Episodes
Series | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
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2023 | A Tempestuous Relationship | 20230413 | Donald Macleod delves into a period where Sullivan's working relationship with Gilbert begins to falter. 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. Sir Arthur Sullivan was rising to the height of his fame. He became the Principal for the new Training School for Music in South Kensington, which would later evolve into the Royal College of Music. He was also in demand as a conductor, leading the UK's first complete performance of Bach's B Minor Mass. His increased popularity and wealth enabled a move to a new home in Queen Anne's Mansions on Victoria Street, where he remained for the rest of his life. He was also being offered invitations to spend time with royalty, including a trip on the Prince of Wales's flagship, HMS Hercules where Sullivan got to visit the Winter palace in St. Petersburg and hear the Imperil Chapel Choir. The 1880s saw further collaborations with W. S. Gilbert including Patience, Iolanthe, Princess Ida, The Mikado, Ruddigore, The Yeomen of the Guard and The Gondoliers. Despite this substantial list of projects, Sullivan was becoming dissatisfied with his collaboration with Gilbert and planning to turn his attention to a more serious style of opera. Patience (So go to him and say to him) Gillian Knight (Lady Jane), contralto John Reed (Reginald Bunthorne), baritone New Symphony Orchestra of London Isidore Godfrey, conductor Iolanthe (Loudly let the trumpet bray) Glyndebourne Chorus Pro Arte Orchestra Malcolm Sargent Who is like unto thee The Choir of Keble College, Oxford Mark Laflin, conductor Gavin Plumley Mikado (excerpts) Valerie Masterson (Yum-Yum), soprano Peggy Ann Jones (Pitti-Sing), mezzo-soprano Colin Wright (Nanki-Poo), tenor John Reed (Lord High Executioner), baritone Kenneth Sandford (Pooh-Bah), baritone D'oyly Carte Opera Company Chorus Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Royston Nash, conductor The Golden Legend (excerpt) Janice Watson (Elsie), soprano Mark Wilde (Prince Henry), tenor The New London orchestra Ronald Corp, conductor Ruddigore (excerpts) Jean Allister (Mad Margaret), mezzo-soprano John Reed (Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd), baritone Kenneth Sandford (Sir Roderic Murgatroyd), baritone Donald Adams (Sir Roderic), bass-baritone The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House The Yeomen of the Guard (excerpts) Elsie Morrison (Elsie), soprano Geraint Evans (Point), bass baritone John Carol Case (Second Yeoman), bass baritone Malcolm Sargent, conductor Donald Macleod explores Sullivan's increasing popularity and prominence. |
2023 | An Emerging Genius | 20230410 | Donald Macleod delves into Arthur Sullivan's early musical inspirations and training. 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 operettas that he is best remembered today. He was a personal friend to royalty, and he was knighted when he was in his early 40s. He also had a liking for playing cards, buying race horses and gambling, frequently losing the substantial earnings from the stage works he'd composed. Sullivan became a pillar of the British musical establishment, so 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. Sullivan caught the music bug early on in his life, inspired by the military marches he heard living with his family at Sandhurst where his father was a bandsman at the Royal Military College. The Sandhurst parish church also had a huge impact upon the boy, with its congregational singing, and he was soon composing anthems. At the age of 12, Sullivan was accepted as a chorister to the Chapel Royal, and within a few years began further studies at the Royal Academy of Music. His time in London must have had a significant impact upon him, widening his horizons. Sullivan's musical education was expanded even further with a year-long period in Leipzig, where the music making of the Gewandhaus orchestra made a huge impression. Upon returning to England, Sullivan, at the age of 18, was determined to make his mark as a musician. HMS Pinafore (Overture) Royal Ballet Sinfonia Andrew Penny, conductor HMS Pinafore (When I was a lad) John Reed (Sir Joseph), baritone D'Oyly Carte Opera Company New Symphony Orchestra of London Isidore