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SULLIVAN.
the play; in fact, since Mr. Macready's time 'The Tempest' has scarcely ever been put on the stage. But Mr. Sullivan has written incidental music for three other of Shakspeare's dramas; viz. ' The Merchant of Venice,' Prince's Theatre, Manchester, Sept. 18, 1871 ; 'The Merry Wives of Windsor,' Gaiety Theatre, Dec. 19, 1874; and ' Henry VIII,' Theatre Royal, Manchester, Aug. 29, 1878. Of these the first is by far the best, and is an excellent specimen of the merits of its com- poser, in spirit, tunefulness, orchestration, and irrepressible humour.
Mr. Sullivan's Songs are as well known as his operettas. They are almost always of a tender or sentimental cast ; and some of them, such as 'Sweet day so cool, so calm, so bright'; the 'Arabian Love Song,' by Shelley; ' fair dove, fond dove,' by Jean Ingelow ; the Shakspeare Songs ; and the series or, as the Germans would call it, the Liedercyclus of 'The Window,' written for the purpose by Tennyson, stand in a very high rank. None of these, however, have attained the popularity of others, which, though slighter than those just named, and more in the ballad style, have hit the public taste to a re- markable degree. Such are 'Will he come?' and 'The lost chord' (both by Miss Procter); '0 ma charmante' (V. Hugo); 'The distant shore' and ' Sweethearts' (both by W. S. Gilbert), etc.
The same tunefulness and appropriateness that have made his Songs such favourites, also distin- guish his numerous Anthems. Here the excel- lent training of the Chapel Royal shows itself without disguise, in the easy flow of the voices, the display of excellent, and even learned, counterpoint, when demanded by words or sub- ject, and the frequent examples throughout of that melodious style and independent treatment that marks the anthems of the best of the old England school. His Part-songs, like his An- thems, are flowing and spirited, and always ap- propriate to the words. There are two sets ; one sacred, dedicated to his friend Franklin Taylor, and one secular, of which '0 hush thee, my babie' has long been an established favourite.
His Hymn-tunes are numerous 47 in all and some of them, such as ' Onward, Christian Soldiers,' have justly become great favourites. Others, such as 'The strain upraise' and the arrangement of St. Ann's, to Heber's words 'The Son" of God goes forth to war,' are on a larger scale, and would do honour to any composer.
If his vocal works have gained Sir Arthur Sullivan the applause of the public, it is in his orchestral music that his name will live among musicians. His music to 'The Tempest' and 'The Merchant of Venice,' his oratorios, his Overture di Ballo, and, still more, his Symphony in E unfortunately his only work in this depart- ment show what remarkable gifts he has for the orchestra. Form and symmetry he seems to possess by instinct ; rhythm and melody clothe everything he touches ; the music shows not only sympathetic genius, but sense, judgment, pro- portion, and a complete absence of pedantry and i See the Festival Te Deum.
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��pretension ; while the orchestration is distin- guished by a happy and original beauty hardly surpassed by the greatest masters. Here again we may express our earnest hope that such great qualities as these may not pass away without leaving some enduring monument of his mature powers, some Symphony or Concerta added to the permanent repertory of the English School, now so vigorously reviving.
During the early part of his career Mr. Sullivan was organist of St. Michael's Church, Chester Square. After this, in 1867, he undertook the direction of the music at St. Peter's, Onslow Gardens, for which many of his anthems were composed, and where he remained till 1871. He was musical adviser to the Royal Aquarium Com- pany from its incorporation in July 1874 down to May 1876, organised the admirable band with which it started, and himself conducted its per- formances. For the seasons 1878 and 79 he conducted the Promenade Concerts at Co vent Garden for Messrs. Gatti ; and for those of 75- 76, and 76-77, the Glasgow Festivals. He was Principal of the National Training School at South Kensington from i876toi88i, when his engagements compelled him to resign in favour of Dr. Stainer, and he is now a member of the Council of the Royal College of Music. He re- ceived the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Cambridge in 1876, and Oxford, 1879. In I8 7 8 he acted as British Com- missioner for Music at the International Exhibi- tion at Paris, and was decorated with the Legion cfhonneur. He also bears the Order of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha, and on May 15, 1883, was knighted by the Queen.
List of Sir Arthur Sullivan's works, with names of original publishers, and year of publication.
N.B. A. & P. = Ashdown & Parry; B. = Boosey; C. = Cramer & Co. ; Ch.= Chappell & Co. ; M. = Metzler <k Co. ; N.=NoveUo & Co. ; S. L.= Stanley Lucas.
ORATORIOS.
The Prodigal Son. B.1869. | The Light of the World. 0.1873.
The Martyr of Antioch. Ch. 1380.
��Kenilworth. Ch. 1864.
��CANTATAS.
| On Shore and Sea. B.1871.
��SERVICES.
Te Deum, and Domine salvamiTe Deum, Jubilate, and Kyria fac (Orch.. C). N.1872. I (Voices only, D). N. 1866-1872.
��love the Lord (Full; F). N.
�ding; C). N. 1871.
�1864.
�I will worship. B. 1871.
�We have heard with our ears
�I will mention (Verse; G). N.
�(Full, a5; G). N.1865.
�1875.
�O taste and see (Full; F). N.
�I will sing of Thy power (Verse ;
�1867.
�A). N.1877.
�Rejoice in the Lord. B. 1868. Sing, O heavens. B. 1868.
�Hearken unto me (C). N. 1877. Turn Thy face from my sins.
�God, Thou art worthy (Wed-
�(Full ; 0). N. 1878.
�MISCELLANEOUS SACRED.
�Sacred Song. Israel.' N. 1855.
�Through sorrow's path.
�The Son of God (St. Ann's tune,
�Watchman, what of the night ?
�Organ obllg. ; C). 3rd ed. of
�The way is long and drear.
�R. B. Borthwick's 'Supple-
�Turn Thee again, and Mercy and-
�mental Hymn and Tune Book,'
�Truth; 2 Choruses adapted
�1868.
�from the Russian Church
�All this night (Carol). N. 1870.
�Music. N.1874.
�I sing the birth (Carol). B. Ib71.
�The strain upraise (G). N. 1874.
�Five Sacred Part-songs. B. 1871 : It came upon the midnight.
�Upon the snow -clad earti (Carol). 'The Choir.' 1876.
�Lead, kindly Light.
� �� �
