The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-22
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN.
A CHAT WITH THE OPERATIC
WRITERS IN THEIR HOMES.

A CHAT WITH THE OPERATIC
WRITERS IN THEIR HOMES.
How They Look, Act, Work and Live
Sir Arthur Sullivan's Popularity
and Income From His Wor2s-In
Demand in the Fashionable West
End-Gubert's Methods of Directing
and Drilling His People-At Work
on a New opera.
(Copwi0hted)
LONDON, Sept. 10-It would be Difficult
70 find two me 50 thoroughly dissi,nilar in
every way as Sir Arthur Sullivan ID the
author of Bah B lllads." They are b 9TH ia
miliar figures in London. You VII meet
them in the West End drawing rooms, in
the clubs, in the Hobbies of the theaters or
IN the curriio of the House of Com mons,
when it is announced tn Gladstone or
ParueIl or B flour or even L1ri Churchill
il to speak They are both inveterate
theater goers, and 9th thorough students
OF human nature. Sir Author differs from
his ,-laborsr in that he is &c tile, mild yet
positive, b inoffeusive in manner, and las
the happy faculty of get great deal of
work out of his subordinates without much
effort. Mr.. Gilbert, o. the other hand,
is petuous, rash, die atorial, to
use an Americanism, might even be called
a crank. But they work together harm mi
ously, and Just now it may in es5 YOU in
knowing that they have another of their
inimitable oleras on the way. What 1t is
all about not even the most intimae friends
of the comp ser an liDrettis can tell, AMI
as for the name, 1t is the last thi 6 decl led
up)n. Indeed. THE Yeoman of the Guard"
was not finally decided upon the tide OF
the last opera until twenty four hours b =
fore the curtain went up on the first per
formance
Mr.. Sullivan or Sir Arthur, as he is more
generally known, is quite approacnable.
Mr.. Gilbert .slikes to be asked qIes ions
even by an American Intervene. AMI
keeps to himself. In his club ar und hi
cronies he is affable and sometimes sweet
tempered, but lot al Ways so. IL You Fl
him at r,Learsal he is apt to be gruf and
even rude, and the manner in which he
gives orders to those ON the age reminds
one of gene al charging upon the enemy
There is no room for doubt. He gives his
orders in loud, commanding voice and
they must he obeyed at once or there will,
be a good deal of trouble. With Mr. Sull-
van in the conductors chair, however,
things are different. He will coax and pet ,
a 81 ger and has the faculty of drilling hi
chorus effectively by using kind instead of
harsh words.
IL the course of conversation, a few
days ago, asked him out the success of
comic opera writing and the future of
comic opera. He shr gged his shoulders,
shook his head and protested that he kne
nothing about it, "Y )u must ask Ir.
Gil ert," he said, "about ting. Ali
that ] do is TO put the words to music
Wine her my WORK has been successful or not
the pubic mus judge 1t is not my grand
est W TX, however, and not wnat am mus.
proud Of
1Len in q geutlemanly, quiet and unob-
trusiye way, Mr.. Sulli, an told me some
thing of his early life. Hi, ia her was an
Irishman and his mother of Italian descent.
He attracted attention in school by won
derfully swee. soprano voice. 1t was in tn
Chapel Royal and Rev. Tn mas Helmore
was the master. Tn gel leman i s.ructed
his you g pup, and aug him the ruii-
ments of music. h S voice changed en-
he b. came seventeen or eighteen, but he
was so in love ~ tn the pr, .fesSiou that he
decided 10 try his hand at composing. HI
early W rk consis. ed of anthems and smaller
pieces, mostly of sacred Character. o c
of these entitled, "Oh Israel gained co -
siderable popu arIty. He vas e.ectsd the
first MeAdelss scholar in the Roya.
Academy of Music, aud from 1858 uuti.
1861 IA was a tudenG IN the Conservatory
at Leip ic. While pursuing his studies h.
composed co siderable music. the m st
elaborate uf WI lch was incidental music of
Shakespo ares Tempest" This was given
at tue Crystal Palace soon after it was
written. From that time to this he has
been b sy AT his favorite task He ha
composed nu nervous songs and piano pieces,
and has usually been invited to contrib .te
som t & for tue various musical festivals.
About this til. his father uieI and an "In
Mem 1rIam" overture, composed TO The men,
ory the deceased, to whom tue son was
devotedly attached, attracted marked at
tenuon.
Then said Mr.. Sullivan to me, II be-
came convinced that music was my fore,
and / nave never tired of the worG from
that day to this"
He sketched in a brief way his produc-
tion in The rider of their writings, such as
"Mar.ni n, tine Prodigal So" a cantat
"On Shore and Sea-" With words by Tom
Taylor, and "Te Deum" for tue thanks
giving service held for the recovery OF Q
Prince of Wa,es. OLe IF his most a .nbitous
efforts was b s oratorio entitled THE
Light of the World 1t was remarkably
successful at the time, but its very solem
treatment prevents i from ever becoming
popular. Then followed The Martyrs of
Antioch Worlds E id" and king
David" He also edited a collection of
hymn tunes and wrote twelty-one original
tunes for the publication himself.
"You have been a hard worker"
said.
YES" was the reply, 81 have worked
hard because liked 1t. 1t has been pleas
ant and profitable. l regard my sacre
compositions a, the most important OF my
WORKS. They include three oratorios, two
church services, a zen anthems for divine
service, an equal number of sacred SONGS,
carols aud part songs, and about sixty by mn
tunes"
.'Your songs have been wonderfully pop
ular, o." said.
YES" was the reply, 81 suppose may
say So At least the public has sung them
and has bought them eagerly. la round
numbers suppose ave produced uul-
dred 10 songs" My first success in ing
writing was ia 1873. l had written Or
pheus Win His Lutte and after much
difficulty sold it for 95. 1t was bad bar
gain for me, bat a good one lor the pub
Usher, for it brought him 81 900 in twelve
months. / kne better with tae Mex one
however. and Oh, Hush Tuee, Ny Baby,
was surprising IN its popularity AID f1nan-
cial results"
80 "a