John Lodge Ellerton (1801-1873)

[kyjo]

This British composer has a quite informative article on Wikipedia, which lists that he worte six symphonies, approximately 50(!) string quartets, a string quintet, and nine operas! The amazing Steve's Bedroom Band has posted recordings of his three string quartets, op. 61. I've listened to the first of these and it's an inoffensive, rather unmemorable, but in no ways dull piece. I'll listen to the other two and give my opinion of these. His string quartet, op. 100, is also on IMSLP (no recording). I'm not expecting his catalogue to contain any masterpieces, but, based on the quartet I heard, his music deserves attention. BTW, his third symphony, in D Minor, is entitled "Wald-Symphonie". It probably won't be as good as Raff's, but who knows ? So, anyways, does anyone know more about this truly unsung composer?

[Mark Thomas]

British Musical Biography by Brown & Stratton (1897) says of him on p.137:

"Ellerton, John Lodge, amateur composer and poet, born at Chester (?), January 11, 1801. Son of Adam Lodge, of Liverpool. He assumed the name of Ellerton about 1845. Educated at Rugbv School, and at Oxford, graduating B.A., 1821, and M.A., 1828. In this last year was published a song, " And will thy spirit view," which was very favourably reviewed in the Harmonicon. He had begun his musical studies early, and after leaving Oxford he went to Rome and studied under Pietro Terziani, maestro di capella at the Church of San Giovanni Laterano. While there he is said to have composed seven Italian operas. He resided a good deal in Germany, his symphonies having been composed at Wiesbaden, and other places. When in London he had quartet meetings at his house with the best artists. He died in London, January 3, 1873.

"Works.—Oratorio : Paradise Lost, published 1857 ; Stabat Mater, female voices and orchestra, op. 180 ; Mass in C, op. 53 (1843) ; in B flat, op. 106 ; in D, for two tenors and a bass, op. 103 ; Motets and anthems. Operas : Issiple ; Berenice in Armenio ; Annibale in Capua ; II Sacrifizio di Epito ; Andromacca; II Carnovale di Venezia ; II Marito a Vista (Italian) ; Carl Rosa ; Lucinda (German) ; Dominica, produced Drurv Lane, June 7, 1838; The Bridal of Triermain (English). Nineteen Italian duets, with orchestra ; duets, songs, etc. Symphony, No. 1, in F, op. 65, performed in London, December 11, 1849 ; No. 2, in D, op. 66, composed 1845, performed London, 1847 ; No. 3, in D minor (Wald Simphonie), op. 120, published; No. 4, in E flat, op. 126; No. 5, in C, op. 123; No. 6, in E minor, op. 127, the last two composed in 1858. Overtures, La Tarantella, and others ; one performed in London, 1831. Three string quintets, Forty-four string quartets, op. 60, 62, 70, 76, 101, 102, 124, etc. Three string trios ; eight trios, pf. and strings, etc. Thirteen sonatas, etc. Many glees, including Catch Club prizes, 1836, and 1838. Bridal of Salerno, a romance in 6 cantos, with other poems, 1845; The Elixir of Youth, a legend in four parts, with other poems and notes, 1864."

And a brief obituary notice in The Musical Times (Feb, 1873) says:

"MR. JOHN LODGE ELLERTON, whose decease was announced during the past month, was one of the few amateurs who earned any name as a composer, beyond the immediate circle in which he moved. He wrote an Oratorio of much merit, called " Paradise Lost," and also Symphonies Motets, &c., and a large number of chamber compositions all of which were founded on the most classical models."

[eschiss1]

there -was- a recording of the string quintet @IMSLP last I checked, what happened to it? I quite liked it, too.
There's quite a few unpublished quartets by him to go along with those, according to a dissertation about Ellerton I've read.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Can you provide details of the dissertation, please, Eric?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Well, BL has a full score and a set of parts for the Wald Symphonie. Leeds has a miniature score of same. There are also a vast number of his string quartets in the BL.

[britishcomposer]

there -was- a recording of the string quintet @IMSLP last I checked, what happened to it? I quite liked it, too.

