Hickford's Long Room
Hickford's Long Room was a public concert room in London, which ran from April 1713 until 1787; it became known as Rice's Rooms from 1788. Harrison's date of 1779 is not correct. It was paid for on a subscription basis to those who could afford to patronize the arts, such as the nobility. The 1922 Groves noted that "most of the great performers, both vocal and instrumental, who visited England, gave their concerts there." The room became a place to see successful musicians play, including Francesco Scarlatti (1719 & 1724), Francesco Geminiani (c. 1732), Gluck in 1746, Mozart (1765), Francesco Maria Veracini, Pietro Castrucci and Matthew Dubourg. For a time in the 1740s and 50s, it was the only concert room of note in the West End of London.