RPS Since 1813

A Brief RPS History

Over 200 years of supporting the very best music-making in the UK

Scattered ivory counters

Our Stories

Read about key moments from the history of the Royal Philharmonic Society

​Cartoon image of violinist Paolo Spagnoletti playing violin upside down

Beethoven Bust

The history of the Society and its Beethoven Bust

Further Reading

Explore additional books and resources about the Royal Philharmonic Society

200 Years at the Heart of Music

The RPS celebrated its bicentenary in 2013

Two violin scrolls side by side

Library of Scores

With over 270 manuscripts, explore the RPS Archive at the British Library

Stack of old books

RPS Commissions

Commissioning new music has been at the heart of our work since 1813

Donate

Please make a donation to support our work

Letters and Papers

Our archives record the details of negotiations with many artists and composers