While music had chiefly been centred on the Chapel under the Old Foundation of Dulwich College, when the school moved south beyond Dulwich Village to the New Buildings in 1869 its musical activity naturally moved with it and a thriving tradition was built up under a succession of inspiring music masters, few of whom were full-time specialists. Under James Brabham, appointed College Organist in the 1870s, the college became noted for its singing, with glee and madrigal concerts, while at the same time he made his mark locally by conducting the Dulwich Choral Society. The first full-time music master was Edward Rendall, who from 1884 found sympathetic backing from J. E. C. Welldon, the Master of the College, who promoted music during his short reign by writing the words of the school song Pueri Alleynienses, which Rendall set to music. They were a duo responsible for a number of other school songs which were duly performed at school concerts from Founder's Day 1884 onwards. Music was still a co-curricular activity, but attracted the occasional eminent musician; one such catch was Arnold Dolmetsch, famed as the founder of ‘historically informed’ performance, as a part-time violin teacher.

Not all Masters of the college were as sympathetic as Welldon towards music at Dulwich, and several imposed their whims.