19th Century Musical Journals

The first periodical to dedicate 100 percent of its content to music was the Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review founded in 1818 by Richard Mackenzie Bacon. William Clowes and J. W. Parker created the Harmonican five years later, splitting the content in half between music literature and actual print music.  Surprisingly, both publications lasted over a decade.  The first major musical journal to define the line between publications aimed at amateurs and professionals was the Musical World, a weekly created in 1836.  It was geared toward professional musicians and was the first publication to include signed articles and analyses. As for a public instructional journal, the Musical Times and Singing Class Circular (later known as Musical Times in 1904) came about it 1844.  Choral singing teacher Joseph Mainzer established the journal to promote his personal efforts and was bought out later by Alfred Novello, who first published the Musical World.  The general public found this journal very accessible in its natural style, low price and understandable writing.  As was the trend in the following decades, this journal focused mainly on choral music.  Here's a closer look at the Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review, Musical World and Musical Times with links to more information:

Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review

• Published: 1818-1828 (Date of final volume isn't clear,
     but best guess is around 1828)
• Volumes: 10, each with 4 issues
• Known Contributors: Louisa Mary Bacon, J. S. Hawkins,
     D. C. Hewitt, Edward Hodges, Edward Holmes,
     F. W. Horncastle, John Marsh
• QMM was modeled after the Edinburgh Review and
     the Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung
• Broad range of topics offered: biographical sketches of
     composers and performers, acoustics, descriptions of
     pianofortes and organs, performance practice, and
     musical pedagogy.
• For more information, click here.

Musical World - Published: 1836-1891
• Volumes: 71
• Weekly magazine founded by J. Alfred Novello
(James William Davison owner from 1844-1885)
• Covered controversial topics from organ placement
     in churches to performers' payments to conflicts
     among religious chants
• Split into two parts:
     - Articles of varying topics, reviews of major
          publications and concerts, biographies of
          contemporary musicians
     - Signed an anonymous editorials of national and
           international interest, European and American
          reprints of articles, interesting facts, gossip

           and poetry.
• For more information, click here

Musical Times
• Published 1844-Today (Oldest currently published

       musical journal)
•  Volumes: 148
•  Six major editors of 19th Century
•  J. Alfred Novello-founder of the journal
•  Mary Cowden Clarke-sister to Novello
•  Henry Charles Lunn-contributed 122 articles
•  William Alexander Barrettan-composer and organist
•  Edgar Frederick Jacques-music critic
•  Frederick George Edwards-organist
•  Started at 8 pages when first published to around 

     72 by the end of the century
•  Popular among amateurs interested in learning vocal

     performance in part songs, glees, madrigals,

     choruses, anthems and hymns
•  Current issues may be purchased for $20.00 online
•  For more information, click here
•  For ordering information, click here

Information provided by Mike