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io2 A CENTURY OF BALLADS |
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ning "Comrade, is the world awry?") as showing the number of years that graceful writer has been before the public.
It may be noted in passing that Willett Beale, the author of a book of musical reminiscences, The Light of Other Days, and a friend of Benedict's and Balfe's, was son of Frederick Beale, principal partner in the firm of Cramer, Beale, and Co., music publishers. The son afterwards entered the same firm. He wrote a number of songs under the name of Walter Maynard, and, in this connection, he tells a story of a certain composer who used to whistle a tune to him, and get Maynard to write it down and put it into shape, adding the proper harmonies and accompaniments. The song when completed was always claimed by the whistler as his own. On one occasion, on hearing the result, he said, " By Jove, I think it's the best thing I've done, don't you?' Whereupon he signed the manuscript with a flourish and took it off straightway to a music publisher.
Beale was, as I have said, a friend of both Benedict and Balfe. Two little anecdotes of the latter which he gives are worth quoting. The first describes Balfe as his intimate friends knew him in his younger days.
" Balfe had become one of our liveliest companions in Albion Street. A blue-eyed, hand- |
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