The Light of the World (Sullivan, Arthur)

Movements/SectionsMov'ts/Sec's 41 numbers in 2 parts
Composition Year 1872-73
Genre Categories Sacred oratorios; Oratorios; Religious works; [9 more...]For 6 voices, mixed chorus, orchestra; For voices and chorus with orchestra; Scores featuring the voice; Scores featuring mixed chorus; Scores featuring the orchestra; English language; For piano (arr); For 1 player (arr); Scores featuring the piano (arr)

Sheet Music

Vocal Scores

First Version

Editor First edition
Publisher. Info. London: J.B. Cramer & Co., 1873.
Copyright
Public Domain
Misc. Notes Color scan
#332980 This file is part of the Sibley Mirroring Project.
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Revised Version

Publisher. Info. New York: G. Schirmer, n.d.(1905). Plate 17746.
Copyright
Public Domain
Misc. Notes This file is part of the Sibley Mirroring Project.
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Aria: The Lord is Risen "And God shall wipe away all tears" (No.37)

Publisher. Info. New York: G. Schirmer, n.d.(1898). Plate 14005.
Copyright
Public Domain
Misc. Notes This file is part of the Sibley Mirroring Project.
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Publisher. Info. New York: G. Schirmer, n.d. Plate 17746.
Copyright
Public Domain
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Arrangements and Transcriptions

Selections

For Piano (Callcott)
Arranger William Hutchins Callcott (1807–1882)
Publisher. Info. London: J.B. Cramer & Co., n.d.[1874]. Plate C & Co. 6768.
Copyright
Public Domain
Misc. Notes 300 dpi
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General Information

Work Title The Light of the World
Alternative. Title
Composer Sullivan, Arthur
Internal Reference NumberInternal Ref. No. IAS 38
Movements/SectionsMov'ts/Sec's 41 numbers in 2 parts
Year/Date of CompositionY/D of Comp. 1872-73
First Performance. 1873-08-27 - Birmingham Musical Festival
First Publication. 1873
Librettist The Bible, selected and assembled by the Composer
Language English
Dedication The Duchess of Edinburgh (Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrowna of Russia)
Average DurationAvg. Duration 2 hours, 45 minutes
Composer Time PeriodComp. Period Romantic
Piece Style Romantic
Instrumentation 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, bass; mixed chorus (SATB), orchestra
InstrDetail [more...]
2 flutes, 2 oboes (2nd also English horn), 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon
4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba
timpani, organ, harp, strings
External Links Gilbert & Sullivan Archive

Navigation etc.

The Cramer vocal score exists in two editions, the first of which, containing 275 pages of music, reflects the work as first performed in Birmingham in 1873. The composer subsequently made several significant cuts and alterations to the oratorio and a second edition was issued, running to 259 pages. The Schirmer vocal score reflects these revisions.

There is a discrepancy in numbering between the Cramer and Schirmer vocal scores. Before the first performance, the composer omitted number 7 (probably a recitative) from the score but it was clearly too late to re-set the printing and thus in the Cramer edition, number 6 is simply followed by number 8 (giving an actual total of 41 movements, although the index runs to 42).

This numbering omission is corrected in the Schirmer score, which allocated Cramer No.8 as Schirmer No.7, etc. However, following the first performance the composer cut a recitative (No.38 in the Cramer first edition) and its omission from the Schirmer score leads to a total of 40 numbers.

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