The titles of these
delightful volumes are not just marketing
invention, though for the layman they
describe the content pretty well. Sir
Thomas’s father did indeed teach them
to him and his amateur friends. And
this commitment is reflected in the
excellent performances.
They consist of over
fifty songs by over thirty composers,
mostly from the British Isles but with
a handful of Americans and continentals.
A few folk or traditional songs apart,
they were composed between 1866 (Sullivan’s
Orpheus With His Lute) and 1941 (Alan
Murray’s Will You Go With Me?). The
composers range from the famous to the
completely forgotten.
The sleeve-notes are
often interesting. For example, we learn
that Lord Henry Somerset (Echo) was
Comptroller of Queen Victoria’s household.
J. L. Mulloy (Love’s Old Sweet Song)
was an Irish barrister called to the
English bar. Odoardo Barri (The Old
Brigade) was an Irishman called Edward
Slater who claimed to have fought at
Solferino. Frederick Clay (I’ll Sing
Thee Songs of Araby) introduced Gilbert
to Sullivan. While Stephen Adams (The
Holy City) was born James Mayrick, was
five times mayor of Ryde, IOW, and a
suspect for being Jack the Ripper [but
see footnote]. Edward Purcell (Passing
By) was no relative of Henry; but T.
C. Sterndale Bennett (The Songs of Today)
was a grandson of Sir William.
There is a good selection
of better known figures too - Eric Coates,
Haydn Wood and Wilfrid Sanderson, whose
corner has been championed by my good
friend Philip Scowcroft. Familiar names
like W. H. Squire, J. L. Hatton, Amy
Woodford-Finden, Graham Peel, Roger
Quilter and even Ivor Novello appear.
However, Philip apart, how many members
can readily place Mary Sheldon, Anne
Fortescue Harrison (Lady Arthur Hill),
J. M. Capel or Alison Travers - though
some of their songs still live?
As must be expected,
some of them fall into a certain mould,
and selected listening over several
periods is recommended rather than large
quantities at one time. However, collectively,
they present a marvellous kaleidoscope
of home entertainment from the Victorian
and Edwardian Soirées, through
the barrack rooms of the Great War to
home listening on "the wireless".
They are a valuable contribution to
the overall picture of our musical heritage,
and if some seem a trifle anachronistic
or, in one case, a little "non-PC",
what of it?
Stan Meares
see also Philip
Scowcroft's review of volume 1
footnote
received February 2008
Mr John Mathews of
Newport, Isle of Wight informs me that
Stan Meares (or Hyperion) was in error
and that Stephen Adams was not James
Maybrick (1838-1889), several times
Mayor of Ryde and suspect in the "Jack
the Ripper" murders. He was instead
Michael Maybrick (officially 1844, but
now probably 1841-1913), the younger
brother, a totally respectable and honourable
man, who was Mayor of Ryde in his retirement.
Len Mullenger
HYPERION CDA 67290 [70.35]
