SIR F. TOSTI.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 425, 6 February 1909, Page 11

SIR F. TOSTI.

COMPOSER/OF" "GOOD-BYE." ; Among the .crowd, of- distinguished people at the King's recent Investiture was a short, Btoutly-biiilfc ,man, with a close-cropped beard turning to white,-a thick head'of grey hair, parted in.the middle;'and far-seeing, dreamy eyes. He was Signor Tosti, the composer.of hundreds, of songs, and, henceforth he will be known "as Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti, for he was invested as a -Knight Commander of the ■Royal Victorian Order, Sir Francesco Tosti is 61 years old, and.though ho only,became a naturalised.Englishman' a. few years ago, he has-hved in England' for.over thirty' years,' As a songwriter, h'isfame is universal; : There is scarcely a drawingroom ihthe' world'wherein • Tosti's... "Good-bye" ■ has not -.been • sung.' Messrs; -Ricordi,. the publishers. of-.the song,' told:a-''Daily Express' , representative that the'.number. of copies :that nave > been "sold since its-publication must be .dyer* a' million. It-is selling,just as ■ well' to-day-as when it was'- first-brought , out. ' '.'For 'Ever: and \For Ever, , ! which ranks equal .with: ~ ' in ■ popularity,! was composed byMosti soon I after his arrival in. England. Publisher after publisher refused it,- and several singers de-clared-it was an'."impossible", song.; Eventuor : plain-Mister,-as he was then, sang.it into instantaneous success. ":■■■."My Dreams," .another of-Tosti's famous' songs, has. been by' Sir Charles ■ Santley. as '• the highest' type. of sen-timental'.ballad,-"Come toMy Heart,"'"Thai Day, ,, -"Let It.Be ISopn,":: ■ "Ask : Me'iNo More," "Help- Me to Pray,". "Yesterday, , ' •"At.the Convent'Gate"—these'are a few of the best-knowri' : of his songs, 'i.lii ;1870,Tosti was. singing .master to the.'Queen of'.ltaly, and.\cbining/to England, in ; 'lß.7s,'withiji."five years he .was appointed teacher of. singing'to jthe-Royal. family. " r He was a-great-favourite with arid, the Royal'friendship' has by King Edward and Queen 'Alexandra; 'For many years -he has 'been master of music, at the .State concertsin London and , ' Windsor.' -, - l; / .".-,. ■ ':'■.;■'■■"■)