When Arthur Sullivan tried out Edison’s new invention of the phonograph cylinder in 1888, he commented that he was terrified by the prospect of recorded music. At the same time as considering the phonograph to be a wonderful invention, he objected prophetically to ‘so much hideous and bad music on record forever’.
If you’ve watched the X Factor lately, you may be inclined to agree with him. Alongside all of the wonderful recorded output that we can listen to whenever we like runs the musically awful and frankly superficial mush that seems to draw the most attention and gain the greatest sales.
When Sullivan made that famous phonograph recording, he was already a rich man. He had enjoyed a decade of fame and renown for the light operas created in partnership with W.S. Gilbert. He could look back at the success and acclaim given to HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, Princess Ida and The Mikado with the satisfaction of someone who knows the formula that will bring more fame and fortune. Yet these works did not give him the satisfaction or recognition that he really craved.
