The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11

sir Arthur Sullivan: Life Story. Let
tiers. and "reminiscences. is a copiousiy
illustrated b00l, by Arthur Lawrence. It
viii probably be Of interest to those who
care fer the history of musical compost
ton, for besides the purely personal ele-
ment il contains much information about
the Development Of light opera in England
About half the Illustrations are portraits
Of the composer, as he appeared at differ
ent periods Of his life. ana there are also
fac-similes OF first drafts OF various must
cal compositions Mr. B. ". Findon has
also contributed three chapters on "Sulll-
van as a Musician
Most Of the book deals with the adult life
OF the composer, bur there are one or two
anecdotes Of his boyhood which are inter
estlng and significant. Il is recorded that
when he was thirteen years old he came
home from the Chapel Royal, much de-
lighted with a work by Sir Frederick Ouse-
ley. entitled The MartydCm Of St Poly
carp He said % his father. There is q
splendid march in The Martyrdom of St
Polycarp.' You ought 10 get ii for the
band" Mr. sullivan said that he could
do nothing. as The music had not been pub
lshed The boy rose early one morning
and wrote out the march from memory, in
4ull iHlll'al4 DaAu stoIr' before hshJIaH.
which was rather q remarkable feat of
memory for a boy OF thirteen.
Among letters written in SulIivan's stu
dent days is one which contains a new and
rather interesting aueedOte about Dickens
The particular purpose OF 0ur visit 60 Paris
was 90 bear Madame Aiaidot in Glucks "Orfe0"
She WAS inten- iy emotional aud beg performance
was certainly one oi iHe greatest things J have
went j5ra,ae- and r.,aerbcr hat We v l'o
much moved Hy tHe performance. aud it was
Of So affecting character. chat the tears strcamej
Gown our faces. We Warmly tried Co. restrain
-,,.tgI nm ,-l,..,-I..r. lI 5t ,:,a,i''. h5
was dft,r vim I'M. md. Tr.r,b Was rst 49,
iiollariy good &c aas quite m EugIi-husu's
French, hlt be- managed t7 make himself under
stood, and interviewed everybody. ot course, he
49,, -, | . 'trs a,',l "'t, any one
ina gisrirr gf9., sig,v. snr-..i.5s5 T,,.r.
MS I'D fle Ifs.t .,i.,i.i5r af ,ia No. I,o,,t
him. BIS electric Vitality vas ,E,relre. bg. Il
was inspiring and not H'trpowar.ug. lie always
gave one Tie impression of being immensely in
iti',l'a lu e,,.t l"ins, listening win the most
- -.i'.i 10 eil 'Ng ihle.t
orifiop might De- h. .. ,isiisl,f,I ,,,,,r,,io
but never obtrldel himself ur6p ono M f,,+
Doc was tle bes; ot good company
it was ou lds rrtun from Paris on this oc-
,.-'.oN 'Aai .aa ifa.n fs.ilsni occurred alluded
~ % "a Icy o. D..t'i, l'ia me 'hat
= -, - .s '.l,.. H' Coy "SoA 10
no. and Deten. added n tsif I .I.o,iJ r,,.r i.a
able TO go IN the railway train again and mat
must take some strong measure 10 fight against
ny own nervous NelEu'0> The next day, or
'4s Gay amer, pr Went u fans and back again
rrrrrs .,' tl5. a., To- ,,,- '' 49,. 'ts 'a,ea s-e
d.,s on tho railway were over
80, .,,..,. -. .-,,'.
An ouu Hl,ie SloiFf 'oIu III the same let
Ter ABOUT hosslhl, Is lhai one morning
sullivan called on him and found him try I
ing over small piece OF music. When
the visitor asked what II was. Rossini !
graNely informed him that u was the
bHihday OF MS dog, LOT Nhom a llite piece
was written on every such anniversary.
Another anecdote has to do with the
composition OF that song. with which |
Americans are now familiar 10 the point OF f!
exhaustion The Lost Chord" The music I
was written while sullivan was watching !
by the bedside Of his dying brother.