HÂþ»­

Professor David Wright

BMus, MMus, GTCL, FTCL, AHÂþ»­

David Wright initially worked as an organist, training with Dr Philip Marshall at Lincoln Cathedral and with Harry Gabb at Trinity College of Music, before undergraduate and postgraduate (historical musicology) studies at the University of London, Goldsmiths’ College. He then taught at both TCM and Goldsmiths’ until he was appointed a member of Trinity’s senior management in 1994. He moved to the HÂþ»­ in 1997, where he was Head of Postgraduate Studies and later Reader in the Social History of Music. He has returned to the HÂþ»­ as a Research Fellow.

He was a convenor of the ‘Music in Britain’ seminar held at London University’s Institute of Historical Research while working informally with the economic and social historian, Cyril Ehrlich, a formative influence on his making the decision to concentrate on researching British music’s social history. Since 2002, he has written on a broad range of subjects, spanning from the culture and economics of John Stainer and Victorian music publishing, to the entity and repertoire identities of the London Sinfonietta. Recently, he completed a history of the HÂþ»­ (The Royal College of Music and its Contexts: An Artistic and Social History, Cambridge University Press). His account of the ABRSM, (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music: A Social and Cultural History, Boydell Press) was supported by a British Academy award, and investigated the ways that grade music exams established and helped to define British musical taste. With Nick Kenyon and Jenny Doctor, he co-edited The Proms: a new history (Thames & Hudson), writing the chapter about the Prom seasons of William Glock and Robert Ponsonby.

Selected publications

Wright DCH (2020), The Royal College of Music and its Contexts: An Artistic and Social History, Cambridge University Press [].

Wright DCH (2018), Mechanized music and the new market for musical journalism, in MA Colin (ed.) French Renaissance Music and Beyond: Studies in Memory of Frank Dobbins (pp. 677–687), Brepols Publishers [].

Wright DCH (2016), Novello, John Stainer and commercial opportunities in the nineteenth-century British amateur music market, in C Bashford & R Montemorra Marvin (eds.), The Idea of Art Music in a Commercial World, 1800–1930 (pp. 60-84), Boydell & Brewer [].

Wright DCH (2013), The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music: A Social and Cultural History, Boydell & Brewer [].

Wright DCH (2012), Music and musical performance: histories in disjunction? In C Lawson and R Stowell (eds.) The Cambridge History of Musical Performance (pp. 169-206) [].

Doctor J, Wright DCH, & Kenyon N (eds.) (2007), The Proms: A New History, Thames and Hudson ISBN: 978-0-500-51352-1. Includes the authored chapter ‘Reinventing the Proms: The Glock and Ponsonby Eras, 1959-85.’

Wright DCH (2005), The London Sinfonietta 1968-2004: a perspective, Twentieth-Century Music, 2 (1), 109-136 [].

Wright DCH (2005), The South Kensington music schools and the development of the British conservatoire in the late nineteenth century, Journal of the Royal Musical Association, 130 (2), 236-282 [].

Faculties / departments: Research, Academic staff

Research

Research areas

Musicology

Cultural and Social Studies

 

Research students

Federica Nardacci

Laura Casas Cambra

 

Latest Publications

Wright, D. C. H. (2024) Music & Letters ISSN 0027-4224 (print) 1477-4631 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2023) The Musical Times ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2023) NABMSA Reviews, 10 (2) pp. 8-11. ISSN 2377-2573

Wright, D. C. H. (2022) The Musical Times, 163 (1960) pp. 87-102. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2021) Bach: Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, 52 (1) pp. 104-109. ISSN 0005-3600 (print) 2767-4843 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2020) Journal of the American Musicological Society, 73 (2) pp. 420-425. ISSN 0003-0139 (print) 1547-3848 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2020) The Musical Times ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2019) The Musical Times, 160 (1948) pp. 117-120. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2019) Music since 1900 . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 9781107163386 (hardback) 9781316730294 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2019) Journal of the Royal College of Organists, 13 ISSN 0969-1642

Wright, D. C. H. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 554-555. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2018) In: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Historical Performance in Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 555-556. ISBN 9781107108080 (hardback) 9781107518476 (paperback) 9781108698573 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2018) In: French Renaissance Music and Beyond: Studies in Memory of Frank Dobbins. Brepols, Turnhout, pp. 677-687. ISBN 978-2-503-57960-3

Wright, D. C. H. (2018) Popular Music, 37 (1) pp. 134-136. ISSN 0261-1430 (print) 1474-0095 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2017) The Musical Times, 158 (1939) pp. 109-114. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2017) The Musical Times, 158 (1938) pp. 112-113. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2016) In: The Idea of Art Music in a Commercial World, 1800-1930. Boydell & Brewer, Martlesham, Suffolk. ISBN 9781783270651

Wright, D. C. H. (2015) The Musical Times, 156 (1932) pp. 107-109. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2014) The Musical Times, 155 (1929) pp. 91-97. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2014) Victorian Studies, 57 (1) pp. 173-176. ISSN 0042-5222 (print) 1527-2052 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2014) Journal of the Royal College of Organists, 8 pp. 31-39. ISSN 0969-1642

Wright, D. C. H. (2013) The Musical Times, 154 (1925) pp. 91-99. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2013) The Musical Times, 154 (1923) pp. 119-120. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2013) Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London. ISBN 9781848495791

