Author Description
Remembered primarily for his collaborations with William Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan was considered the most prodigiously gifted English composer since Purcell. Yet his choral and orchestral works, which he considered to be his real work, are forgotten; indeed, they were not a success when originally performed. On closer inspection, Sullivan becomes an enigma: his diaries contain many cryptic references to mistresses, whose identities he strove to keep secret. Employing previously unavailable letters and diaries, Arthur Jacobs here presents a biography of Sullivan that sheds new light on the persona and art of this leading figure of Victorian music.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This biography investigates the dichotomy between Arthur Sullivan's public success as a collaborator with W.S. Gilbert and his private aspirations as a serious composer of choral and orchestral music. Arthur Jacobs, a musicologist and biographer, utilizes previously unexamined primary source materials, including personal letters and private diaries, to construct a comprehensive portrait of the composer. The work argues that Sullivan's artistic legacy is more complex than his popular operettas suggest, revealing a man burdened by professional frustration and hidden personal entanglements.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Detailed analysis of Sullivan's choral and orchestral compositions
- Examination of the professional relationship between Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert
- Insights into Sullivan's private life and secret romantic affairs
- Contextual history of the Victorian musical landscape
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive musicological breakdown of every minor composition
- It does not focus on the broader political history of the Victorian era outside of Sullivan's immediate social circle
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and music historians frequently cite this work as a definitive biographical account that successfully balances Sullivan's public achievements with his private struggles. Readers often note the academic rigor of the prose, which provides a thorough and well-documented look at a significant figure in English music history.
Page Count:
496
Publication Date:
1987-12-31
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192820338
ISBN-13:
9780192820334
Biography
Non-Fiction
Victorian Era
Music History