The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-31
suL11vAN,s LOST CHORD.
How that Celebrated Composer Wrote
the Famous Composition.

How that Celebrated Composer Wrote
the Famous Composition.
Though Sir Arthur sulllvap's long
compositions have won tor him more
ample fame, it is his shSf: piece, 1.-THE
Lost Chord" which has done more
theny anything else to augment his
popularity. says the New York Mali
and Express. The circumstances Of
the writing of this famous composition
were as follows:
For the Norwich musicale OF 1865 Sir
Arthur Sullivan had been asked to write
an overture. He had accepted the cons
mission, hut falling to hit upon an APP
propriatc idea, he neglected the work
until the date had approached danger-
ouSly near. 49,,
al length he decided to give up his
commission. His father, however, per-
suadad him not to rellnqulsh IT, Some
thing is sure to occur to you" ne
urged, even at che last moment"
Three days after this SulliVan's be-
loved father died. The blow fell upon
the young musician with terrible effect
he sat for hours as one dazed.
Finally, on the night OF the funeral
he seized pen and began writing, BY
the next morning the score for the Nor
weEian festival had been finished. In
producing this work Sullivan seemed
to act almost without his own vOlitlon,
and yet the Norwich score Is consid-
cred one OF the finest he has ever pro-
duced. II led almost directly TO the
production OF THE Lost Chord.
The death of his father, to whom he
was passlonately attached. filled the
composer with a profound melancholy
which was intensified few weeks
afterward by the desperate illness of
his brother. For weeks Sullivan sat
at the bedside, while the life Of another
whom he loved trembled in the ball
ance.
one night. as the invalid passed on
into quiet sleep and the respite seemed
to have occurred in the battle between
life and death, Sullivan quietly, almost
stealthily, took a piece Of paper from
the table in front OF him and began
writing music to the words which had
been running so long in his head. When
he had completed his work 1.-THE Lost
Chord" had sprung into harmonious
being.
Sullivan works with wonderful RAJ
pidity, and most Of his productions are
OF n spontaneous order; that is. he cni1.
not sit down deliberately and grind
out opera after opera. He leaves
everything until Tie last moment and
tken works with lightning Ike haste.
Fer instance. he wrote the overture to
"Tolapthc" In ten hours: that for the
Woman OF the Guard" In twelve
hours, and the epilogue to the Golden
Legion" with full orchestra score and
chorus in twenty-four hours.
Even as a boy Sullivan performed re-
marlsable feats of composition. Among
others the following story Is told:
Thomas Sullivan, the father OF the com.
pcser, WAS bandmRster at the Royal
Military college at Sandhurst, when the
young musician was attending, at thir-
teen years OF age, exercises In music
at oxford. He had the soprano part
In Tho &artyrdom of ST. Poiycarp
ard so impressed was he with the music
that. on going home. he tried TO Induce
his father TO purchase the score for the
band II was asceItaired, however, that
the score had not been published, This
fact Old not daunt young Sullivan. he
sat down one morning and before night
fan had produced the entire march
from memory, with full military band
Score.
Sir Arthur Sullivan lives in a Hat on
tine ground floor OF a building at No,
co Victoria street. a few blocks from
Westminster Abbey. The Hat Is spa
ciaus anc decorated in exquisite taste.
containing collected curios from all
parts Of the globe-for the composer
is great traveller One Of his moot
priced articles is framed clipping from
the Illustrated London News ~ 1855.
II announced the winning Of the Men
dalssohn scholarship by Master Sulll-
va1. charislsr IN her maJesty's Chapel
ROYAL" Sullivan was then In hs four
tccnth year. The prize was offered by
the ROYAL Academy OF Music, and was
competed Cor ty upward Of 200 students,
nrt al whom but two stood the exam.
lratlon test SO close was the contest
betwccn sullivan and Joseph Rarnby
that the Judgment OF the award com
utce was Withheld for twelve hours,
Su'i,ynn frally winning.
c,ilIvan'p scholarship was extended
TO scson6 year and he was then sent
10 the Lc'psig Conservatcrium, Among
his fellow students were Carl Rosa.
John Francis barnett Edward Grleg
ard Edward Danrreuther,
The composer is now In his ffty-ninth
year ard crjoys robust health When
he desires rest his favorte resort is In
Switzerland