Lost Chord found on Anzac Green

We don’t usually dedicate editorial space to ‘lost and found’ — but when a reader handed in what looked like old and precious sheet music found on Anzac Green we were fascinated.

Efforts to find an owner failed, so the music was brought to us.

The Lost Chord music was written by Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert & Sullivan fame) on the deathbed of his brother Fred in 1877.

The lyrics are the earlier The Lost Chord poem by Adelaide A Proctor — a philanthropist and active feminist, who worked with unemployed women and the homeless.

She was also named as the second most popular poet of the day after Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

She died aged just 38 of tuberculosis, the illness attributed to her charity work.

As a song The Lost Chord was immediately successful — and was mostly associated with American contralto Madame Antionette Sterling.

Although best known for the 14 operatic collaborations with W.S. Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan had written serious pieces, symphonies and other hymns and songs, including Onward Christian Soldiers before they started working together.

If the sheet music found on Anzac Green is yours, or you know the owner, we would be pleased to return it. Email dean.taylor@nzme.co.nz, phone 871 5151 or call into our office.