The Gilbert and Sullivan Overtures

Penny, Andrew, Royal Ballet Sinfonia

8.554165

The twelve overtures included in the present recording could not better illustrate why the music of Arthur Sullivan, though very much of its own time, has survived so gloriously the changes of musical taste of the last hundred years. There is little doubt that Gilbert's witty, satirical libretti proved a more effective stimulus to Sullivan's creativity than any lofty Victorian text or Biblical subject would ever do. Sullivan poured some of his very best music into the Savoy Operas and with the financial acumen for which he was well known extracted these overtures to provide independent concert works and further support for his expensive life-style. • His partnership with W. S. Gilbert was so successful that the name Sullivan is now rarely mentioned by itself. Even his instrumental music, as in these overtures, is often casually referred to as G. and S. This was certainly not the case during much of Sullivan's lifetime, when he occupied an elevated position in the British musical establishment and was among the leading figures of Victorian England. • At the time England was described by some abroad as 'the land without music'. In retrospect this seems a harsh judgement. The Victorians, whether conscious of this pejorative description or not, seemed unconcerned that their musical life was dominated by Austro-German music and Italian opera. Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Rossini and Meyerbeer formed the staple diet of the concert-going middle classes. Amongst living composers Mendelssohn in particular occupied a special place in the affections of the British, from the Queen herself down to the members of the most provincial of choral societies. • The present overtures illustrate clearly all those aspects of Sullivan's music that have helped maintain his popularity; the elegance and wit, the fecundity of melodic invention, the dance-like character of many of the songs and his deft, effective orchestration. Perhaps reflecting how much time he had available as he approached each first night, the overtures are not all of similar construction.

CD x 1

Naxos

6/1/98

636943416525