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The Gilbert and Sullivan Newsletter Archive
GILBERTIAN GOSSIP
No 14 — August 1979
Edited by Michael Walters
SULLIVAN WITHOUT GILBERT ...
[We are living in a revival of interest in Sullivan's non-Gilbert work, and the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society is actively campaigning to this end. It may be of interest, therefore, to recall a letter by George Baker in the G&S Journal of September 1963, which takes a rather different view. I quote an extract.]
Dear Mr. Editor, ...To give a performance of Sullivan's Symphony in E minor (the Irish) would be a grave disservice to the memory of a composer who the whole world recognizes as a genius an one particular field of musical activity - namely operetta … the truth is that that the bulk of Sullivan's serious music has not worn well. The strongest of his serious works is The Golden Legend but, distinguished music though this is, revival would not enhance Sullivan's reputation in the minds and ears of the present generation accustomed to the choral and orchestral works of such contemporary British composers as Walton, Tippett, and Britten. In the field of serious music Sir Charles Stanford was a greater composer than Sir Arthur Sullivan, but there is no demand to hear his music today ….
[This letter from one of its late Vice-Presidents, may go some way towards explaining the incredible antipathy to Sullivan's non-Gilbert music exhibited by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Much as I admired George Baker, and admit that there was some truth in his remarks, I think he was rather overstating his case. Ed.]
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