William Vincent Wallace William Vincent Wallace

William Vincent Wallace (11 March 1812 – 12 October 1865) was an Irish composer and musician. In his day, he was famous on three continents as a double virtuoso on violin and piano. Nowadays, he is mainly remembered as an opera composer of note, with key works such as Maritana (1845) and Lurline (1847/60), but he also wrote a large amount of piano music (including some virtuoso pieces) that was much in vogue in the 19th century. His more modest output of songs and ballads, equally wide-ranging in style and difficulty, was also popular in his day, some numbers being associated with famous singers of the time.

Selected compositions

Opera

• Maritana, opera, 3 acts (London: Drury Lane, 15 November 1845) (publ. 1846)
• Matilda [of Hungary] (Alfred Bunn), opera, 3 acts (London: Drury Lane, 22 February 1847) (publ. 1847)
• Lurline (Edward Fitzball), opera, 3 acts (1847, completed 1860) (London: Covent Garden, 23 February 1860) (publ. 1859)
• The Amber Witch (Henry Fothergill Chorley), opera, 4 acts (London: Her Majesty's, 28 February 1861) (publ. 1861)
• Love's Triumph (James Robinson Planché), opera, 3 acts (London: Covent Garden, 3 November 1862) (publ. 1862)
• The Desert Flower (Augustus Harris & Thomas J. Williams), opera, 3 acts (1862-63) (London: Covent Garden, 12 October 1863) (publ. 1864)
• five further operas (or operettas) that were either not completed or not performed as follows:The Maid of Zurich, Gulnare, Olga, The King's Page, Estrella.

Orchestral music

• Violin Concerto (Souvenir de New York) (1844)
• Concertino for violin (1860)

Songs for voice and piano

• Echo's Song (Robert Stewart) (Sydney, c.1836)
• A Fireside Song (Henry Fothergill Chorley) (London, c.1850)
• Cradle Song (Alfred Tennyson) (New York, 1851)
• The Flag of Our Union (George Pope Morris) (New York, 1851)
• Alary's Celebrated Polka Aria (New York, 1852)
• The Carrier Dove: A Lay of the Minstrel (George Pope Morris) (New York, 1852)
• Annie Dear, Good Bye (Edward Fitzball) (New York, 1854)
• Album 1854, Respectfully Dedicated to the Ladies of the United States, New York: William Hall, 1854; see below for 'Edition (with CD)'. Contains: Joyful, Joyful Spring, canzonet (Henry C. Watson); It is the Happy Summer Time, canzonet (Watson); The Leaves are Turning Red, canzonet (Watson); The Spring and Summer Both are Past, canzonet (Watson); Say my Heart Can this be Love, ballad (Watson); Sisters of Mercy, trio (Edward Fitzball); 'Tis the Harp in the Air. Souvenir de Maritana, la romance favorite (piano solo); La Pluie d'or. Valse gracieuse (piano solo); The Village Festival. Schottisch (piano solo).
• The Daughters of Eve (G. Hodder) (London, 1858)
• The Bell Ringer (John Oxenford) (London, 1860)
• The Coming of the Flowes (J.E. Carpenter) (London, 1860)
• The Song of May (Wellington Guernsey) (London, 1864)

Piano music

• El Amistad. Valse (New York: Firth & Hall, 1844)
• La Chilena. Waltz (New York: Firth & Pond, 1844)
• La Petite polka de concert op. 13 (London: Cramer & Beale, 1847)
• La Gondola. Souvenir de Venice op. 18 (New York: Firth, Hall & Pond, 1844)
• Chant des pèlerins. Nocturne op. 19 (New York: Firth & Hall, 1844)
• Trois Nocturnes op. 20 (New York: Firth & Hall, 1844)
• Le Rêve. Romance op. 21 (New York: Firth & Hall, 1844)
• The Midnight Waltz (New York: Firth & Pond, 1844)
• La Mexicana. Waltz (New York: Firth, Hall & Pond, 1844)
• Deux Romances op. 25. 1: Toujours; 2: À mon étoile (New York: Firth & Hall, 1844)
• Chant d'amour. Romance op. 26 (Paris: Richault, 1845)
• Grand valse de concert op. 27 (New York: Firth & Hall, 1845)
• Grande fantaisie et variations sur La Cracovienne (Philadelphia, 1847)
• Grande fantaisie sur des motifs de l'opéra Maritana op. 29 (Vienna, c.1848)
• Grande nocturne op. 32 (London, 1848)
• Ange si pure, de Donizetti (London, 1848)
• Romance op. 36 (London: Cramer, Beale & Co., 1847)
• Au bord de la mer op. 37 (Vienna, 1848; also London: Chappell, 1849)
• Angelina's Solitude (London, 1850)
• The Blue Bells of Scotland op. 40 (London: Robert Cocks, 1847)
• Alpine Melody (New York: William Hall, 1851)
• Le Zéphyr. Nocturne op. 47 (Vienna, 1848; also London: Chappell, 1848)
• 1ère Grande polka de concert op. 48 (New York: William Hall, 1850; also Vienna: A. Diabelli, 1851)
• The Evening Star Schottisch (New York: William Hall, 1852)
• Mélodie irlandaise (= Come o'er the Sea) op. 53 (New York: William Hall, 1850)
• Les Cloches du monastère. Nocturne op. 54 (London, c.1851)
• The Angler's Polka (New York: William Hall, 1854)
• Woodland Sketches op. 57 (New York: William Hall, 1851). Contains: 1. Village Maidens' Song; 2. Music Murmurings in the Trees.
• 24 Preludes and Scales op. 61 (New York: William Hall, 1855; also Leipzig, 1874)
• Midnight Chimes. Impromptu op. 62 (New York: William Hall, 1859)
• Fantaisie brillante sur des motifs de l'opera La Traviata de Verdi op. 63 (London, 1857)
• 2ème Polka de Concert op. 68 (New York: William Hall, 1852)
• Souvenir de Varsovie. Mazurka op. 69 (New York: William Hall, 1854; also Leipzig, 1874)
• The Celebrated Witches' Dance Composed by Paganini op. 71 no. 3 (New York: William Hall, 1852; also Leipzig, c.1854)
• 3ème Grande Polka de concert op. 72 (New York: William Hall, 1854; also Leipzig, c.1854)
• The Last Rose of Summer op. 74 (Hamburg: Schuberth & Co. 1856)
• Souvenir de Naples. Barcarole op. 75 (New York: William Hall, 1854)
• Six Études de Salon op. 77 (New York: William Hall, 1853). Contains: La Grâce; La Rapidité; La Force; Il Sostenuto; La Classique; Les Arpèges.
• Ballade de Rigoletto op. 82 (New York: William Hall, 1855)
• The Favorite Irish melodies 'Coolun', 'Garry Owen', 'St. Patrick's Day' (London: Robert Cocks, 1859)
• Recollections of Switzerland (London: Robert Cocks, 1859)
• Air de ballet (London: Robert Cocks, 1864)
• Air russe (London: Duff & Stewart, 1868)
• Polka de concert (Glissando) op. 91 (Leipzig, 1880)