Reginald Somerville (1867 – 8 July 1948) was an English composer and actor. He is known for writing many drawing-room ballads such as "God Sends the Night", "Yestereve", "Zaida: A Song of the Desert" and "The Lark and the Nightingale", as well as a handful of operas.
Biographyedit
Somerville received musical training under the Italian tenor and teacher Giulio Moretti.[1] He co-wrote music with A. McLean and G. W. Byng for the musical farce, A White Silk Dress, opening at London's Prince of Wales's Theatre on 3 October 1896.[2] In collaboration with the librettist Guy Eden he wrote The 'Prentice Pillar, a romantic opera in one act in 1899.[3] Somerville's "The Ballad of Thyra Lee", a dramatic scene, premiered in 1900, was given at a Royal Philharmonic Society concert in May 1903.[4] Also 1903, he played opposite Marie Studholme in The School Girl. In 1909, his opera The Mountaineers was premiered at the Savoy Theatre in London. It had a two-month run and a provincial tour in late 1910.[5]
After the First World War, Somerville wrote Antoine, an opera that he considered his best work,[6] which was produced at the Lyceum Theatre, London, by the Carl Rosa Opera Company. The plot of the opera featured a blind sailor who has his sight miraculously restored only to discover his wife eloping with a rich lover.[7] He also wrote both the music and lyrics for a three-act opera titled David Garrick, which was founded on T. W. Robertson's well-known comedy of the same name. It was premiered in 1920 by the Carl Rosa company and then presented under Somerville's management in the West End, substantially re-written to suit the light-music audience.[8] Critics were divided on the merit of Somerville's music. The Illustrated London News remarked that the score "halts between the methods of the lyric and the grand-opera stage, and would have been all the better for cutting out all the connections with the latter."[9] A week later, the critic continued, "He has no great gift of melody. ... Worse than the orchestration is the handling of the ensembles, if one may call them ensembles."[10] The work was revived in 1932.[citation needed] In 1924, he wrote The Love Doctor, a "musical show with a story", which was toured on the Moss' Empires circuit and played in London at the Chelsea Palace Theatre in 1925.[citation needed]
Somerville's work as a composer dried up with the advent of sound films in the mid-1920s, and he took to teaching, but he became ill, ran into debt and was declared bankrupt in 1934. The bankruptcy was discharged in 1937.[11]
Somerville's published works for piano include: "Alpine Roses – Morceau" (1913); "Automobile waltz" (1912); "Carina – Morceau pizzicato pour Piano" (1911); "The Honey Bee – Humoresque for the piano" (1924); "Intermezzo" (1922); "The Mountaineers – Pianoforte Selection" (1913); "Three Dances" (1922); and "Three Light Pieces for Piano: Bagatelle, Melody, and Valse" (1911).[13] Among his orchestral works are "Four Fancies – Suite" (1925); "Funeral of a Flea" (1928); "Nucleus Themes, No. 1" (1927); "Razzle-Dazzle" (1928); and "Two Grotesque Recitations (1927)".[13]
Songs by Somerville include: "All the Way to Coventry" (1913);[13] "Call the yowes to the knowes" (1891);[14] "God Sends the Night" (1908);[15] "The Hour I love the best of all" (1924);[13] "The Lark and the Nightingale" (1900);[16] "The Laughing Waves" (1900);[17] "A Memory" (1891);[14] "The Song of Kent" (1921);[13] "Songs of Friendship" (1909);[18] "The Amber Necklace" (1917);[13] "When Dreams come true" (1913);[13] "Wherever I may be" (1913);[13] "Who Rides for the King" (1911);[19] and "Zaïda" (1914).[13]
^The Times, 11 June 1900, p. 4; and 21 September 1904, p. 7
^Penny Illustrated Paper, 23 April 1910, p. 530; Issue 2552.