Godfrey, conductor O Israel Mary Bevan, soprano David Owen Norris, piano Ich m怀chte hinaus es jauchzen Ashley Riches, bass baritone Overture In Memorium BBC Philharmonic Richard Hickox, conductor String Quartet in D minor Yeomans String Quartet Mikado (excerpt) Marie McLaughlin (Yum-Yum), soprano Janice Watson (Peep-Bo), soprano Anne Howells (Pitti-Sing), mezzo-soprano Felicity Palmer (Katisha), mezzo-soprano Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Nanki-Poo), tenor Richard Suart (Ko-Ko), baritone Richard Van Allan (Pooh-Bah), bass-baritone Nicholas Folwell (Pish-Tush), baritone Welsh National Opera Chorus Welsh National Opera Orchestra Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor Donald Macleod traces Arthur Sullivan's early development in music. |
2023 | Sullivan At The Crystal Palace | 20230411 | Donald Macleod delves into George Grove's support for Sullivan promoting his music at the Crystal Palace 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. Sir George Grove scheduled Sullivan's incidental music to Shakespeare's The Tempest in a concert at the Crystal Palace in 1862. Sullivan became an overnight celebrity, and from there he never looked back. Sullivan and Grove lived close to one another in London, and would frequently go on trips abroad together too. Grove often programmed Sullivan's music in concerts, at a time when the composer was making his way as a paid church organist in fashionable parts of London. Through Grove, Sullivan met important people such as Charles Dickens, Rossini, and Lewis Carroll, as well as striking up a friendship with Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh. Sullivan's first successful comic opera in 1866 was Cox and Box, and by the end of the decade he was commissioned to compose an oratorio for the Three Choirs Festival, The Prodigal Son. The Tempest Suite, Op 1 (Act IV Overture) (excerpt) BBC Philharmonic Richard Hickox, conductor The Mikado (Three Little Maids from School) Lesley Garrett (Yum-Yum), soprano Susan Bullock (Peep-Bo), mezzo-soprano Jean Rigby (Pitti-Sing), mezzo soprano ENO Chorus ENO Orchestra Peter Robinson, conductor Will he come? Kitty Whately, mezzo-soprano David Owen Norris, piano O Love the Lord The Choir of Keble College, Oxford Gavin Plumley, organ Mark Laflin, conductor Twilight, Op 23 Murray McLachlan, piano Symphony in E major, Irish Symphony' (Andante espressivo) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra David Lloyd-Jones, conductor Cox and Box (excerpts) James Gilchrist (Box), tenor Neal Davies (Cox), bass-baritone Donald Maxwell (Bouncer), baritone BBC National Orchestra of Wales Pirates of Penzance (excerpt) Richard Suart (Major-General), baritone Donald Adams (Pirate King), bass Nicholas Folwell (Samuel), baritone John Mark Ainsley (Frederic), tenor Richard Van Allan (Sergeant), bass Welsh National Opera Chorus Welsh National Opera Orchestra Charles Mackerras, conductor Donald Macleod explores the impact of George Grove upon Arthur Sullivan. |
2023 | Sullivan Meets Gilbert | 20230412 | Donald Macleod journeys through Sir Arthur Sullivan's first collaborations with W.S. Gilbert. 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 operettas 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 losing the substantial earnings from the stage works he'd composed. Sullivan became a pillar of the British musical establishment, so 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. Sullivan was now making his way in London, including a move to a new address, Albert Mansions on Victoria Street, along with his mother and a number of servants. Buckingham Palace was just a short walk away, which allowed for occasional visits from the Duke of Edinburgh, who liked to pop by to play his violin. The 1870s saw the beginnings of one of the most successful artistic partnerships of all time: Sullivan's collaborations with the librettist W.S. Gilbert. Their first venture was Thespis, followed, in that same decade, by Trial by Jury, The Sorcerer and HMS Pinafore. The Pirates of Penzance would become one of the duo's most successful operettas. Also during this period, Sullivan was busy composing over 40 hymn tunes and his second biblical oratorio, The Light of the World. It was, however, for his operettas that his name was becoming famous, with the impresario Richard D'Oyly Cate now organising