In one song two lords encourage a third to pursue the woman of his dreams, singing, “Faint heart never won fair lady.” Each of the three sings a verse, each verse followed by a chorus of all three together.
One subtle, amusing aspect is that the choruses are entirely platitudes, every line a familiar saying. What a tour de force of writing! Here’s the text; choruses indented in bold.
If you go in / You’re sure to win – Yours will be the charming maidie: Be your law / The ancient saw, “Faint heart never won fair lady!” . . . .Every journey has an end – . . . .When at the worst affairs will mend – . . . .Dark the dawn when day is nigh – . . . .Hustle your horse and don’t say die!
He who shies / At such a prize Is not worth a maravedi, Be so kind / To bear in mind – “Faint heart never won fair lady!” . . . .While the sun shines make your hay – . . . .Where a will is, there’s a way – . . . .Beard the lion in his lair – . . . .None but the brave deserve the fair!
I’ll take heart / And make a start – Though I fear the prospect’s shady – Much I’d spend / To gain my end – “Faint heart never won fair lady!” . . . .Nothing venture, nothing win – . . . .Blood is thick, but water’s thin – . . . .In for a penny, in for a pound – . . . .It’s Love that makes the world go round!
April 07, 2008, 19:41
Kalleh
Shu does love his G&S lyrics. And I swear, he knows every song from every G&S operetta, though he's modest. Does anyone know where G&S musicals are presented? We just love them!
April 07, 2008, 21:13
goofy
I saw Pirates of Penzance in Toronto when I was a kid, and maybe some others... I used to know The Major-General's Song by heart.
April 08, 2008, 17:37
haberdasher
In New England there is a "clearing house" of sorts, called the New England Gilbert and Sullivan Society, affectionately known as NEGASS; find them here, at www.NEGASS.org. Its base is near Boston, the local population center, but it has access to many productions, all over the region.
Surely there is an equivalent in the Chicago area, yes ?This message has been edited. Last edited by: haberdasher,
"The oldest Gilbert & Sullivan organization in the Chicago area, the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company mounted its first show, The Gondoliers, in 1960. Incorporated in 1964, the Company is dedicated to promoting the delightful operatic oeuvre of Gilbert and Sullivan. The University of Chicago’s Department of Music has collaborated with the Company since 1984."
(My own beloved Harvard/Radcliffe G&S Players, of course, started in 1957...I don't recall when NEGASS was formed.)
maravedi [mar-uh-vey-dee] – noun, plural-dis: ...2. a former minor copper coin of Spain, discontinued in 1848
(from Dictionary.com)
April 08, 2008, 19:53
Kalleh
quote:
Surely there is an equivalent in the Chicago area, yes ? P.S. try your own "Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company" for starters. They give themselves quite a history:
Ah, Hab, that's where we saw the recent Iolanthe operetta. We've seen all of theirs. And there used to be another G&S group that presented about 3-4 a year; we saw all of theirs, too, though they're now defunct. The Light Opera Works in Evanston (associated with Northwestern University) has one G&S performance each year. We see all of theirs and will see their Iolanthe in August. There is also a group (haven't seen it in awhile), the Savoyaires, also out of Evanston, who are doing Pirates of Penzance in the fall. We'll see that, though we've never been enamored with the Savoyaires. Many moons ago, before they went out of business, the real D'Oly Carte came to Chicago and put on a few performances. We saw most of them.
Strangely, we haven't heard of North Aurora. I am surprised we aren't on every G&S list east of the Mississippi!
So, Hab, you are right. Chicago has G&S. We just can't get enough! Somebody told us about a place in Canada (Niagra something?) that we'll check out. We'll check out Boston, too!
April 08, 2008, 20:37
bethree5
This is a subject dear to my heart. Cornell's Savoyards put a show on every year and our family went to it at the old Sage theatre on campus.
My great-uncles were basso profundos, & at least one would show up doing a G&S solo onstage during nearly every alumni reunion weekend.
When I was in 7th grade our Girl Scout leader (my mom) had us put on (with the help of a theater student) Buttercup (yours truly cast in the title role supposedly because she had the widest ranging voice, but of course this 12-yr-old thought it was because she was the pudgiest!)... the troop were special guests of the Savoyard's performance that year, which was Pirates.
