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Sir Arthur Sullivan Sullivan's Other Music

See also the separate pages for Sullivan's:
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Special links are provided to the Web Operas, which include all of the music of the opera as midi files, along with all lyrics and dialogue.

Major Works



1858

Overture in D
Performed at the Royal Academy of Music, London, 13 July. Now lost.

1860

Overture The Feast of Roses
After Moore's Lalla Rookh. Performed at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, 25 May. Now lost.

1861

Incidental Music to The Tempest
Sullivan wrote his incidental music to Shakespeare's The Tempest in 1861 when he was a student in Leipzig. George Grove arranged for it to be played at a concert at the Crystal Palace, making Sullivan famous overnight.

1863

Procession March and The Princess of Wales's March
Composed to celebrate the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra of Demark. The "Procession March" is also known as "The Royal Wedding - Grand March" and the "Princess of Wales's March" as "Marche Danoise".

1863-4

The Sapphire Necklace
Libretto by H. F. Chorley. The opera was never produced, but the overture and two of the musical numbers were performed at the Crystal Palace, 13 April 1867.

1864

Kenilworth
Masque, words by H. F. Chorley. First performed at the Birmingham Festival, 8 September.
L'Île Enchantée
Ballet with choreography by H. Desplaces. Produced at Covent Garden Theatre, London, 14 May.
Copyist's manuscript on line at the Pierpont Morgan Library site.
Review from The Orchestra, 21 May 1864.

1866

Cox and Box
Libretto by Sir Francis Cowley Burnand after Madison Morton's farce Box and Cox. The first performance was a private one either at Burnand's house on 23 May or at Moray Lodge on 26 May.
Symphony in E
First performed at the Crystal Palace, London, 10 March. Published in 1915 when it was entitled The Irish.
Reviews from The Times:
12th March, 1866 16th April 1866 The "Jenny Lind" Concert (13th July 1866)
Overture in C, 'In Memoriam'
First performed at the Norwich Festival, 30 October.
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
First performed at the Crystal Palace, 24 November with Signor Alfredo Piatti as soloist. Only the solo cello part survives, but the orchestral accompaniment was reconstructed by David Mackie and Charles Mackerras in 1986.
A copyist's manuscript of the solo cello part can be viewed on line at the Pierpont Morgan Library.
Review of the first performance from The Times.

1867

To The Contrabandista
Web Opera

The Contrabandista
Libretto by Sir Francis Cowley Burnand. First performed at St. George's Hall, London, 18 December.
Overture 'Marmion'
After Scott's narrative poem. First performed at St. James's Hall, 3 June.

1869

The Prodigal Son
Oratorio. First performed at the Three Choirs Festival, Worcester, 8 September

1870

Overture 'Di Ballo'
First performed at the Birmingham Festival, 31 August.

1871

On Shore and Sea
Dramatic Cantata with words by T. Taylor. Composed for, and performed at, the opening of the London International Exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 1 May.
"The Window" or "The Songs of the Wrens"
A cycle of eleven songs with words by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Published by Strahan, 1871.
  • Ray Walker has issued a facsimile of the first edition.
Incidental Music to The Merchant of Venice
For a production of Shakespeare's play at the Prince's Theatre, Manchester, 19 September.

1872

Festival Te Deum
First performed at the Crystal Palace, 1 May

1873

The Light of the World
Oratorio first performed at the Birmingham Festival, 27 August.
  • MIDI Files: We now have a complete set of MIDI files for this, Sullivan's longest Oratorio.
  • Source of Scores:
    • Vocal scores and libretti of The Light of the World may be rented from St. David's Players of Cullompton, Exeter, England. Send queries to Ian Bond.
    • The Vocal Score is also available in a new edition published by Cramer Music.
    • Jerusalem [Overture to part 2 of The Light of the World]: full score and parts published by The Amber Ring.
The Miller and his Man
Hardly a "Major Work" since Sullivan contributed only two songs to this "Drawing-Room Extravaganza" with words by F. C. Burnand and other music by James F. Simpson. It was originally published in The Illustrated News Christmas Number for 1873.

1874

Incidental Music to The Merry Wives of Windsor
For a production of Shakespeare's play at the Gaiety Theatre, London, 19 December.

1875

To The Zoo
Web Opera
The Zoo
Libretto by Bolton Rowe (a pseudonym of B. C. Stephenson). First performed at the St. James's Theatre, London, 5 June.

1877

Incidental Music to Henry VIII
Sullivan wrote the incidental music for a production of Shakespeare's play at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, 29 August.

1880

The Martyr of Antioch
Sacred musical drama, words by Henry Hart Milman, adapted by W. S. Gilbert. First performed at the Leeds Festival, 15 October.

1886

Ode for the Opening of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition
Words by Alfred Tennyson. First performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 4 May.
Autograph manuscript on line at the Pierpont Morgan Library site.
The Golden Legend
Cantata, words by Longfellow, adapted by Joseph Bennett. First performed at the Leeds Festival, 16 October.
  • Source of Scores: Vocal scores and libretti of The Golden Legend may be rented from St. David's Players of Cullompton, Exeter, England. Send queries to Ian Bond.

1887

Ode written and composed for the Occasion of Laying the Foundation Stone of The Imperial Institute by Her Majesty the Queen
Words by Lewis Morris. First performed at the Imperial Institute, London, 4 July.

1888

Incidental Music to Macbeth
For a production of Shakespeare's play by Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre, London, 29 December.

1891

To The Foresters
Web Opera
Ivanhoe
Libretto by J. Sturgis, after Scott. Romantic Opera. First produced at the opening of Carte's Royal English Opera House, London, 31 January.

1892

To The Foresters
Web Opera
The Foresters
Incidental music to the play by Tennyson. First produced at Daly's Theatre, New York City, 17 March.
  • Ray Walker has issued a facsimile of the first edition of the Vocal Score.
To Haddon Hall
Web Opera
Haddon Hall
Libretto by Sydney Grundy. First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, 24 September.

1893

Imperial March
Composed for, and performed at, the opening of the Imperial Institute, London, 10 May.

1894

To The Chieftain
Web Opera
The Chieftain
Revision of The Contrabandista. Libretto by Burnand. First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, 12 December.

1895

Incidental Music to King Arthur
Play by J. Comyns Carr, produced at the Lyceum Theatre, London, 12 January.
Autograph manuscript on line at the Pierpont Morgan Library site.

1897

Victoria and Merrie England
Ballet, with choreography by C. Coppi, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Produced at the Alhambra Theatre, London, 25 May.

1898

To
The Beauty Stone
Web Opera
The Beauty Stone
Story by A. W. Pinero, lyrics by Dr. Comyns Carr. First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, 28 May.

1899

To The Rose of Persia Web Opera
The Rose of Persia
Libretto by Basil Hood. First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, November 29.
'Absent-minded Beggar' March
This is not just an arrangement of the song, but contains additional material. First performed at the Crystal Palace, London, 21 July 1900.

1901

To The Emerald Isle Web Opera
The Emerald Isle
Libretto by Basil Hood. Score completed by Edward German after Sullivan's death. First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, April 27.

1902

'Te deum laudamus': A Thanksgiving for Victory 
Posthumous publication. Performed at the end of the South African War (Boer War) at a Service of Thanksgiving in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, 8 June 1900.
Page modified 4 April 2017