ABSTRACT
The period 1850-70 was one of consolidation for the older-established festivals. Birmingham thrived under the leadership of its energetic conductor Michael Costa, while Norwich became one of the leading provincial festivals. With its financial stability more or less assured, the Three Choirs continued to flourish. By 1850 the Three Choirs festival had been in existence for over 130 years and was the oldest surviving provincial festival with an unbroken history. Then, the town halls of Leeds and Newcastle upon Tyne were built in 1858, and both were inaugurated with splendid music festivals. The most important feature of the period was the introduction of music festivals at Bradford and Leeds. While the Bradford festival proved short-lived, the Leeds event became increasingly prestigious, especially after 1880 when it was held triennially. The 1860s also saw the establishment of the Wolverhampton festival which, although not a major event, grew in importance throughout the 1870s and 1880s.
