Edwards, Julian
Edwards, Julian
Edwards, Julian, English-born American conductor and composer; b. Manchester, Dec. 11, 1855; d.
Yonkers, N.Y, Sept. 5, 1910. He was a student of Oakeley in Edinburgh and of Macfarren in London. While still young, he wrote several short operettas (1873–77) for the small theater company run by his sister Fanny. He then was active as a theater conductor and composer. After working as a conductor with the Carl Rosa Opera Co., he went to the U.S. in 1888 and became a naturalized American citizen in 1900. He centered his activities in N.Y, where he was a theater conductor and composer. Although his opera King Rene’s Daughter (Nov. 22, 1893) enjoyed favor, it was as a composer of lighter scores that he was successful. Of these, the most popular were Madeleine, or The Magic Kiss (Feb. 25, 1895), Princess Chic (Feb. 12,1900), Dolly Varden (Jan. 27, 1902), When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Dec. 26, 1902), and The Girl and the Wizard (Sept. 27, 1909).
Works
DRAMATIC Opera : Corinna (1880); Victorian, the Spanish Student (Sheffield, March 6, 1883); King Rene’s Daughter (N.Y, Nov. 22, 1893); Brian Boru (N.Y., Oct. 19, 1896); The Patriot (1907; N.Y, Nov. 23, 1908). M u s i c a l The a t e r (all 1st perf. in N.Y. unless otherwise given): Dorothy (London, Sept. 24,1877); Jupiter, or the Cobbler and the King (May 2,1892); Friend Fritz (Jan. 20,1893); Madeleine, or The Magic Kiss (Feb. 25,1895); The Goddess of Truth (Feb. 26,1896); The Wedding Day (April 8, 1897); The Jolly Musketeer (Nov. 14, 1898); Princess Chic (Feb. 12, 1900); Dolly Varden (Jan. 27, 1902), When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Dec. 26, 1902); Love’s Lottery (Oct. 3, 1904); The Pink Hussars, later retitled His Honor the Mayor (Chicago, Oct. 23,1905); The Belle of London Town (Jan. 28,1907); The Girl and the Governor (Feb. 4,1907); The Gay Musician (May 18,1908); The Motor Girl (June 15,1909; rev. version as 2 Men and a Girl or The Aero Girl, Detroit, Feb. 13, 1911); The Girl and the Wizard (Sept. 27, 1909); Molly May (April 8, 1910). OTHER: 4 sacred cantatas, including Lazarus for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1907); 2 secular cantatas; numerous songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire