A series of CDs and vocal scores for those wishing to explore more of the background to Sir Arthur Sullivan's music.
 

 
Light of the World, oratorio (1873)
165 mins, 3CD set with full libretto + notes  £24
When Holman Hunt's picture 'The Light of the World' became famous this seemed to Sullivan
an ideal title for his new oratorio. Selecting passages from the scriptures himself the work was to
take a framework similar to that used by Handel for his Messiah. The work was a commission for
the Birmingham Festival where it was well received. It continued to be a Victorian concert hall
favourite up to the turn of the century.
Recorded at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on 25th November 2000 to mark the Sullivan centenary.
Singers, Johnson/Murray/Dutton/Wells/Wiegold are joined by a choir of over 150 plus schools’ choirs
of 100 voices. Houlder(organ)/Bethell.
A new vocal score is published by Cramer Music at £11.95. Track indexing relates to the musical
numbers in the new score. [Information at email: general@cramermusic.co.uk]
 

Forgotten Victorian Theatre Music
Sullivan & Balfe 66 mins  £11
A recording made at a Sullivan Centenary Celebration in Alderley Edge, Cheshire when some of
Sullivan's lesser known songs were performed. Premiere recordings of a Sapphire Necklace
song and madrigal (orchestrated for the occasion) are included.

Overture: 'Le Puits d’Amour' — M. W. Balfe (1843)
Come into the Garden, Maud— M. W. Balfe (1857)
Where the bee sucks—The Tempest (1862)
Over the Roof—Sapphire Necklace (1864)
Introduction & Hush! Hush!—The Contrabandista (1867)
Little Maid of Arcadee—Thespis (1871)
Time was when love and I—The Sorcerer (1877)
Rudall Carte flute  selection—Pirates of Penzance (1879)
Henceforth all the crimes—Ruddigore (1887)
Rapture! Rapture!—Yeomen of the Guard (1888)
Jolly Jenkin—Ivanhoe (1891)
When the budding blooms—Haddon Hall (1892)
A tenor all singers above—Utopia Ltd (1893)
Now take a card—The Grand Duke (1896)
When love and beauty—Sapphire Necklace (1896)
My name is Crazy Jacqueline—The Beauty Stone (1898)
If a sudden stroke of fate—The Rose of Persia (1899)
Many, many years ago and Act I finale—The Emerald Isle (1901)

The Power of Love, Rare arias
Balfe, Faraday, Sullivan, Wallace
Riedel/Bonynge, 69 mins with comprehensive notes,  Melba  £13

The Night Winds:  Lurline—Wallace (1860)
Placida Notte:  Il Talismano—Balfe  (1870)
‘Tis the Harp:  Maritana—Wallace (1845)
‘Twas in that Garden: Siege of Rochelle—Balfe (1835)
Nella Dolce Trepidanza :  Il Talismano—Balfe (1870)
Lord of our Chosen Race:  Ivanhoe—Sullivan (1891)
‘Neath My Lattice:  Rose of Persia —Sullivan (1898)
Scenes that are Brightest:  Maritana—Wallace (1845)
Little Princess:  Amassis—Faraday
The Convent Cell:  Rose of Castille—Balfe (1848)
There’s a Power:  Satanella—Balfe (1858)
The Rapture Dwelling:  Maid of Antois—Balfe (1836)
Yon Moon:  Maid of Antois—Balfe (1836)
Oh! Could I but his Heart: Satanella—Balfe (1858)
Bliss For Ever: Puritan’s Daughter—Balfe (1861)
The Naiad’s Spell:  Lurline—Wallace (1860)
Withered Flowers: Love’s Triumph—Wallace (1862)
My Long Hair: The Amber Witch —Wallace (1861)

Haddon Hall (1892)
Grundy & Sullivan
The Prince Consort/Lyle, 111 mins 2CD set with full libretto and background notes;  Divine Art & SASS  £20
This premiere recording of a rare Sullivan work (made in 2000) is given three stars in the Penguin CD Guide.
Sullivan partnered with Grundy following his quarrel with Gilbert following the Gondoliers.
Despite a poor book, Sullivan's music contains many elements of charm.
George Bernard Shaw suggested the score was Sullivan's best.

Cox & Box (original version 1866)
Burnand & Sullivan
62 mins Berger/Kennedy/Francke/Barclay SASS & Divine Art £9
This 1984 performance with Victorian piano, recorded with full sound effects in a
Victorian drawing room brings authenticity to the piece.

