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1839
Edward Taylor Becomes Director
A four day music festival, as part of a run of triennial events.
Triennial festival co-founder Edward Taylor took over the directorship of the festival. He invited the famous German composer and virtuoso violinist Louis Spohr to visit Norwich and perform some of his works, including the oratorio Calvary in its first British performance. These concerts were so popular, and Spohr so gratified by the reception he received, that he later referred to it as ‘the greatest triumph of his artistic career.’ In return, 1839 would for a long time be known in Norwich as ‘Spohr’s year’.
Edward Taylor, 1839. Image courtesy of Norfolk County Council Library and Information Service.