Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/775

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 composer, 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; 'O 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 remarkable degree. Such are 'Will he come?' and 'The lost chord' (both by Miss Procter); 'O 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 distinguish his numerous Anthems. Here the excellent 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 subject, 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 Anthems, are flowing and spirited, and always appropriate to the words. There are two sets; one sacred, dedicated to his friend Franklin Taylor, and one secular, of which 'O 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 department—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, proportion, and a complete absence of pedantry and pretension; while the orchestration is distinguished 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 Concerto 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 Company from its incorporation in July 1874 down to May 1876, organised the admirable band with which it started, and himself conducted its performances. For the seasons 1878 and 79 he conducted the Promenade Concerts at Covent 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 1876 to 1881, 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 received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Cambridge in 1876, and Oxford, 1879. In 1878 he acted as British Commissioner for Music at the International Exhibition at Paris, and was decorated with the Légion d'honneur. He also bears the Order of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and on May 15, 1883, was knighted by the Queen.

The Prodigal Son. B. 1869.

The Light of the World. C. 1873.

The Martyr of Antioch. Ch. 1880.

Kenilworth. Ch. 1864.

On Shore and Sea. B. 1871.

Te Deum, and Domine salvam fac (Orch., C). N. 1872.

Te Deum, Jubilate, and Kyrie (Voices only, D). N. 1866–1872.

O love the Lord (Full; F). N. 1864.

We have heard with our ears (Full, à 5; G). N. 1865.

O taste and see (Full; F). N. 1867.

Rejoice in the Lord. B. 1868.

Sing, O heavens. B. 1868.

O God, Thou art worthy (Wedding; C). N. 1871.

I will worship. B. 1871.

I will mention (Verse; G). N. 1875.

I will sing of Thy power (Verse; A). N. 1877.

Hearken unto me (C). N. 1877.

Turn Thy face from my sins. (Full; C). N. 1878.

Sacred Song. 'O Israel.' N. 1855.

The Son of God (St. Ann's tune, Organ oblig.; C). 3rd ed. of R. B. Borthwick's 'Supplemental Hymn and Tune Book,' 1868.

All this night (Carol). N. 1870.

I sing the birth (Carol). B. 1871.

Five Sacred Part-songs. B. 1871:
 * It came upon the midnight.
 * Lead, kindly Light.
 * Through sorrow's path.
 * Watchman, what of the night?
 * The way is long and drear.

Turn Thee again, and Mercy and Truth; 2 Choruses adapted from the Russian Church Music. N. 1874.

The strain upraise (G). N. 1874.

Upon the snow-clad earth (Carol). 'The Choir.' 1876.