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.

• Facsimile of the 1864 Chappell Edition of the Vocal Score
• If you would like a printed and bound copy, Ray Walker has issued a facsimile of the 1864 Chappell Edition of the Vocal Score.
• Full score published by The Amber Ring.
• Reviews
  • Performance at the Birmingham Musical Festival from The Times,
  • Performance at the Crystal Palace from The Times.

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.

• Full score published by R. Clyde
• Download score arranged for Piano Solo by Myles B. Foster
  [PDF file,1.1MB] submitted by Adam Cuerden.
• Notices of Performances from The Times:

  Norwich Festival, 1866

  Crystal Palace, 1867 and 1868

  Gloucester Festival, 1877

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

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.

• Review of the first performance from The Times.
• Full score published by The Amber Ring. (Also includes score of the Imperial March. Parts also available.)

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.

• Autograph manuscript on line at the Pierpont Morgan Library site.
• Recording by United States Marine Band (Director: Colonel John R. Bourgeois) [MP3, 15.1 MB]
• Full Score [Novello, 1889] at IMSLP.
• Full score published by R. Clyde
• MIDI File [12' 15", 126KB] sequenced by George Pollen.
• Reviews from The Times

  Birmingham Festival, 1870.

  Crystal Palace, 1870

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

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

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

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.

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

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

The Beauty Stone

Story by A. W. Pinero, lyrics by Dr. Comyns Carr. First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, 28 May.

1899

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

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