque Alfred. The present theatre is from 1812 and devoted to musical comedy – Ivor Novello worked here.

House of the composer Thomas Arne (1710-1778).

Thomas Arne was baptised and buried in this church, but his grave has disappeared. Monuments were erected for Arne, Constant Lambert and a member of the Linley family.

Johann Strauß senior stayed in the predecessor of this building in 1834.

The art-nouveau building is from 1904 and has 2538 seats. Until 1974 Sadler Wells ballet and Dyagilev productions, from 1968 opera performances.

The church is famous as a concert hall and the orchestra ‘Academy of St Martin in the Fields’, founded by Sir Neville Marriner. The crypt houses a Jazz café.

The Chapel Royal in this Royal Palace during the Tudor era was a centre of sacred music. where Tallis, Byrd, Gibbons and Purcell worked – the latter had a suite in the palace. Handel’s Zadok the Priest was first performed here. The services are still held, the choristers in their scarlet and golden dress add lustre to them. Sullivan was one of the choristers.

From 1868 to 1901 this palace was the house of the future king Edward VII. His wife Alexandra of Denmark was especially music minded; she had acquired musical doctorates and received Liszt (1886) and Nielsen (1923).

Chopin appeared in the music room of Lancaster house before Queen Victoria in November 1848.

Last house of Chopin, November 1848.
In the edge of the place, at nr 37/38, Edward Elgar had lived for a while; today a hotel.

Edward Elgar lived in an apartment of this building from 1921 until 1923. Now a hotel.

Building of the ‘Eccentric Club’, formerly the Dieudonné Hotel, where Tchaikovsky stayed in 1888, ’89 and ’93. Also Anton Rubinstein and Max Bruch have stayed here.

Many musicians lived in Soho, whose houses were demolished. J. Chr. Bach lived in Meard St and 80 Newman St, J.L. Dussek in Dean St, Hummel in 1733 at Golden Sq, the double bass player and composer Dragonetti at Leicester Sq; instrument makers were at Golden Sq and Great Pulteney St. For Mozart, Haydn and Liszt are plaques.There was a ‘Musicians’ Market’ in Archer St and Denmark St was the ‘Tin Pan Alley’ of London in the early 20^th century.

Haydn lived in 1991-92 and 1992-93 in the same house as his impresario, the composer J. Peter Salomon. At nr 33 of this street was the Broadwood piano firm which was visited by Mozart, Haydn, Clementi, Hummel, Mendelssohn, Liszt and Chopin.

The Mozarts stayed here for the greatest part of their visit to London from September 1764 to July 1765. The house was rebuilt.

At nr 47 is the well known jazz club Ronnie Scott’s.

Franz Liszt stayed here during his visits in 1840 and 1841.

House of John Christopher Smith/Johann Christoph Schmidt, the secretary and principal copyist of Handel and the father of the composer by the same name in Bath. Mentioning 1712, the plaque cannot be quite correct, Schmidt moved from Ansbach to London only in 1716.

House of Charles Dibdin (1745-1814), a popular poet, singer, actor and composer of playhouse operas, pantomimes, songs and other entertainment.

This luxury hotel was the favourite stay of Rakhmaninov, when in London.

The hotel replaced St James’ Hall, where Brahms conducted and Saint-Saëns presented the première of his famous Third ‘Organ’ Symphony (1858).

The Renatus Harris organ from 1691 was rebuilt inside by J.C. Bishop in 1852. The conductor Stokowski was the organist between 1902 and1905. Mendelssohn had played the original instrument.

Handel has lived here between 1712 and 1715 in the house of his early patron, Richard Boyle, third Earl of Burlington. The house was extended and is occupied by various learned societies today.

Handel’s house from 1723 until his death in 1759. Since 2001 a fine museum on Handel and his stay in England.
In the house next door (nr 23) lived the pop guitarist Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) in 1968 and ’69. Also with exhibition; the two museums are linked.

Handel’s parish church since 1725. In that year a new organ was made by Gerald Smith and Thomas Roseingrave became the organist. The present organ is from 2005 and made by the American firm Richards, Fowkes & Co. The middle section of the case, with three towers, is from 1725. There are concerts during the Handel Festival.

Between 1775 and 1874, the ‘Hanover Square Rooms’ were an important venue for the Bach-Abel concerts, the Haydn performances organised by Salomon and for appearances by Mozart, Hummel, Mendelssohn, Paganini, Liszt, Joachim, Clara Schumann and Anton Rubinstein. From 1833 also ‘Philharmonic Concerts’. The building was demolished in 1900. In Tenderden Street off Hanover Square was the first building of the Royal Academy of Music (>2637).

The house of Frederick Oliver Robinson, 4^th Earl de Grey, was visited by the singer Nellie Melba and the composers Fauré (1898) and Puccini (1900).

Gioacchino Rossini stayed at this address from December 1823 until July 1824. He conducted his works and wrote some commissioned compositions. The house was rebuilt.

House of the American-born financier, philanthropist and patron of music Edgar Speyer. Visitors include Grieg, Fauré, Debussy, Elgar and Richard Strauss. Today, the house is the Japanese embassy.