When I was a freshman at Cornell I was in Savoyards' Chorus of dainty Iolanthe fairies. Economist Alfred Kahn (do you remember the 'Energy Czar' of Jimmy Carter yrs? played the yeoman.
Saw Pirates on Broadway with Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline in 1981.
Shu, do you and Kalleh have "A Treasury of Gilbert & Sullivan"? (Simon & Schuster)-- words & music to many of the operettas. I have a 1941 copy I picked up on Ebay (needless to say Ma will not be parting with hers-- may try to take it with her!)
April 09, 2008, 08:13
haberdasher
...my parents met at D'Oyly-Carte performances in New York City in the 1930s - G&s are almost a part of the family. They also had one of the first widely-available recordings: a ten-record set of 12" 78-RPM records of d'OC's Patience, sadly lost in a flooded basement (not to mention obsolete).
The soldiers of our Queen Are linked in friendly tether; Upon the battle scene They fight the foe together.
There ev'ry mother's son Prepared to fight and fall is; The enemy of one The enemy of all is! The enemy of one The enemy of all is!
is what I first cut my teeth (? ears) on.
Followed by that marvel of Double-Dactyls, the Receipt for that popular mystery, known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon...
Alas I did not move to NYC until the D'Oyly Carte were in their last-gasp years & no longer touring much. I believe I saw them once when too young to know the difference. As a kid they were always in my ears; we had most of their LP's.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
April 09, 2008, 19:03
Kalleh
quote:
Shu, do you and Kalleh have "A Treasury of Gilbert & Sullivan"? (Simon & Schuster)-- words & music to many of the operettas.
Well, we don't have that one, but I pulled ours off the shelf. We have "The Complete Plays by Gilbert and Sullivan," published by the Modern Library. It seems old, but I couldn't find a date in it. I can tell that Shu has been enjoying it, though, because there are post-its (with notes!) in 12 sections of the book.
April 26, 2008, 15:32
Lily
I wouldn't mind betting that G&S operettas are the most frequently performed anywhere in the world, still, after 100 years. If there is not an adult company presenting them, they are also popular in schools. I grew up with G&S and have several books and the scores for all of them. I am so enjoying the discussion on them here.
April 25, 2021, 06:49
shufitz
quote:
Originally posted by shufitz:
quote:
Originally posted by shufitz: In one song two lords encourage a third to pursue the woman of his dreams, singing, “Faint heart never won fair lady.”
One subtle, amusing aspect is that the choruses are entirely platitudes, every line a familiar saying. What a tour de force of writing! Here’s the text; choruses indented in bold.
If you go in / You’re sure to win – Yours will be the charming maidie: Be your law / The ancient saw, “Faint heart never won fair lady!” . . . .Every journey has an end – . . . .When at the worst affairs will mend – . . . .Dark the dawn when day is nigh – . . . .Hustle your horse and don’t say die!
He who shies / At such a prize Is not worth a maravedi, Be so kind / To bear in mind – “Faint heart never won fair lady!” . . . .While the sun shines make your hay – . . . .Where a will is, there’s a way – . . . .Beard the lion in his lair – . . . .None but the brave deserve the fair!
I’ll take heart / And make a start – Though I fear the prospect’s shady – Much I’d spend / To gain my end – “Faint heart never won fair lady!” . . . .Nothing venture, nothing win – . . . .Blood is thick, but water’s thin – . . . .In for a penny, in for a pound – . . . .It’s Love that makes the world go round!
April 25, 2021, 06:58
shufitz
Reviving an old thread:
quote:
Originally posted by shufitz: In one song two lords encourage a third to pursue the woman of his dreams, singing, “Faint heart never won fair lady.”
I came across this thread while looking for a video of the song. The video is wonderful. Enjoy!
April 27, 2021, 18:44
bethree5
OMG, that is FABULOUS, Shu! What a hilarious romp!
April 28, 2021, 08:15
Geoff
Drat! My hearing has gotten so bad that I couldn't understand most of it.
April 28, 2021, 10:49
shufitz
quote:
Originally posted by Geoff: Drat! My hearing has gotten so bad that I couldn't understand most of it.
My apologies, Geoff. I revived a thread that’s been dormant for a decade, and the priors weren’t fresh in mind. Check back up to the beginning of this thread. Enjoy!
May 07, 2021, 20:20
Kalleh
Shu, I just realized that your photo is of our old dog, Flirt. Poor Shayna!
