The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-14

The Lost Chord" is one OF the
most Observation-Disclosures OF all
songs. It is doubtful II there is an
other song in any language that has
reached TO such widely different con
fines as the musical setting Of AIDE
lalde 4. Procter's verses by the late
Arthur Sullivan. II is probable that
the poem would not have found more
than passing recognition had not
Mr.. Sullivan immortalized - WITH
his splendid harmony. Dozens OF
other composers have followed his
lead. but with little success.
Unlike many OF the songs that
have lived for a long time and will
no doubt continue TO live indefinite
~, The Lost Chord" has real merit
in It's composition. IL would be al
most possible 10 count in a score the
is one Of the best. II Sullivan had
written nothing else HIS fame would
be everlasting on this one short
composition alone II easily ranks
with the best vocal compositions Of
Schubert. or Schumann. or any Of
the other great classic song writer's.
And as TO its popularity, it has sur
passed any one Of them.
1.-THE Lost Chord" is always
counted In the printing OF any col
lection Of popular songs 1t is like
wise printed In all collections Of
classic songs. 1t has a distinct place
In either. II IS heard with pleasure
by lovers OF both.
When the authoress Of the words
wrote the few short verses. II is not
likely that she ever expected her
little poetic fancy would come 10 be
famous and 10 make her name
known throughout the world as
nothing else she has written has
done. And IL was a mere poetic
fancy. for Miss Proctor. in speaking
OF the writing Of the verses after
they had become famous, said they
were suggested by nothing in par
ticular She herself was very fond
OF music. although she was never a
composer. Her favorite instrument
was the organ, which she always
preferred TO play 10 the piano Its
singing quality inspired her. II
was following one Of these little i'm
promptu muslcales that she sat
down and wrote the poem. She loved
TO sit at the instrument and work
out harmony; 10 run up and down
the keys in chords; to wander Idly
over them.
Adelaide Anne Proctor inherited
her talent for verse writing from
her talented father, Bryan Waller
Proctor. Her father is said to have
delighted in her and addressed TO
her a sonnet. when she was only a
few weeks old. in 1925. beginning
Child OF my heart" In one OF his
songs he called her Golden -tressed
Adelaide" She early showed fond
ness for poetry. and grew up amid
surroundings calculated to develop
her literary taste. Before she could
write her mother used 10 copy out
her favorite poems for her in an
album Of small note paper. which
looks wrote Dickens. "as II she
had carried il about like another
little girl might have carried a
doll" n. p. Willis described her as
"a beautiful gir;, delicate. gentle.
and pensive" looking as n she
knew she was a poets child"
Adelaide began her literary work
when she was eighteen years of
age by contributing to the Book
of Beauty" She wrote for Dickens
Household Words" under the name
Of Mary Berwick. Dickens was a
friend Of the family and she did not
wish TO benefit by his friendly par
TALLY. In December. 1854, he rec
commended the Procters to read a
Copyright 1910 by