“The aim of the Society is to aid the production and the popularisation of all serious musical works, whether published or unpublished, of French composers; to encourage and bring to light, so far as is in its power, all musical endeavour, whatever form it may take, on condition that there is evidence of high, artistic aspiration on the part of the author....  It is in brotherly love, with complete forgetfulness of self, and with the firm intention of aiding one another as far as they can, that the members of the Society will co-operate, each in his own sphere of action, for the study and performance of the works which they shall be called upon to select and to interpret.”

The first Committee was made up as follows:  President, Bussine; Vice-President, Saint-Saens; Secretary, Alexis de Castillon; Under-Secretary, Jules Garcin; Treasurer, Lenepveu.  The members of the Committee were:  Cesar Franck, Theodore Dubois, E. Guiraud, Fissot, Bourgault-Ducoudray, Faure, and Lalo.

The first concert was given on 25 November, 1871, in the Salle Pleyel; and it is worthy of note that the first work played was a trio of Cesar Franck’s.  Since then the Society has given three hundred and fifty performances of chamber-music or orchestral works.  The best known French composers and virtuosi have taken part as executants, among others:  Cesar Franck, Saint-Saens, Massenet, Bizet, Vincent d’Indy, Faure, Chabrier, Guiraud, Debussy, Lekeu, Lamoureux, Chevillard, Taffanel, Widor, Messager, Diemer, Sarasate, Risler, Cortot, Ysaye, etc.  And among the compositions that have been played for the first time it is enough to mention the following: 

Cesar Franck:  Nearly the whole of his works, including his Sonata, Trio, Quartette, Quintette, Symphonic Variations, Preludes and Fugues, Mass, Redemption, Psyche, and a part of Les Beatitudes.

Saint-Saens:  Phaeton, Second Symphony, Sonatas, Persian Melodies, the Rapsodie d’Auvergne, and a quartette.

Vincent d’Indy:  The trilogy of Wallenstein, the Poeme des Montagues, the Symphonie sur un theme montagnard, and quartettes.

Chabrier:  Part of Gwendoline.

Lalo:  Fragments of the Roi d’Ys, Rhapsodies and Symphonies.

Bruneau:  Penthesilee, La Belle au Bois Dormant.

Chausson:  Viviane, Helene, La Tempete, a quartette and a symphony.

Debussy:  La Damoiselle elue, the Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune, a quartette, pieces for the pianoforte, and melodies.

Dukas:  L’Apprenti Sorcier, and a sonata for the pianoforte.

Lekeu:  Andromede.

Alberic Magnard:  Symphonies and a quartette.

Ravel:  Scheherazade, Histoires Naturelles, etc.