No 8 — November 1977 Edited by Michael Walters
MISCELLANY
The Gilbert & Sullivan Journal of December 1927 points out that Zora's solo in the opening chorus of Ruddigore was cut from performance for a time, presumably one of Geoffrey Toye's revisions, and probably about the first to be reinstated. It had always puzzled me why this solo was cut on the acoustic recording of the opera.
"The reason for Gilbert's failure to write serious drama is not far to seek. His real instinct was to desentimentalise emotion, and if he had had the same intellectual quality as Mr. Shaw or Mr. Granville Barker, and confined himself to what might be called philosophical drama, he might have succeeded. As It was, he wrote merely conventional plays, taking his model from Tom Robertson, from whom he had learned much of his skill as a producer.'' Dr. J.M. Bullock in G & S Journal 1926.
C.H. Workman in IOLANTHE inserted after "Victory, Victory" the words "I have appealed to myself", and after "It was. a most painful scene" – "between me and myself". In 1908 there was come correspondence in The Yorkshire Post about Gags, and Workman wrote to the paper stating that Gilbert had told him to insert these words.
As far back as October 1926, Raymond East complained that Sullivan's full scores (m/s scores) were not available to the public. Young conductors please note – you're singing a very old song.
Web page created 6 June 1999