Letters, programmes and minute book of the Edinburgh Amateur Orchestral Society

The collection is composed of notes and memoranda about purchases and gifts of parts, correspondence, and Sketch Programmes for the Society's Jubilee Year of 1921-1922, seasons 1922-23, 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1926-27, and 1935-36.

Subsequent addition: the minute book of Edinburgh Amateur Orchestral Society, with minutes of meetings from 1872 to 1955 (some hand written, some typed). The book also includes annual reports, correspondence, accounts, notices, handwritten notes with extracts from the minute book on 'The instruments of the Edinburgh Amateur Orch. Society' signed by "T.K.D" in June 1987, a booklet with the rules and bye-laws, a booklet entitled 'List of Music 1891', and some letters and newspaper clippings.

The Edinburgh Amateur Orchestral Society was established in 1872. In 1914 the Society address (as far as letter-headings tell us) was 9 North St. David Street, in Edinburgh. In 1925, the address was 88 East Claremont Street. Concerts were performed in the Usher Hall and in the Music Hall, George Street. For a time, the Conductor was pianist Paul Della Torre who had also been a President of the Edinburgh Society of Organists (1917-18) and who played in the Catholic Apostolic Church in Mansfield Place.

Both Professor D. F. Tovey and Thomas H. Collinson had been Honorary Presidents of the Edinburgh Amateur Orchestral Society. The Society had a Librarian, R. P. R. Mirylees.

Open to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance of visit.

Accession no: E2014.54.

The minute book was donated in 2018 by Arnold Myers. Accession no: SC-Acc-2018-0060.

Catalogued by Graeme D. Eddie 23 April 2015. Updated by Aline Brodin in April 2018.