The British Musical Biography

[E] Sullivan, Sir Arthur Seymour, Kt.,
composer and conductor, born in London,
May 13, 1842. His father, Thomas Sulli-
van, was connected with Kneller Hall almost
from the commencement of that institution,
as professor of bass brass instruments, and
was also a clarinet plaj'er. He had a high
reputation throughout the army as an in-
structor. He died suddenly, of heart disease,
September, 23, 1866. The son entered the
Chapel Royal in 1854 as a chorister, under
the Rev. Thomas Helmore. He made rapid
progress in music, and his first song was
published in 1855. In July, 1856, he was
elected the first Mendelssohn Scholar, but
did not leave the Chapel Royal until 1857.
He studied at the R.A.M., under Goss and
Sterndale Bennett, and in 1858 proceeded to
Leipzig Conservatorium, where his teachers
were Plaidy, Hauptmann, E. P. Richter,
Moscheles, and others. At the Hauptprii-
fung, May 26, 1860, he conducted a perform-
ance of his overture, "Lalla Rookh ;" and
while there he also wrote some string quar-
tets, and the " Tempest " music, which he
brought with him to London in April, 1861.
This was produced at the Crystal Palace,
April 5, 1862. For a time he was organist of
St. INIichael's, Chester Square ; and St. Peter's,
Onslow Gardens, 1867-72. He soon rose into
notice as a composer ; and from the produc-
tion of his cantata, " Kenilworth," at the
Birmingham Festival, 1864, his career has.
been one of continued success. His light
operas have attained a popularity without.
a parallel. He was appointed musical
director of the Royal Aquarium, Westmin-
ster, and conducted a concert of English
music at its opening, January 23, 1876 ;
Principal of National Training School for
Music, and professor of composition, 1876,
resigning in 1881. Conducted the orchestral
concerts of the Glasgow Choral Union,,
1875-7 ; Promenade concerts, Covent Garden,
1878-9. British Commissioner for Music,
Paris Exhibition, 1878. Appointed conductor
of Leeds Festivals, 1880, to present time ; Phil-
harmonic Societ)^ 1885-7. Visited America
in 1885, and conducted " The Mikado " in
New York. Conducted concerts at Crj'stal
Palace, Manchester, Buckingham Palace, etc.
F.R.A.M. ; Mus. Doc, Cambridge, 1876, Ox-
ford, 1879, both honoris causa ; Chevalier,
Legion of Honour of France, 1878 ; corre-
sponding member of the Royal Musical In-
stitute, Florence, 1888 ; instituted grand
organist of the Freemasons, April 27, 1887 ;
elected president of the Birminghani and
Midland Institute, 1888, on October 19, giving
his address in the Town Hall ; received the
honour of knighthood from tlae Queen, 1883 ;
knight of the Order of the Hou.se of Coburg,
and recipient of the Order of the Medjidieh
from the Sultan of Turkey, 1888.

[W] Works. — Crutorios and Cantatas : Kenil-
worth, Birmingham Festival, 1864 ; The
Prodigal Son, Worcester, 1869 ; On Shore
and Sea, composed for the opening of Royal
Albert Hall, Kensington, May 1, 1871 ; Fes-
tival Te Deum, Crystal Palace, 1872, to
commemorate the recovery of H.R.H. the
Prince of Wales; The Light of the World,
oratorio, Birmingham Festival, 1873 ; The
Martyr of Antioch, Leeds Festival, 1880 ;
The Golden Legend, the same, 1886 ; ode, I
wish to tune my quiv'ring lyre, baritone solo
and orchestra, Cxloucester Festival, 1880.
Operas and Plays : Cox and Box, Adelphi,
May 11, 1867 ; The Cantrabandista, St.
George's Hall, December 18, 1867 ; Thespis,
Gaiety, December 26, 1871 ; Trial by Jury,
Royalty, March 25, 1875; The Zoo, St.
James's, June 5, 1875 ; The Sorcerer, Opera
Comique, November 17, 1877 ; H.M.S. Pina-
fore, the same. May 25, 1878; Pirates of
Penzance, the same, April 3, 1880 ; Patience,
the same, April 25, 1881. And at the Savoy
Theatre, lolanthe, November 25, 1882 ; Prin-
cess Ida, January 5, 1884; The Mikado, March
14, 1885 ; Ruddigore, January 22, 1887 ;
Yeomen of the Guard, October 3, 1888 ;
Gondoliers, December 7, 1889 ; Haddon Hall
(Sydney Grundy), September 24, 1892;
Utopia, October 7, 1893; and The Grand
Duke, May 7, 1896. Grand opera, Ivanhoe
(Julian Sturgis), produced Royal English
Opera House, January 31, 1891. These works
have also, for the most part, been performed
in Germany, America, etc. Incidental music
to The Tempest, op. 1, Crystal Palace, 1862 ;
Merchant, of Venice, Manchester, September
18, 1871 ; Merry Wives of Windsor, Gaiety,
December 19, 1874; Henry VIII., Man-
chester, August 29, 1877 ; Macbeth, Lyceum,
December 29, 1888 ; King Arthur, completed
1894. Orchestral: Procession march, com-
posed in celebration of the marriage of the
Prince of Wales, and performed Crystal
Palace, March 14, 1863 ; symphony in E,
Crystal Palace, March, 1866 ; overture. In
Memoriam (his father), Norwich Festival,
1886 ; Marmion, Philharmonic Society, June
8, 1867 ; Di Ballo, Birmingham Festival,
1870. Concerto, 'cello and orchestra. Crystal
Palace (Piatti), 1866. Ballets, L'Isle En-
chantee, 1864 ; Victorian and Merrie Eng-
land, Alhambra, May 25, 1897. Six Day
Dreams, and other pieces for pf. Te Deum,
Jubilate, and Kyrie in D ; Hearken unto
Me ; O, lo\ e the Lord ; Who is like unto
Thee ? and other anthems. Hymn tunes in
various collections. Musical editor of Church
Hymns with tunes, S.P.C.K., 1874. The last
night of the year ; O, hush thee, my babie ;
Joy to the victors ; and other part-songs,
1871. Songs : The Window, or the loves of
the wrens (Tennyson), 1871 ; Bride from the
North ; Arabian love song ; Orpheus with
his lute ; 0, mistress mine ; Sweethearts ;
Will he come ? The lost chord ; Edward
Gray ; Thou'rt passing hence ; Snow lies
white ; Let me dream again ; fair dove,
fond dove ; A weary lot is thine ; Looking
back ; St. Agnes' E%e ; The Sisters, duet ;
and many others.

[+] His brother, Frederick Sullivan, whose
talent for humour was so conspicuous, was
by profession an architect. He turned to
the stage, and his impersonation of Tlie
Jtulge in "Trial by Jury" had much to do
with the success of the piece. While on a
provincial tour he caught cold from damp
sheets at Newcastle, and died, January 18,
1878, at the age of 39.

entry id: 400-L-32