^Somerville, Reginald. "Memories of The Mountaineers", in Music Masterpieces: Gems from the World's Famous Operas and Musical Plays, Percy Pitt (ed.), vol. 3, part 15 (London: Amalgamated Press, 1926), p. 76
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For the English cricketer see Reginald Somerville cricketer Reginald Somerville 1867 8 July 1948 was an English composer and actor He is known for writing many drawing room ballads such as God Sends the Night Yestereve Zaida A Song of the Desert and The Lark and the Nightingale as well as a handful of operas Biography editSomerville received musical training under the Italian tenor and teacher Giulio Moretti 1 He co wrote music with A McLean and G W Byng for the musical farce A White Silk Dress opening at London s Prince of Wales s Theatre on 3 October 1896 2 In collaboration with the librettist Guy Eden he wrote The Prentice Pillar a romantic opera in one act in 1899 3 Somerville s The Ballad of Thyra Lee a dramatic scene premiered in 1900 was given at a Royal Philharmonic Society concert in May 1903 4 Also 1903 he played opposite Marie Studholme in The School Girl In 1909 his opera The Mountaineers was premiered at the Savoy Theatre in London It had a two month run and a provincial tour in late 1910 5 After the First World War Somerville wrote Antoine an opera that he considered his best work 6 which was produced at the Lyceum Theatre London by the Carl Rosa Opera Company The plot of the opera featured a blind sailor who has his sight miraculously restored only to discover his wife eloping with a rich lover 7 He also wrote both the music and lyrics for a three act opera titled David Garrick which was founded on T W Robertson s well known comedy of the same name It was premiered in 1920 by the Carl Rosa company and then presented under Somerville s management in the West End substantially re written to suit the light music audience 8 Critics were divided on the merit of Somerville s music The Illustrated London News remarked that the score halts between the methods of the lyric and the grand opera stage and would have been all the better for cutting out all the connections with the latter 9 A week later the critic continued He has no great gift of melody Worse than the orchestration is the handling of the ensembles if one may call them ensembles 10 The work was revived in 1932 citation needed In 1924 he wrote The Love Doctor a musical show with a story which was toured on the Moss Empires circuit and played in London at the Chelsea Palace Theatre in 1925 citation needed Somerville s work as a composer dried up with the advent of sound films in the mid 1920s and he took to teaching but he became ill ran into debt and was declared bankrupt in 1934 The bankruptcy was discharged in 1937 11 He died on 8 July 1948 at St John s nursing home Tankerton on Sea in Kent 12 Instrumental works and songs editSomerville s published works for piano include Alpine Roses Morceau 1913 Automobile waltz 1912 Carina Morceau pizzicato pour Piano 1911 The Honey Bee Humoresque for the piano 1924 Intermezzo 1922 The Mountaineers Pianoforte Selection 1913 Three Dances 1922 and Three Light Pieces for Piano Bagatelle Melody and Valse 1911 13 Among his orchestral works are Four Fancies Suite 1925 Funeral of a Flea 1928 Nucleus Themes No 1 1927 Razzle Dazzle 1928 and Two Grotesque Recitations 1927 13 Songs by Somerville include All the Way to Coventry 1913 13 Call the yowes to the knowes 1891 14 God Sends the Night 1908 15 The Hour I love the best of all 1924 13 The Lark and the Nightingale 1900 16 The Laughing Waves 1900 17 A Memory 1891 14 The Song of Kent 1921 13 Songs of Friendship 1909 18 The Amber Necklace 1917 13 When Dreams come true 1913 13 Wherever I may be 1913 13 Who Rides for the King 1911 19 and Zaida 1914 13 Notes edit The Musical Times November 1928 p 1029 Parker John Who s Who in the Theatre A Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage London Pitman 1922 p 1128 The Musical Times October 1899 p 685 The Times 11 June 1900 p 4 and 21 September 1904 p 7 Penny Illustrated Paper 23 April 1910 p 530 Issue 2552 Somerville Reginald Memories of The Mountaineers in Music Masterpieces Gems from the World s Famous Operas and Musical Plays Percy Pitt ed vol 3 part 15 London Amalgamated Press 1926 p 76 The Musical Times October 1919 p 557 The Musical Times April 1922 p 262 The Illustrated London News 11 March 1922 p 368 The Illustrated London News 18 March 1922 p 386 The Times 13 January 1937 p 4 Farrell Scott The Final Savoy Operas A Centenary Review p 7 a b c d e f g h i British Library integrated catalogue accessed 4 September 2010 a b The Musical Times August 1891 pp 491 92 The Musical Times May 1908 pp 317 20 The Musical Times April 1900 pp 249 53 The Musical Times September 1900 pp 1 8 The Musical Times June 1909 pp 381 82 The Musical Times October 1911 pp 1 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reginald Somerville amp oldid 1109948750, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