productions in America too. Trial by Jury (Hark the hour of ten is sounding) BBC National Orchestra of Wales Richard Hickox, conductor The Sorcerer (My name is John Wellington Wells) John Reed (The Sorcerer), baritone Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Isidore Godfrey, conductor The Merry Wives of Windsor (excerpts) Maggie McDonald, mezzo-soprano RTE Concert Orchestra Andrew Penny, conductor The Light of the World (Weep Ye Not for the Dead) Kitty Whately (An Angel), mezzo-soprano BBC Symphony Chorus BBC Concert Orchestra John Andrews, conductor Lead Kindly Light Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Peter Latona, conductor HMS Pinafore (excerpts) Jean Hindmarsh (Josephine), soprano Gillian Knight (Buttercup), mezzo-soprano Jeffrey Skitch (Captain Corcoran), baritone John Reed (Sir Joseph), baritone New Symphony Orchestra of London Pirates of Penzance (excerpt) Rebecca Evans (Mabel), soprano Julie Gossage (Edith), mezzo-soprano Jenevora Williams (Kate), mezzo-soprano John Mark Ainsley (Frederic), tenor Welsh National Opera Chorus Welsh National Opera Orchestra Charles Mackerras, conductor The Lost Chord Stuart Burrows, tenor Ambrosian Singers Martin Neary, organ Wyn Morris, conductor Donald Macleod explores the period when Sullivan meets the librettist W.S. Gilbert. |
2023 | The Great Carpet Quarrel | 20230414 | Donald Macleod explores the court case between Sullivan, his librettist W.S. Gilbert and the impresario D'Oyly Carte. 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 operettas that he is best remembered today. He was a personal friend to royalty, and he was knighted when he was in his early 40s. He also had a liking for playing cards, buying race horses and gambling, frequently losing the substantial earnings from the stage works he'd composed. Sullivan became a pillar of the British musical establishment, so 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. In the final decade of Sir Arthur Sullivan's life, he saw a dream of his come to fruition: a serious grand opera, called Ivanhoe. Sullivan saw it as his most important work. Thanks to his popularity and international fame, the opening night was oversubscribed five times over for tickets. During this period, Sullivan was also regularly commissioned to compose works for royal occasions, such as the festivities surrounding Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubliee. He was viewed a national treasure, and when an argument arose between Sullivan, his librettist W.S. Gilbert, and the impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte, proceedings were followed avidly in the press. It was nicknamed the Great Carpet Quarrel. This put a stop to any collaboration between Sullivan and Gilbert, although in due course they did come together again, and their final operetta was The Grand Duke. It ran for only 123 performances, which D'Oyly Carte regarded as a failure. The Yeomen of the Guard (Overture) (excerpt) Academy of St Martin in the Fields Neville Marriner, conductor Other Days Ashley Riches, bass-baritone David Owen Norris, piano Onward Christian Soldiers Huddersfield Choral Society Wyn Morris, conductor My Dearest Heart Felicity Palmer, soprano John Constable, piano Ivanhoe (excerpt) Janice Watson (Lady Rowena), soprano Geraldine McGreevy (Rebecca), soprano Neal Davies (King), baritone Toby Spence (Ivanhoe), tenor Stephen Gadd (Grand Master), baritone James Rutherford (Sir Brian), bass-baritone Peter Rose (Cedric), bass Adrian Partington Singers BBC National Orchestra of Wales David Lloyd-Jones, conductor Imperial march BBC Concert Orchestra Owain Arwel Hughes, conductor Utopia Limited (Society has quite forsaken) Kenneth Sandford (King), baritone D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Royston Nash, conductor The Grand Duke (excerpts) Meston Reid (Ernest Dummkopf), tenor John Ayldon (Prince of Monte Carlo), bass-baritone The Long Day Closes The Kings Singers The Gondoliers (excerpts) Jennifer Toye (Casilda), soprano Gillian Knight (Duchess of Plaza-Toro), mezzo-soprano Jeffrey Skitch (Luiz), baritone John Reed (Duke of Plaza-Toro), baritone Thomas Round (Marco Palmieri), tenor Alan Styler (Giuseppe Palmieri), baritone New Symphony Orchestra of London Isidore Godfrey, conductor Donald Macleod follows Sullivan's final decade, including a highly-publicised court case. |