May 13 - Arthur Sullivan (The Musical Birthday Series )

Arthur Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was a respected composer in a Mendelssohnian vein, but he was also, of course, the musical half of Gilbert and Sullivan. The rhyme below is what happens when the limerick meets the patter song.

The Very Model of Modern-Age Victorian

A Gilbert and Sullivan show

    Has outdated jokes

    Which regular folks

Are lacking the background to know.

It’s this vintage Victorian glow

Which diehards, (the really gungho),

   Seem most to enjoy.

   And oh, boy oh boy,

   It’s what they employ

   (Those fans of Savoy)

   To shame and annoy

   The mere hoi polloi,

So tit willow, old boy, tally ho!