Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)

Sir Arthur Sullivan became the most renowned composer of the
Victorian era, with his fame spreading across Europe and America
too. His output spanned many genres including oratorios, a
symphony, chamber music, hymns and anthems, but it was for his
collaboration with the librettist W. S. Gilbert on operetta’s
that he is best remembered today. He was a personal friend to
royalty, and he was knighted when he was in his early forties. He
also had a liking for playing cards, buying race horses and
gambling, frequently loosing the substantial earnings from the
stage works he’d composed. Sullivan became a pillar of the
British musical establishment, so that when he died, despite
wanting to be buried with his family in Brompton Cemetery, he was
laid to rest in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, with an
additional service at the Chapel Royal in St. James’s Palace.


Music Featured:


HMS Pinafore (Overture) HMS Pinafore (When I was a lad) O Israel
Overture ‘In Memorium’ Will he come? Symphony in E major, ‘Irish
Symphony’ (Andante espressivo) Cox and Box (excerpt) The Merry
Wives of Windsor (excerpts) Lead Kindly Light HMS Pinafore
(excerpts) Pirates of Penzance (excerpt) Who is like unto thee
Mikado (excerpts) The Golden Legend (excerpt) Ruddigore
(excerpts) The Yeomen of the Guard (excerpts) Ivanhoe (excerpt)
Utopia Limited (Society has quite forsaken) The Long Day Closes


Presented by Donald Macleod


Produced by Luke Whitlock


For full track listings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Arthur Sullivan
(1842-1900) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001kpgh


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z