New-York tribune., 1920-03-27
The Coming 7'ower
Herbert and Sullivan

| Sir: | note A. SAmuels, "cOnton0lnE
that the music Of Victor Herbert hath
more melody in it than that OF Sir
Arthur Sullivan" and "a silly con-
tention" you say 1t Is. Not so silly,
Mr.. Pepys! There has been so much
aimless chatter recently concerning
the Gilbert and Sullivan masterpieces
that one is apt to forget there stands
In our midst great composer capable
Of giving US real comic opera of the
G. and s. brand if some one will but
supply him with a real comic opera
libretto.
have listened with the greatest en-
repertory, but have not forgotten Vic
tor Herbert's "The Madcap Duchess"
which, as the best (to my mind) comic
opera yet written byI an American
composer, deserves place beside the
finest of G. and S.
In most exquisite and musicianly
score arc mrrored the strolling play
er, tinkling cups, the hunting horn,
the fobles Of royalty and the knavcry
of diplomats, all accorded the deft and
subtle delineations which one comes
to expect of a Herbert score. Has
Sullivan to his credit anything more
melodious than Ear Up the Hill";
more vivacious than the hunting song,
"Oh Up, It's Up"; more charming
than the ensemble "Now Is the South
Wind Blowing?
I like to recall the passionate
"'Neath the Southern Moon," from
Naughty Marietta; the orchestral
opulence Of "The Angelus," from
"Sweethcarts," and now that "self-de-
termination" for the Irish is the lat
est achievement of our glorious Sem
ate a revival of Eileen" which, in
spite of it's Celtic extravagances, has
many rich page, would not be amiss.
AS for lyrics, David Stevens in "The
Madcap Duchess" hit close to the Gill
bertian bullseye with the following:
"As department secretary. have found 1t
necessary
When I'm called upon to exercise my wit
In splitting little hairs already split.
And in matters diplomatic I'm obliged to be
quadratic,
And upon each side to have different
face
Then confuse the opposition by the sudden
apparition
OF the one that happens best to At the
In affairs of state
You must differentiate,
When your facts and your fancies disagree.
For it takes intelligence
To detect the difference
'Twixt Tweedle Dunn and Tweedle Deer
J. H. S.
Wa doubt whether anybody's obei-
sances to Victor Herbert's music ara
lower than ours, but our story, which
we stick to, is still that Sullivan's
music is even more melodic. Melody.
to some extent is matter Of opinion,
of feeling, rather than of fact and
provable demonstration. To cite Sui
livan's melodies were to list the whole
lot of them; but against j. H. SIS in
stances we cite Braid the Raven
Hair" from "The Mikado"; "Ah, Leave
Me Here to Pine" from "The Pirates
of Penzance"; and "Prithee, Pretty
Maiden" from Patience"
On January 10, 1914, the following
appeared in this Turret of Taradiddle:
TO the playhouse and saw Ann
Swinburne in "The Madcap Duchess"
the best musck l have heard this
twelvemonth, and all songs wrote with
more skill and delicacy than in any of
the other musickall plays in this vicin
age, and, hear, by one David Stevens.
but who he is or whence I have no
knowledge. How the criticks can ac-
claim as great the prosy lyrics in
"lole," and say nought of these can
not fathom. Mistress Ann, too. hath
the best voice, in my poor opinion, of
all the light operatck singers, and the
pleaslngest way, too; and when | came
nome | did find there Louis Vance the
tayle-writer and Nan and Mistress
Lucy and 10 Fox the pamphleteer, and
| did rhapsodize about the Swinburne,
but they cried me down, saying had
nor taste nor judgment, Which fear
Is too often true. But shall have my
say, an l be gibbeted therefor.
There were, as we recall them, many
better lyrics in "The Madcap Duchess"
than the one offered by ]. H. S., for in
that lyric Mr.. Stevens did hit close
to the Gilbertian bullseye, the bulls
eye being Giuseppe's song in "The
Gondoliers":
After luncheon (making merry
On bun and glass of sherry,
II we've nothing in particular to do.
We may make Proclamation.
Or receive a peputation--
Then we possibly create Peer or two.
linen we help fellow-creature on his path
with the Garter the Thistle or the Bath
or we dress and toddie off in semi-State
10 festival. function, or f6te.
Then we go and stand as sentry
Al the Palace (private entry.
Marching hither, marching thither. up and
down and to and fro,
While the warrior on duty
Goes in search of beer and beauty.
land it generally happens that he hasn't
far to go)
He relieves us. IL he's able,
Just in time to lay the table,
linen we dine and serve the coffee, and at
half-past twelve or one,
with a pleasure that's emphatic