CLAY'S GOOD DEED

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 42, 26 April 1935, Page 27

CLAY'S GOOD DEED

We should feel gratitude. towards Frederie Clay apart from his splendid songs such ‘as ‘‘1’ll Sing’ Thee Songs of Araby ;’ for to him we owe the bringinig. together of "Gilbert and Sullivan. This composer had ‘already written music for two -pieces by’ Gilbert before the later more famous series of operas was born. . Tate, in the person of- Fred Clay, happened to be round the corner,. because t rough, him’ Sullivan met’ Gilbert,, and. so began that amazing procession of comic operas which'has since délighted three or four generations, Of these works ‘"H.M.S. Pinafore’’ had an extraordinary vogue, taking not only Britain, but also the United States bY storm over fifty years ago. The phrases and catch words from some of the songs were on every lip. Even Sullivan’s own friends, supposedly -immune from the craze, found difficulty in escaping it. One Sunday morning, while Clay, the composer, was at church in New York with’ his friend Sam Barlow, the minister ended ‘his sermon with the phrase, ‘‘For,He Himself Hath Said It;’’? whereuuon Barlow added in 2 whisper, ‘‘And it’s greatly to His credit,’’ at the same time handing over cheerfully the half dollar, that was, in that confraternity, the fine for guch quotations. Radio listeners had an’ opportunity. .of renewing their acquaintance. with -the merry tunes, songs, dances, and choruses of "H.M §. Pinafore" when the opera: was featured earlier. this month from-Sta-tions 1X¥X, 2MA, 3XL and 4X0,