Wright, D. C. H. (2012) In: Music and Institutions in Nineteenth-Century Britain. Music in Nineteenth-Century Britain . Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 161-180. ISBN 9781409405832 (hardback) 9781138268234 (paperback) 9781315596624 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2012) In: The Cambridge History of Musical Performance. The Cambridge History of Music . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 169-206. ISBN 9780521896115 (hardback) 9781316183229 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2010) Victorian Studies, 52 (2) pp. 329-332. ISSN 0042-5222 (print) 1527-2052 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2009) The Musical Times, 150 (1909) pp. 103-107. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2009) The Musical Times, 150 (1907) pp. 119-120. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2008) The Musical Times, 149 (1905) pp. 103-106. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2008) The Musical Times, 149 (1904) pp. 3-34. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2008) The Musical Times, 149 (1903) pp. 95-103. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. and Kenyon, N. and Doctor, J. (2007) In: BBC Promenade Concerts, 26 July 2007, London. (Unpublished)

Wright, D. C. H. (2007) In: The Proms: A New History. Thames & Hudson, London, pp. 168-209. ISBN 9780500513521

Wright, D. C. H. (2006) In: Europe, Empire, and Spectacle in Nineteenth-Century British Music. Music in Nineteenth-Century Britain . Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 115-130. ISBN 9780754652083 (hardback) 9781315094281 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2006) The Musical Times, 147 (1895) pp. 103-107. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2005) Twentieth-Century Music, 2 (1) pp. 109-136. ISSN 1478-5722 (print) 1478-5730 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2005) Journal of the Royal Musical Association, 130 (2) pp. 236-282. ISSN 0269-0403 (print) 1471-6933 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2005) The Musical Times, 146 (1890) pp. 2-3. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2004) The Musical Times, 145 (1889) pp. 98-100. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. and Day, T. and Pryer, A. (2004) In: Saul Seminar, 2 November 2004, British Library, London. (Unpublished)

Wright, D. C. H. and Kenyon, N. and Deathridge, J. and Langley, L. (2004) In: Saul Seminar, 20 April 2004, British Library, London. (Unpublished)

Wright, D. C. H. (2003) Tempo, 57 (225) pp. 60-61. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2003) The Musical Times, 144 (1883) pp. 67-69. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2003) The Musical Times, 144 (1882) pp. 44-47. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2003) In: George Grove, Music and Victorian Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, London, pp. 219-244. ISBN 978-0-333-94804-0 (hardback)

Wright, D. C. H. (2002) The Musical Times, 143 (1880) pp. 66-67. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2002) The Musical Times, 143 (1879) pp. 47-50. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) The Musical Times, 142 (1877) pp. 62-63. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) The Musical Times, 142 (1875) pp. 77-78. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) The Musical Times, 142 (1874) pp. 58-59. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Wright, D. C. H. (2001) Tempo (215) pp. 2-6. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Hirst, L. and Wright, D. C. H. (2000) In: The Cambridge Companion to Singing. Cambridge Companions to Music (26). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 192-203. ISBN 9780521627092 (paperback) 9781139796972 (e-book)

Wright, D. C. H. (2000) Tempo (211) pp. 30-31. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1997) The Musical Times, 138 (1853) p. 35. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1996) The Musical Times, 137 (1846) p. 29. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1995) The Musical Times, 136 (1833) p. 607. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1995) The Musical Times, 136 (1824) pp. 97-99. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. and Ritterman, J. (1994) The Musical Times, 135 (1818) pp. 522-525. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1994) The Musical Times, 135 (1817) pp. 426-431. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1994) Tempo (189) pp. 33-35. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1994) The Musical Times, 135 (1813) pp. 153-155. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) Tempo (187) pp. 7-14. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1810) pp. 693-695. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1806) pp. 432-437. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1805) p. 399. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1805) p. 397. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1804) p. 340. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) Tempo (185) pp. 36-37. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1803) p. 270. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1802) pp. 215-217. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1801) pp. 125-128. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1800) p. 91. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1993) The Musical Times, 134 (1799) pp. 9-12. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) Tempo (183) pp. 33-34. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1798) p. 628. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1798) p. 635. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1795) pp. 464-465. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1795) pp. 452-453. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1795) p. 462. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1793) pp. 339-341. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1790) pp. 162-165. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1992) The Musical Times, 133 (1789) p. 130. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1991) Tempo (179) pp. 55-56. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1991) Tempo (177) pp. 45-46. ISSN 0040-2982 (print) 1478-2286 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1990) The Musical Times, 131 (1773) p. 601. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1990) The Musical Times, 131 (1772) pp. 540-541. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1990) The Musical Times, 131 (1772) pp. 547-548. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1990) The Musical Times, 131 (1771) pp. 485-486. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1990) The Musical Times, 131 (1769) pp. 363-364. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1990) The Musical Times, 131 (1789) p. 367. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Wright, D. C. H. (1988) The Musical Times, 129 (1750) p. 671. ISSN 0027-4666 (print) 2397-5318 (online)

Contact

For enquiries please contact:

Professor David Wright

Doctoral Supervisor, Professor of the Social History of Music, Emeritus Professor

research@rcm.ac.uk

david.wright@rcm.ac.uk

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