Chappells

[giles.enders]

Is there a definitive list of the music lost in The Chappells of Bond Street fire?

[albion]

Unfortunately, I don't think that there is such a list. Very few 'serious' composers were published by Chappell but among the casualties of the 1964 conflagration, of course, were manuscripts by Sullivan (certainly the Cello Concerto and very probably the 1887 Ode for the Laying of the Foundation Stone of the Imperial Institute) and Arnold Bax (Spring Fire - luckily another copy was later unearthed). Virtually the whole of Chappell's archive and sales stock of lighter music was lost - including innumerable full scores, vocal scores, piano scores, dance arrangements, selections and orchestral parts for musical comedies and comic operas dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. Also lost was the extensive historical archive relating to their retail of musical instruments.

[Jimfin]

It was often said that Sullivan's "Thespis" was lost, but it seems unlikely, since the search for the manuscript had already been going on for decades beforehand.

I seem to remember something that was borrowed the night before and thus avoided the flames, something I listened to recently, but it escapes me what it was.

[albion]

The loss of Thespis in the 1964 fire is a hoary old myth - Sullivan almost certainly destroyed the autograph during his life-time, but clearly at least between 1879 and 1897 had access to a copyist's full score, fragments of which survive: Climbing over rocky mountain (bound into the autograph of The Pirates of Penzance) and three pieces (out of an original five) of ballet music partly re-used in Victoria and Merrie England.

Bax's Spring Fire was borrowed by Lewis Foreman, who then returned it to Chappell's the night before the fire, thus sealing it's fate - is that what you're thinking of?

[Jimfin]

No, I'm fairly sure there was something else. I knew the terribly sad story of 'Spring Fire''s performance history already. I was sure something was saved. It may come back to me: it's something I read really recently.

[minacciosa]

Wasn't there some Bowen there too?

[albion]

The only substantial work by York Bowen which Chappell carried was the orchestral Suite, Op.57 (c.1920), which was the winning entry in a competition instigated by the publisher - the prize was £200, the judges were Landon Ronald, Henry Wood and Alick Maclean, and it was first performed at Queen's Hall in January 1921.

The Suite is, thankfully, extant and currently available in score and parts through the Boosey & Hawkes hire library (there is a broadcast in our archive).

[Robin]

Umm...  If there is no definitive list, is there a sort of 'unofficial' list of items reliably believed to have been lost?  One sometimes hears the comment that "it must have been lost in the fire" without any substantiation other than the fire is a good over-all excuse to explain away anything that the speaker has not thought about or researched... just as the infamous skips piled full of music outside Novellos mythically contained everything that no-one can readily find now.

I am very interested to find out more about the Chappells fire - has it ever been investigated and written up in reliable detail? Is there a written / published history of Chappells, as there is of Novellos? Where does one find information about things like the tunnels and vaults under Bond Street to Hanover Square, and the reputed 'Sullivan Room' - both of which I have heard mentioned, but - again - without details. Fascinating stuff!

[giles.enders]

Strange that you mention Novello's as I did ask someone who worked there at the time, if there was a list of their discarded items and alas there wasn't.  Chappels now occupy the old Novello's building.  I would love to have the names of those that authorised these disposals.