Archibald McLellan refers to the 1821 Glasgow Musical Festival

Archibald McLellan is best known for constructing specially-designed galleries on Sauchiehall Street, to house his large art collection. His interests also embraced music.

 

On page 100 of his History of the Cathedral Church of Glasgow, 1833, McLellan refers to the Glasgow Musical Festival:

 

“In 1821, four miscellaneous concerts were given in the theatre royal, Queen street, which were honoured with the name of a musical festival, the profits of which were to be devoted to charitable purposes. These concerts did great credit to the spirit of their projectors, from the uncommon quantity of musical talent of the highest order which they displayed; but the oratorio, the great characteristic of a festival, and its most attractive and profitable feature, was wanting. Although the sum realized by these performances was very large, yet it did little more than cover the expenses; and when the names of Catalani, Mrs Salmon, Braham, Placci, and Spagnoletti, are mentioned, who, along with many other artists of eminence were brought from London to Glasgow expressly for this occasion, the expense, it is easily seen, must have been enormous.”