New-York tribune., 1900-03-25

specialist. specialist, OF course. one must be
who undertakes to write of musical composer
for even the incidents of such ones life
be told without illusions technical things. to
musicians and their works Mr.. Lawrence does not
attempt much in the way of criticism. surrendering
that function 10 Mr.. B. w. Findon who contributes
q chapter of appreciation of Sullivan's music but
he founders about in a way that is dstressful
whenever he uses foreign terms mentions the
names of musicians. John Mason Neale. the hymn
ologist and church historian is -. NJ. Mel: Grieg
is 'Greig'; Dannreuther Dan Reuter-; Walter
Bache, Bach; Reinecke. "Reinicke"; Gewand-
haus. "Ceryandhaus'; Viardot ''Viardet' Kreissle
''Kreissler'; Rouzaud Christine Nilsson's hus-
band, "Rouzlandts,' and so on for quantity The
fact that most of these perversons occur more
than once argues against their being merely typo
graphical errors. Barring blunders of this sort
however the book is bright and chatty and made
interesting by many extracts from Sir Arthur's
letters describing and commenting on his ex-
periences from boyhood up TO the present time 1t
is full. too. Of anecdotes. some of which shall
presently be reproduced here First, let princi-
pal incidents in the life of Engands most popular
composer be outlined.
Arthur Sullivan was born in London on Nav u
1872 His father an Irish bandmaster who filled
a post al the Royal College Sandhurst from 1s45
1856 and after that till his death at the Military
School Of Music at Kneller Hall. His mother came
Of an Italian family named Righ Like so many
Of his kind. he musically precocious as
child. At eight years OF age he had learned 10
play nearly all the instruments in band and had
composed an anthem. BY the Waters of Baby
lon; at thirteen ne scored a march from Sir Fred
erick Ouseley's oratorio, The Martyrdom of ST
Polycarp'' for his fathers band in one dav and
from memory. He had then been a chorister OF
the Chapel Royal for a year. In 1856 the Mem
dessohn Scholarship the Royal Academy of
Music was founded, and he carried Il off over a
number of competitors, the most dangerous Of
whom Joseph Barnby. The candidates were
required 10 be al least fourteen years old, and
Sullivan came within the qualifications by only
FIVE six weeks. His scholarship was extended
two years a reward OF his great industry at
the academy, but al the end of the first year his
voice broke and he went 10 the conservatory at
Lipslc where he studied from 1888 to 1861 his pro-
fessors being Moscheles and Paidy. piaroforte
Hauptmann. counterpont: Rietz composition, and
David orchestra playing and conducting. He gave
bright promise in the last department and was
highly commended for his success when he con-
Quoted his overture 10 The Feast OF Roses" from
Moore's 'Lalla Rookh' When he returned 10
London IN 1861 he carried his music 10 Shake
speares Tempest" with him. This composition IL
was that established his reputation in London 1t
was performed at the Crystal Palace on April 8
1@2 and repeated on the following Saturday
Charles Dickens had gone the first concert In
the company OF Henry F Chorley musical critic
OF The Athenaum" He waited In the artists
room I'LL Sullivan came out, gripped his hand and
said: Il don't profess be a musical critic but
DO know that / have listened to a very remarkable
Then followed the Irish symphony the csptata
Kenilworth.' written for the Birmingham festival
Of 1864 and the overture In Memoriam" in 1866 a
tribute 10 his dead father. This overture has been
performed in America. but the symphony and
cantata have never come under our notice The
overture. which Mr.. Thomas played at one OF his
popular concerts In November. 1856. was not pub-
lished until 1855.
But these are details not mentioned by Mr. Law
rence. and brought forward here 10 explain the
circumstance that for Americans Sir Arthur lives
only in the operettas which he wrote I'm coabora-
ton with Mr.. Gilbert This began in 1867 after
"Rox and Cox had been produced One morning
Gilbert called on Sullivan 20 read the manuscript
OF "A Trial by Jury" Sir Arthur tells the story
himself: He rea4 II through IL seemed to me
in perturhed sort of way. with gradual crs-
sceDdo of Indignation. in the of a man
considerably disappointed with what he had writ
ten. as he had come to the last word he