House of the American composer Charles Ives in 1909.

The Italian violinist and composer Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824) lived at this address of his friend Margaret Chinnery from November 1823 until his death.

House of the Irish composer Michael William Balfe (1808-1870). The plaque is from 1911.

Chopin lived here in April 1848 at the start of his tour in Britain.

House of the pianist and teacher Oscar Beringer, host of Antonín Dvořák during his first visit to London in March 1854. The composer has visited London another eight times; his splendid 7^th Symphony and the Symphonic Poems op 107-109 had their premières in London, resp. in 1885 and 1896.

The popular Italian song composer Paolo Tosti (1846-1916) lived here from 1886 to 1912. He became a British citizen and was knighted, but returned to Italy in 1912.

Julius Benedict (1804-1885), a composer and conductor of German birth and a pupil of Weber, lived in London from 1835, in this house from 1838 until his death.

Seat of the British Music Information Centre Archive, founded in 1967 by the Composers’ Guild, including works by British composers from the late 19^th century until today. See the website www.britishmusiccollection.org.uk

Famous chamber music concert hall, built as Bechstein Hall by architect Thomas Collcutt. Busoni and Ysaye played at the opening concert in 1901. The whole complex and the 137 pianos in stock were expropriated in 1916 on account of the war. Skryabin, Ravel, Bartók, Prokofiev, Hindemith and innumerable famous soloists appear(ed) here. www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

Here was the Queen’s Hall, the venue of Henry Wood’s Promenade Concerts between 1895 and 1941. The London SO made its debut here in 1932.

The French singer and composer Pauline Viardot (1821-1910) lived here in 1870/71 and had Saint-Saëns, Gounod and – of course – her friend Turgenyev as her guests. The house made place for a hospital.

The plaque mentions Sir Robert Mayer, Philanthropist and Patron of Music’. In this house, the composer Eric Coates (1886-1957) has lived too at the end of his life. His Knightsbridge march was very popular.

Graves of rev. Charles Wesley, the founder of Methodism, and his son, the hymn composer Samuel Wesley.

House of Charles Wesley from 1771 until his death in 1788. His sons Charles jr. and Samuel, both musicians, gave conscription concerts here.

Hector Berlioz stayed here in 1851, being a member of the jury which made the selection of instruments to be displayed at the Great Exhibition in Crystal Palace.

Berlioz stayed here during his visits in 1847 and ’48.

The luxury Langham Hotel – now Langham Hilton – was opened in 1865. Its guests included Dvořák, Sibelius, Janáček, Elgar and Delius.

The old plaque is the only relic of the house of the musician George Thomas Smart, an uncle of the composer Henry Smart (1813-1879). It doesn’t mention Smart, but the death of Weber in 1826 during his London stay.

The Irish pianist and composer George Alexander Osborne (1806-1893) died in this house. He was a friend of Chopin and Berlioz, living in Paris between 1826 and 1843.

The Royal Academy of Music was established in 1822; its first director was William Crotch (the child prodigy who appeared aged 3½ in Buckingham palace, >2111). It has occupied this building since 1912. Annex is a fine museum at 1-5 York Gate, with a collection of instruments, manuscripts by Mendelssohn, Brahms, Liszt, Sullivan and Vaughan Williams and an exhibition about the history of the institute. 

The conductor Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) died in the Harley house.

Eric Coates, composer of light classical music (1886-1957) lived in this luxurious apartment building in the 1930s.

The composer Kaikhosru Sorabji (1892-1988) lived here with his mother from 1916 to 1950. Previously he had lived at nr 29.

Last house of Ralph Vaughan Williams, from 1953 until his death in 1958.

The only extant and well preserved house in London where Richard Wagner stayed, for one night, 4 March 1855.

Wagner stayed five weeks with the musician Edward Dannreuther in 1877. The house was rebuilt.

Cyril Scott, composer of captivating impressionist piano music (1879-1970), lived here during the first World War.

House of the composer William Sterndale Bennett (1816-1875). His birthplace was 7 Howard Street in the City; this street was demolished in the 1970s.

The composer Lennox Berkeley (1903-1989) lived here from 1947.

House of the composer Arthur Bliss (1891-1975) from 1955 until his death. Dmitri Shostakovich visited him.

House of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears from 1943 to 1946. the masterwork ­Peter Grimes was written here.

London pied-à-terre of Britten during the years 1958-65.

In this house the great alto singer Kathleen Ferrier died in 1953.

The conductor and composer Eugène Goossens (1893-1962) lived here.

The composer Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) was born in this street, at nr 55 of 93 (the sources are contradictory).

House of the pianist Myra Hess, famous for her Bach arrangement Jesu Joy of Men’s Desiring from Cantata 147. The house is within a closed community, private road.

House and atelier of the painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema who received innumerable guests, including Saint-Saëns, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein, Sarasate, Boito, Joachim and Clara Schumann.

The EMI recording studios from 1931. The performing artists recorded here include Glenn Miller and The Beatles (notice the famous zebra crossing!), but also Elgar, Menuhin, Toscanini, Kreisler etc. etc.