English town in West Yorkshire. It assumed importance in the 15th century as a centre of the wool trade. Industrial developments of the 18th and 19th centuries brought new cultural stimulus to the life of the community, and incentives for choral and brass music in particular. In the early part of the 17th century a body of civic musicians, the ‘Halifax fiddlers’, were in demand in other towns. But it was the installation of a new organ in the parish church of St John the Baptist in 1766, said to have been the finest instrument built by Snetzler, that provided an effective starting-point for the growth of musical activity in the town. The organ was enlarged by Gray in 1836 and by Hill in 1842. Much of the pipework was incorporated into the instrument built by Harrison & Harrison in 1928. In 1766 there was a performance of Handel’s Messiah, led by Herschel, organist of the parish church for one quarter during that year. Enthusiasm for Handel’s music is shown by the fact that a music society which met at the Old Cock Inn was among the subscribers to Randall’s edition of the oratorios. Thomas Stopford, organist from 1766 to 1819, was vigorous in promoting Handel’s music and he was also engaged to play in Handel performances in Leeds.
Towards the end of the 18th century Charles Dibdin described Halifax as ‘the most musical spot for its size in the kingdom’ and observed that ‘the facility with which the common people join together throughout the greatest part of Yorkshire and Lancashire, in every species of choral music, is truly astonishing’. The Halifax Choral Society was founded in 1817 and gave a performance of Haydn’s Creation at its first concert on 9 February 1818. Samuel Smith (secretary, 1836–41) actively promoted the interests of Mendelssohn, who, in token of ‘so much zeal and energy in a country choral society’, promised Smith, whom he met in Germany in 1839, that he would dedicate a work (Psalm cxiv) to the society.
The rapid growth of Protestant bodies other than the Church of England stimulated the institution of Sunday schools in which hymn singing played a prominent part. John Ella described how the Sunday school jubilee of 1866 was celebrated by a chorus of some 30,000 singers supported by 500 instrumentalists who interspersed hymns with Handelian choruses arranged by the conductors A. Dean and T. Wadsworth. The importance of hymn singing in the district encouraged music publishing. The first Halifax publishing firm was that of W. Dyson (also in Huddersfield) who issued The Spiritual Man’s Companion (c1724); later editions were issued by R. Austin of Ripon. In 1731 Martin Fielden published Psalmody Epitomiz’d; in 1800 E. Jacob published The Yorkshire Musical Miscellany, and in 1811 an edition of John Chetham’s Sacred Music with corrections by Stopford. Pohlman & Son and Whitley & Booth were active as music publishers in the late 19th century.
Organs were installed in many local churches in the 19th century by Holt & Joy, Abbott & Smith, J.J. Binns, J. Conacher & Sons, and Norman Brothers & Beard. The outstanding instrument of the period was that in All Souls Church, in which there was work by Schulze of Paulinzelle, Cavaillé-Coll, and Forster & Andrews. In 1901 a large organ (rebuilt in 1964) was designed for the Victoria Hall by William Hill & Son.
Halifax provided instrumentalists for the first Yorkshire Festival (1823). In 1827 instrumental concerts were begun with the founding of a subscription series. In and around Halifax the brass band movement involved many working men. William Swingler, associated with the Halifax North Parade and Lee Mount bands, became famous as a player and conductor.
The opening of the Victoria Hall in February 1901 was marked by a Hallé concert conducted by Richter. After extensive modernization the hall was reopened as the New Victoria Hall on 3 January 1964; it is now the Civic Hall. The principal musical organizations in Halifax include the Madrigal Society, Male-Voice Choir, Orchestral Society, Philharmonic Club (founded 1944) and, most famously, the Choral Society, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1968 with the performance of specially commissioned works by John Joubert (The Choir Invisible, op.54) and its conductor, Donald Hunt. Hunt was succeeded as conductor of the Choral Society by John Pryce-Jones, who is also conductor of the Halifax-based Northern Ballet Theatre. There are several amateur operatic societies in the town, of which one is devoted to the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Brass bands, including the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band and the band of the Salvation Army, are still important for their contribution to the musical life of the area.
C. Dibdin: The Musical Tour of Mr. Dibdin (Sheffield, 1788), 196ff
‘Progress of Music in the Provinces’, The Harmonicon, v (1827), 159–61
An Historical Record of the Halifax Musical Festival, Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 1, 1830, in the Parish Church … for the General Dispensary (Halifax, 1830)
J. Ella: ‘Sunday School Jubilee (May 22, 1866)’, Musical Sketches, Abroad and at Home (London, 1869, rev. 3/1878 by J. Belcher), 186ff
A. Porritt: ‘Centenary Sidelights’, in R. de Z. Hall: Halifax Town Hall (Halifax, 1963), 85–98
T.L. Cooper: Brass Bands of Yorkshire (Clapham, Yorks., 1974)
PERCY M. YOUNG