Princess Ida, with dialogue, Ohio Light Opera  2CD set with libretto  £24
This live recording contains the first modern recording of Come Mighty Must.

Utopia, with dialogue,
Ohio Light Opera  2CD set with libretto  £24
In recent years this penultimate of the Savoy Operas of G & S has received many revivals.
Some consider the book and music previously misjudged and some of the songs as fine as those
written in the heyday of the Savoy.

The Arcadians, with dialogue
Monckton & Talbot
Ohio Light Opera 2CD set with libretto  £24
Premiere recording of this lost operetta.

(Postage and packing is charged at cost)

Rare Sullivan facsimile vocal scores

Kenilworth
masque (1864)
pp 78pp  £15
Chorley & Sullivan

This pageant, described as an Elizabethan masque, is based on part of Scott’s novel. Written at the start of Sullivan’s career for the Birmingham Festival the work includes the charming Lady of the Lake number. Its Slow Dance with chorus assumes an Old English style which carried a formula later used for the Savoy operas. Background notes included. This score complements the Symposium CD.

Cox & Box
1 Act  triumviretta with libretto (1867)
80pp  £13
Burnand & Sullivan

The D’Oyly Carte considerably slimmed down this original 65 minute version when  used as a 25 minute curtain raiser for its standard repertoire.

In this score an original setting of the Lullaby is included from the First edition, in addition to sample pages of Maddison Morton’s play, Box & Cox, adapted by Burnand for the operetta. Useful for those studying the new Divine Art CD of this work (see below). Background notes are included.

Contrabandista
2 Act  comic opera
(1869) 
89pp  £13
Burnand & Sullivan

This work is the first full scale opera written by Sullivan ever published. Staged by the German Reeds at St George's Hall, London it did not enjoy a long run. Historically, it is interesting because it is the only opera ever fully revised by both writer and composer.  Its revival played at the Savoy Theatre and was retitled, The Chieftain. Background notes are included.

The Window
song cycle, (1871)
77pp  £13
Tennyson & Sullivan

Tennyson was encouraged by George Grove to provide the young Sullivan with lyrics for a song cycle. When written, Tennyson disliked his work and refused publication. He even offered Sullivan £500 to abandon the project. Tennyson reluctantly agreed to publication on condition that a prefatory note appear (included with this edition). Floral motifs accompany the songs and a  Millais engraving is used for the front cover. This 1870s volume was expensive and cherished by musical Victorian households. Notes are included.

The Foresters
incidental music, songs and choruses (1892)
50pp £11
Tennyson & Sullivan

This short work was commissioned by the owner of Daly’s Theatre, New York and later played at his London theatre. It was well reviewed and amongst its nine numbers it includes the rousing drinking song Long Live Richard. Notes and facsimile theatre programme are included.

Cups & Saucers, Castle Bang, Carrotina:
Three Curtain Raisers + song 'Baby on the Shore' (with libretti) 
£12
George Grossmith

George Grossmith was an entertainer and small time composer before he was invited to join Richard D'Oyly Carte's Opera Company. He continued to compose and write short musical follies. Cups & Saucers played as a curtain raiser to HMS Pinafore during the opening run at the Opera Comique (1878). Picking up the successful recipe adopted by Gilbert in his compositions, in Castle Bang Grossmith introduces a patter song, How I became a Detective. Carrotina is described as 'a mysterious melodrama' written for children of all ages and sizes.

The Savoy Lancers
(1897)
Piano arrangement 11pp £3.50  (Full Band parts £35)

Melodies include Trial, Pirates, Patience, Mikado, Ruddigore, Gondoliers, Yeomen, Utopia and Haddon Hall  

All scores are A4, edge bound, printed on heavyweight cream paper, and contain historical background notes
 

Wallace biographies,    Gratten Flood (1912) 32pp £4.50
                                                  Robert Phelan (1994) 104pp  £8

Vincent Wallace composed music Sullivan would have known well. Sullivan edited his score of
'Maritana' (recorded on Marco polo label, and on which Gilbert based his 'Yeomen of the Guard'
 
 

Raymond Walker   6 Lindow Fold   Wilmslow   Cheshire  SK9 6DT
Tel: 01625 530030        Email: raymondwalker@talktalk.net