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The Hilderstone Miscellany |
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Last updated 23/2/2001 |
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Sir Arthur Sullivan is perhaps best known for his collaboration with W S Gilbert in what became known as the Savoy Operas. However he was a much more important in the history of British music than that. He wrote in several genres. He undertook important research into the compositions of Schubert and his “serious music” was compared with the great Germanic composers. Sullivan certainly made British music respectable and was a precursor to Elgar. He wrote hymns - who among us has not sung Sullivan’s “Onward Christian Soldiers”? Sullivan was a social and sociable person. He moved in fashionable society and was a personal friend of several of Queen Victoria’s children. The day of the parlour song may be long gone, but even today many can remember the song “The Lost Chord”. This too was one of Sullivan’s works. Another very popular song in the 1870s was “The Sailor’s Grave”. The piece by Sullivan (to words by H F Lyte - who was also know for his hymn writing) was dedicated to “Mrs. Bourne of Hilderstone Hall”. The song was so well known a series of picture postcards was produced to celebrate it! The Sailor’s Grave goes: There is in the wide lone sea, A spot unmarked but holy, For there the gallant and the free, In his ocean bed lies lowly, Down, down, within the deep, That oft to triumph call’d him, He sleeps a calm and pleasant sleep, With the salt waves washing o’er him, He sleeps serene and safe, From tempest or from billow, Where the storms that high above him chafe, Scarce rock his peaceful pillow The sea and him in death … They did not dare to sever, It was his home while he had breath, ‘Tis now his rest for ever. Sleep on thou almighty dead! A glorious tomb they’ve found the The broad blue sky above the spread, The boundless waters round thee. No vulgar foot treads here; No hand profane shall move thee; But gallant fleets shall proudly steer, And warriors shout above thee. But gallant fleets shall proudly steer, And warriors shout above thee. And when the last trump shall sound, And tombs are asunder riv’n, Like the morning sun from the wave thou’lt bound, To rise and shine in Heaven. Like the morning sun from the wave thou’lt bound, To rise and shine in Heaven. [If any visitor to the site knows of the whereabouts of any of the Sailor’s Grave postcards would they kindly contact the Webmaster? Thank you.] |
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