The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-23
SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN'S DEATH
The Public Greatly shocked by the
IneEpeCted NcMs.

poser died suddenly at his home in tn
suburbs of London this morning
He had been in poor health for sew
eral months. but his illness did 10
take serious turn until about two week
ago. when he broke down while cola bo
rating with Basil Hood on an Irish opera
He went 10 the south of Europe to recu
perate. but the trip proved of no benefi
to him and he returned to his home.
| The composers death was directly due
to heart failure which had been threaten
ing since his return from France.
The composer was apparently feeling
fairly well when he retired last night. His
nephew found him dead in bed this morn
ing. The Savoy Theatre, where all the IA
nous Gilbert and Sullivan operas have been
produced will be closed tonight as mark
of respect.
1t is coincidence that D'Oyly Carte, the
and Sullivan operas at the Savoy, is ill.
| The news of Sir Arthur Sullivan's de-
!, mise was a shock to his friends and to
the English public. His compositions and
| his bright operas had made him the mu-
|
loss will be keenly felt.
Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born in
| London. on May II, 1872 His musical
career was begun twelve years later. when
he entered the choir of the Chapel Royal,
Windsor. as a chorister A year later he
| published his first song and was elected the
first Mendelssohn scholar. He studied a
year in the Royal Academy of Music, I'M
der Sterndale Bennett and Goss, and in 1858
went TO Leipsic, where he stayed for three
years. studying with Moschelles, Haupt-
mann, Richter, Plaidy, and others, during
which time he wrote his first music that
marked him as composer of promise. the
overture to "Lalla Rookh," some string
Quartettes. and his incidental music to
Shakespeares THE Tempest" Since that
time he has been the foremost figure in
English music, and his life has been most
active. Not only has he figured as a COM
poser, but as conductor. For three years
he was conductor of the London Philhar-
monte Society. from 1855 to 1887. and since
1880 he has been the conductor of the Leeds
musical festivals. For five years he was
principal of the National Training School OF
Music: he was knighted by the Queen in
1883. and received the honorary degree Of
doctor Of music from both Cambridge and
Oxford He was made chevalier of the Le-
gion of Honor in the same year.
Sulliran's contributions to serious mu-
sic were many and important. His
chestral and choral works were amsng
the best that England has produced.
Among his choral works may he men ion
ed ''KeEilworth," 1S64) 1.-The Pr0digaI
Son." GSSeD Tho Light of the World"
us7S.l THE Martyr of Antioch usSO,)
and The Golden Legend" uss6) He
wrote also two ballets. Lille Enchante''
ilSti.D and Victorian and Merrie Eng
land" (lS9ID and incidental music to
THE Tempest, The Merchant of Ven
ice, "Merrie Wives Of Windsor Hen
~ VII" Macbeth" and King Arthur"
His contributions to church music have
also been numerous and important. and
he has written one symphony, several
overtures, cello concerto and many
songs.
But it will be as composer of opera.
and especially of light opera, that he will
be best remembered and it is in work of
that class that he takes such an import
ant place in musical history, one with
which that of Offenbach in France alone
is comparable. AS early as 1867 he be-
gan work in that line. his first attempt
being the comic piece BOX and Cox"
which still is given at amateur entertain
ments. That was followed in the same
year by The COntrabandista." work
which has been forgotten-in fact. which
was rewritten six years ago for Francis
Wilson and achieved only moderate
success under the name of The Chief
tain" In 1871 came a third and now al |
most forgotten work called .'Thespis.''
Then came an alliance which had as its
result series of mastery pieces of a
light nature which stand out alone in
comic opera as being unapproached by
any of that genre. Sullivan's partnership !
with w. S. Gilbert began in 1875 and was |
continued uninterrupted for fifteen years,
in which time their work delighted the
whole of the English speaking race. Their |
first opera was "A Trial by Jury little |
piece which has not yet lost its freshness. !
and is still sung now and then. That was !
followed by The Zoo" ns75) and THE :
Sorcerer" GS77). The former was little
known in this country and the latter never
had much popularity although it has been
revived from time to time at the Savoy /
in London.
But the next year, 1873 brought out III.
NJ. 5. Pinafors.'' No one can forget the
sensation that made in this country. 1t
was revelation of the possibilities which
lay in this form of amusement. No town
CT village was too small 10 have it sung
by amateurs. and the country was filled
with companies made up by professionals
by church choir singers and by children
all of them prospecting through this
piece.
1t seemed as if nature had selected these
two men to work together. Gilbert's sharp !
pungent wit. his dizziness at rhymng, his
:kill in construction found their counter
part in Sullivans dainty gift of melody. his
musical humor, and his mastery grasp of
he technical side OF this kind of opera AL
hoGgh Gilbert gave to almost all his pieces
certain temporary element by satriZing
ads and foibles OF the time he wrote his
lumor was such that it outived the things
le satirized and even Patience" tpro-
uced by the way. first in the Standard |
Theatre, New York City. which made fun
1 the esJiIetic fad. still holds its capacity
o amuse.
'Pnafore'' was followed by The Pirates
t Penzance'' in 1880. Then came Pa
ience'' in 1881. "Iolanthe" in 1882 "Prin- l
ess Ida" mot so successful as the lasD in i
SS4. The Mikado'' in 1883. "Ruddisore'' ,
a 1887 The Woman of the Guard in 1883.
nd The Gondoliers" in 1889
The height of excellence was reached in q
The Mikado. for although the last three {
AIMED had decided merits and The Con Il
oilers" especially achieved considerable I
opularity. none of them was so successful
$ the preceding ones, and are now rarely '
card r
AS if to demonstrate the peculiar sym I
athy which existed between Gilbert and S
break came at this time in
heir friendly relations. Gilbert. always I:
difficult man to get along with. became | r
lore grabbed he grew older. and for r
everal years the two men did not work o
Dgether. The spell seemed to have been Il
roken. for neither of them had been able Il
do anything that was really successful h
NEE and even the last work which came II
rom them in 1898. Utopia Limi ,ed)."