Later Performances
In the twentieth century, the work's popularity declined, though occasional performances continued to be given, among them some at Leeds (1904), Cardiff (1907), London (1911, 1921, 1926 and 1927), Norwich (1911), and Belfast (1927). As late as the 1926-27 season, there were six performances of the piece by British choral societies. Sir Henry Wood never lost his admiration for the work and included part of it in his silver jubilee concert in 1936, alongside the premiere of Vaughan Williams's Serenade to Music.
Wood insisted on mounting a complete performance of The Golden Legend in May 1942 to celebrate the centenary of Sullivan's birth. He prevailed on the BBC to broadcast it, having reminded them that he was "the only living musician who had daily contact with Sir Arthur Sullivan as an accompanist". Sir Charles Mackerras conducted a centenary performance of the work in 1986, in the same building as the premiere, the newly-restored Leeds Victoria Hall. The first professional recording was released in 2001. The piece is still occasionally performed.
In August 1928, the Australian dramatic soprano Florence Austral made a 78-rpm recording of the soprano piece from the score, The Night is Calm, for HMV (D 1516). Sir John Barbirolli conducted the orchestra and chorus of the Royal Opera House. A remastered recording was released on CD by Dutton Laboratories (number CDLX 7025). Hyperion released a professional recording of the work in 2001.
Read more about this topic: The Golden Legend (cantata)
Famous quotes containing the word performances:
“This play holds the season’s record [for early closing], thus far, with a run of four evening performances and one matinee. By an odd coincidence it ran just five performances too many.”
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)
“At one of the later performances you asked why they called it a “miracle,”
Since nothing ever happened. That, of course, was the miracle
But you wanted to know why so much action took on so much life
And still managed to remain itself, aloof, smiling and courteous.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)