ABSTRACT
Rauzzini was just one of several masters, working independently to train aspiring professional and amateur musicians in Britain, but neither he, nor any of his colleagues, were trained to teach music. Additionally, music masters were not regulated, making it much more challenging to find one who could teach effectively and potentially advance one’s career. Several publications highlighted the dangers of hiring a master who was negligent, abusive, deceitful and unskilled. Anxieties heightened about whether Britain’s music education was in decline, with some musicians calling for educational reforms such as the establishment of a national school of music, where music masters would be overseen by a governing board. Others demanded music masters undergo examination and licensing. In the midst of these concerns and debates, Rauzzini was continuously praised for his teaching excellence, particularly in the latter stages of his career and several decades after his death. This chapter contextualises Georgian Britain’s music education, particularly the ongoing debates concerning the reliance on independent music masters, their legitimacy as music educators and the need to establish a national school of music.