All three quartets op. 61 and the quintet op 100 played by glorious Steve can be accessed here:

http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quartet,_Op.61_No.1_(Ellerton,_John_Lodge)
http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quartet,_Op.61_No.2_(Ellerton,_John_Lodge)
http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quartet,_Op.61_No.3_(Ellerton,_John_Lodge)
http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quintet,_Op.100_(Ellerton,_John_Lodge)

Thanks for introducing him!
I recently listened to all the Macfarren quartets recorded by Steve. It's just gorgeous what he does to promote the unsungs! 

[giles.enders]

I have recently been reading about Ellerton.  The jist of what is said is that he was popular in his day when standards were at a low eb in England.  I haven't heard anything he composed that is very memorable yet I would think he is worth investigating. In a way he is like some recent British composers who attract interest yet will quickly be forgotten

[matesic]

My first post! A few years ago I had a great time digging up all I could about Ellerton on the web. Thanks to his "society" connections there's quite a lot, and I wrote it up at enormous length. You've got to love someone who entertains Wagner at his club and gets so plastered he needs two flunkeys to get him safely across the street! When I figure out how to post it on mediafire I'll give you the link. I also photographed 28(!) manuscript quartets (plus 2 quintets and a trio) in the library of the Royal College of Music, apparently complementary to his published quartets which amount to about 20. He also published 2 volumes of poetry, including one piece entitled "Neglected genius" which is clearly self-referential! As far as the music goes, he certainly wasn't a fool and does have a certain suave style of his own, but every piece comes straight out of the same mould. I think Gerald Abraham in The Concise Oxford History of Music gets it about right - "he could just avoid platitude".

[Mark Thomas]

Welcome, Matesic!

[kyjo]

 A very warm welcome to you, Matesic! All your replies are very interesting about Ellerton. Good to know at least his Wald-Symphonie survives. 19th century British music is quite fascinating, and this forum has quite a wealth of knowledge about this time and place. Thank you very much !

[eschiss1]

Tangentially, fragments of an autograph or autograph copy? (short score of the 2nd finale, and a 12-page duet) of his opera "Lucio Vero" (the copy dating from 1825 or 1829?) found their way into Hamburg's Carl von Ossietzky library, it seems.  RISM lists that and a couple of songs (e.g. an autograph copy of "The Nightingale's Death Song" at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory library in Rome, scored for soprano and orchestra.) And seconding kyjo.

[eschiss1]

Well, the Wald-Symphonie was published in 1861 (HMB) by Breitkopf in score and parts (though this is no guarantee in itself that a work survives now- as one knows- it can help I guess. Works published only in short score, where the publisher keeps the full score and parts to themselves for rental purposes, seem to have a way of only surviving in short score, given that a number of these publishers' offices have not survived, and for other reasons; distribution encourages preservation.)

[matesic]

The BL has a set of Wald-Symphonie parts. It's advertised as being in 6 movements, but the additional 2 really only amount to a slow introduction which returns transmogrified at the end.

Fascinating to hear of the opera turning up - I was starting to think the 6 he's supposed to have written in Italy may have been a myth put about by himself. His one opera to be produced in London, Domenica, was taken off after one night at the Drury Lane Theatre. The music is lost but the BL has the libretto which is (intentionally?) hilarious in places. Good things have been said about another opera "The Bridal of Triermain" which I think survives in Boston Public Library.

A lot of his songs are published (many to verses by Felicia "The boy stood on the burning deck" Hemans who he was close to at one time) as are a few piano trios out of the same box as the quartets. Another nugget I came across on archive.org was the text of a 1869 book by one Willett Adye listing Ellerton as one of the 30 Great Composers (minus Schubert, Schumann, Liszt..). The dedication goes "to John Lodge Ellerton Esq., this little work is inscribed by his sincere friend", which slightly spoils the compliment! Oh, and I while back on ebay I bought the autograph of Henry Rowley Bishop, which happens to have Ellerton's signature and address on the same piece of paper. Wonder how that happened? Now, mediafire...

[kyjo]

Fascinating, matesic. You are a valuable addition to our site !

[kyjo]

I've been wondering...Where's Albion ? Ultra-obscure 19th century British music is his speciality!