In 1803 a committee was set up to organize the renewal of the concert series. In 1805, the 28-year old violinist Johannes Tollmann from Mannheim was named concert master.
He succeeded in making the formerly mediocre orchestra perform at a more acceptable level. He greatly influenced the musical life of Basel. He died in 1829.

The so-called Concert Society was founded in 1826, the same year in which the municipal casino was built. The musicians who performed in public concerts also played in private homes and participated in soirees for small select audiences. Carl Maria von Weber, Louis Spohr, Franz Liszt, Robert and Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms were among the prominent musicians who performed in Basel.

The 19th and early 20th century witnessed the founding of important institutions which devoted themselves to organizing concerts and setting up music schools:
the Basler Gesangverein (Basel Choral Society),1824; and in 1827 the Men's Choir (in 1853 it became the Basler Liedertafel); the Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft, 1876; the Basel Bach Choir, in 1911; and in 1926 the Chamber Orchestra of Basel (which was disbanded in 1986). Theatrical performances have been given in Basel since 1843.

The Music School was established in 1867, and in 1905 it was expanded to include courses for the training of professional musicians (Conservatory). In 1956 the Music School, the Conservatory and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (institute for the study and performance of early music founded by Paul Sacher in 1933), were combined to form the Music Academy of Basel. Today the courses for the training of professional musicians have been accorded university level status. The University of Basel has had a Chair for Musicology since 1900.