An important matter in the musical life of America was the establishment of conservatories. There had already been the Academy of Music in Boston, which enrolled twenty-two hundred pupils the first year, but the conservatory idea appears to have developed just after the Civil War, for we find in 1865 a conservatory of music established with Oberlin College, in 1871 Illinois College at Jacksonville followed suit, and in 1873 Northwestern University. In the meantime, in 1867, we find the Boston Conservatory, under Julius Eichberg, the New England Conservatory, under Eben Tourjee, the Cincinnati Conservatory, and the Chicago Academy of Music, which became the Chicago Musical College,--and in 1877, a couple of years after this period, Syracuse University added a conservatory.

1850. Jan. 12. Mendelssohn's "Meerstille und Gluckliche Fahrt"

and "Capriccio Brillante," with William Scharfenberg as soloist, given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1850. Jan. 19. Beethoven's Third Pianoforte Concerto given by the Musical Fund Society, Boston, with G. F. Hayter, soloist.

1850. Mar. 9. Handel's oratorio "Jephtha" given by the Musical Education Society, Boston, under G. J. Webb and Lowell Mason.

1850. Mar. 11. American debut of Signora Steffanone in "Norma" at Niblo's Garden, New York. City, with the Havana Company.

1850. Mar. 18. American debut of Angiolina Bosio, soprano, at Niblo's Garden, New York City, in "Lucrezia Borgia" with the Havana company.

1850. Mar. 23. C.C. Perkins's "Grand Symphony" given by the Musical Fund Society, Boston.

1850. April 1. Meyerbeer's opera "L'Etoile du Nord" presented at the Opera House, New Orleans, La.

1850. April 2. Meyerbeer's opera "Il Profeta" presented at the Opera House, New Orleans, La.

1850. April 16. Verdi's opera "Attila" presented at Niblo's Garden, New York City, by the Havana Company with Fortunata Tedesco, Corradi-Setti, Marini and Lorini.

1850. April 24. Verdi's opera "Macbeth" presented at Niblo's Garden, New York City, with Bosio and Badiali in the leading parts.

1850. June 24. Meyerbeer's opera "Les Huguenots" presented in New York City, by the Havana Company. (See New Orleans April 29, 1839.)

1850. Sept. 11. American debut of Jenny Lind (in concert) at the Castle Garden, New York City. Her first selection was "Casta Diva" from "Norma."

1850. Oct. 24. First concert of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, organized by Julius Dyhrenfurth. (On Feb. 2, 1853, the Legislature of Illinois incorporated the Society by an act ent.i.tled "An Act to Encourage the Science of Fiddling.")

1850. Nov. 4. American debut of Teresa Parodi at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City, as _Norma_, under Maretzek.

1850. Nov. 22. Donizetti's opera "Parisina" presented at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City, by Maretzek, with Truffi, Forti, Rossi and Beneventano.

1850. Dec. 7. Beethoven's "Leonora Overture" No. 3, given at a concert of the Musical Fund Society, Boston. G. J. Webb conducting.

1850. Dec. 21. Mozart's Symphony in G minor given by the Musical Fund Society, Boston, at Tremont Temple, from a ma.n.u.script presented by C. C. Perkins.

1850. First performance of grand opera in Chicago given during this season,--"La Sonnambula," with Elisa Brienti, Manvers and Giubelei in the leading parts.

1850. Miska Hauser and Pablo Sarasate, noted violinists, made their first American tours.

1850. Worcester (Ma.s.s.) Festival a.s.sociation organized.

Reorganized in 1866, and chartered in 1872.

1851. Jan. 3. Production of Maurice Strakosch's opera "Giovanni di Napoli" at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City.

1851. Jan. 11. Schubert's Symphony in C major given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City. Th. Eisfeld conducting.

1851. Sept. 13. American debut of Catherine Hayes, noted singer, at a concert in Tripler Hall, New York City.

1851. Nov. 15. Mendelssohn's "Italian Symphony" given at a concert of the Musical Fund Society in Tremont Temple, Boston. G. J.

Webb conducting.

1851. Dec. 7. American operatic debut of Marietta Alboni, great contralto, in "La Cenerentola," with Sangiovanni, Barili and Rovere at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City. She had appeared in concert at Tripler Hall, June 23.

1852. April 17. Mendelssohn's Pianoforte Concerto in D minor, given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City, with W.

Scharfenberg as soloist.

1852. Oct. 15. American debut of Alfred Jaell, noted pianist, at Tripler Hall, New York City.

1852. Oct. 27. Verdi's opera "Luisa Miller" presented at the Chestnut St. Theatre, Philadelphia, with Caroline Richings and Madame Bishop in the leading parts.

1852. Oct. 29. Camilla Urso, noted violinist, made her American debut at a concert in Tripler Hall, New York City.

1852. Nov. 1. Flotow's opera "Martha" given in New York City, with Madame Anna Bishop in the t.i.tle-role, under direction of Bochsa.

1852. Nov. 13. Gade's "Ossian Overture" given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1852. Nov. 20. Music Hall, Boston, dedicated with a concert given by the Handel and Haydn Society and the Musical Fund Society combined.

1852. Dec. 12. Gade's First Symphony (E minor) given by the Germania Orchestra in Boston.

1852-1859. Chicago Mannergesang-Verein.

1852-1881. Dwight's Journal of Music, Boston. The first American Musical Journal.

1853. Jan. 1. Haydn's Eighth Symphony given by the Musical Fund Society, Boston. F. Suck conducting.

1853. Jan. 10. American debut of Henrietta Sontag, noted soprano, in "La Figlia del Reggimento" supported by Badiali and Pozzolini, at Niblo's Garden, New York City.

1853. Jan. 12. American debut of Signor Rocco, famous buffo.

1853. June. First performance of a symphony in Chicago,--Beethoven's Second, given by the Germania Orchestra.

1853. Sept. 26. First concert given by Louis A. Jullien, in New York City, beginning an American tour. During the visit of Jullien and his band they produced the following works of William H. Frye: "Christmas, or Santa Claus," "The Breaking Heart," "Childe Harold," and "A Day in the Country."

1853. Nov. 19. Wagner's overture to "Rienzi" played, from MS. by the Germania Orchestra in Boston.

1853. Nov. 22. Beethoven's Violin Concerto (first movement only) played in Boston, with August Fries as soloist. (Complete work given in 1859 with Julius Eichberg, soloist.)

1853. Nov. 26. Spohr's ninth symphony, "The Seasons," given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1853. The first performance of Italian opera in San Francisco, Cal., was given this season by Madame Thillon,--"Ernani."

1853. Louis Moreau Gottschalk, the first American pianist of international renown, returned to America and began concert touring. In three seasons he gave more than 1100 concerts.

1853. The pianoforte manufacturing house of Steinway and Sons established in New York City.

1854. Jan. 14. Schumann's Second Symphony (C major) given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.