The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-23
NOTED COMPOSER DEAD
SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN DIES SUD-
DENLY OF HEART FAILURE.
Falls Back in Red While Talking and
Laughing and Passes Away-His
Bcst-Knoyvn Works.

lONDON. NOV. 22.-Sir Arthur sullivan,
the musical composer, died of heart failure
az o'clock this morning. While he was
laughing and talking in his home here he
fell back in bed and died within a few
minutes. He had been ailing since he re-
turned from Switzerland in the middle of
September. He caught a chill there. and
his chest and lungs became affected. He
took to his bed a fortnight ago, but was
ccnvalescing and sitting up in his bed just
before he expired. The afternoon news
papers print long euIogies of the deceased.
Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born In
London May II. 1872. His father was
bandmaster, and before Arthur had con-
cluded his eighth year he was able to play
any wind instrument. In 1858 Mr.. Sullivan
entered the conservatorium at Leipsic and
remained there until the latter part of 1861.
He then returned to London. bringing
with him his music to Shakspeare's ITEM
pest" which was produced at the Crystal
Palace April 5, 1862. The composition made
a great hit and launched him into London
musical circles. In 1873 he appeared at
birmingham with an oratorio entitled THE
Light of the World" and made a signal
triumph.
Among Sullivan's first comic operettas
which attracted attention Cox and
Box, New Triumviretta," an adaptation
by +. c. Burnand. 1.-The Sorcerer," by w.
s. Gilbert, first established the popularity
of the Gilbert and Sullivan combination.
The opera was given to the public Nov. is.
1871 and ran uninterrupted for lis nights.
On May 10. 1873, III NJ. S. Pinafore" was
produced. 'Pinafore'' became very popu-
lar in England and the United States and
exceeded all previous records. The vein of
droll satire was kept up in 1.-THE Pirates
of Penzance,' Patience" .'Iolanthe'' and
The Mikado, which were produced in re-
cent years.
er musical works is ''Ivanhoe," grand
opera founded on Sir Walter SCOTS novel.
dramatized by Julian Sturgiss- The score
was written by request of Queen Victoria
and is dedicated TO her. On May 10, 1893.
he was knighted by the Queen. Among
his most celebrated compositions is the
song. THE Lost Chord which had vogue
in musical circles the world over.
The circumstances of the writing of 1.-THE
Lost Chord" were as follows: For the
Norwich Musical of 1866 Sir Arthur Suli-
van had been asked to write an overture.
He had accepted the commission, but, fall
Ing to hit upon an appropriate idea, he
neglected the work until the date had ap
preached dangerously near. AT length he
decided to give up his commission. His
father, however persuaded him not to re-
linquish it. Something is sure to occur
ment." Three days after this Sullivans
beloved father died. The blow fell upon
the young musician with terrible effect.
He sat for hours as one dazed. Finally.
the night of the funeral, he seized a
pen and began writing. BY the next morn
ing the score for the Norwich festival had
been finished. In producing this work
Sullivan seemed to act almost without
his own volition, and yet the Norwich
score is considered one of the finest he has
eyer produced 1t led almost directly to
the production of 1.-THE Lost Chord
The death of his father-to whom he
was passionately attached-filled the COM
poser with profound melancholy, which
was Intensified a 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 balance One night, the invalid
passed OIL into quiet sleep, and respite
seemed to have occurred in the battle be-
tween life and death, Sullivan quietly, al
most stealthily, took piece of paper from
the table in front of him and began writ
ing 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.
1t was as choir boy in the Chapel Royal
at ST. James that the boy received his first
systematic training. He won his place there
by singing the with Verdure Clad" ac-
companying himself on the piano. The
Rev T. Helmore was master of the chill
dren, and he encouraged young Sullivans
interest in composition. A first anthem
sung in the chapel earned him half crown
and a bishops notice. The winning of
gold medal offered by daughter of the
Queen was another of the early steps in the
young mans advancement.
Fortune and fame came to Arthur Sulli-
van in his collaboration with w. S. Gilbert
as librettist and D'Oyly Carte as producer
Of the long list of Colbert and Sullivan
operas" At the time of the quarrel which
interrupted the partnership ten years ago
it was estimated that 9270000 had been d.
vided among the three men, something
like $450000 each. In addition, Sullivan de-
rived a large revenue the most popular
OF English song writer's. He edited the
church hymns and composed several of the
tunes therein found. Both Oxford and
Cambridge honored him with the degree
of musical doctor.
1.-The Rose of Persia" with the book by
Captain Basil Hood. was the last score Sir
Arthur wrote. II produced in London
at the Savoy Nov. 20, 1899, and was brought
out at Days Theater in New York Sept
6, 1900. but was taken off before the end of
the month.
Sullivan's hymn, Onward, Christian Sol
diers," is used by most churches where the
English tongue prevails. His orchestral
works are respected by musicians.