A Short History of Cheap Music : As Exemplified in the Records of the House of Novello, Ewer and Co., with Special Reference to the First Fifty Years of the Reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Victoria

The publisher Novello was hugely influential in making music affordable for a wider section of the Victorian public. A Short History of Cheap Music, published in 1887, focuses on Novello's role. It begins with the establishment of the house in 1811, when the founder, Vincent Novello, printed his first book at his own personal expense. Soon afterwards the house made available cheap editions of major musical compositions including Mozart's and Haydn's masses, Purcell's sacred music, and various Italian and English works. It also printed a variety of publications and journals dedicated to music, advocated the reduction of taxes on music, and organised events for the advancement of the musical arts. The author shows how by finding cheaper methods for printing music, organising cheap concerts, and establishing new choral societies, the house of Novello gradually created a taste for music among new audiences, a process paralleled today in the new media. This book describes the journey of Novello & Co., the influential Victorian music publisher, from a 'simple parlor shop' to 'the germ of the mart for supplying England' with cheap music. Established in 1811, Novello can be credited with several successful initiatives to foster a popular love for music. ISBN:,9781108001700 Cambridge Library Collection - Music