Composition: The Pirates of Penzance (Sullivan, Arthur)
| Title | The Pirates of Penzance |
| Alternative title | The Slave of Duty |
| Creators | Arthur Sullivan (composer) and William Schwenck Gilbert (librettist) |
| Opus | |
| Instrumentation | voices, mixed chorus and orchestra |
| Number of movements | 2 |
| Keys | — |
| Composed | 1879 |
| First published | 1880 |
| Dedication | — |
| Tempo markings | — |
| Metronome markings | — |
| Time signatures | — |
| Average duration (sec) | — |
| Number of measures | — |
| Composition types | Savoy operas |
| Language | English |
| Period | Romantic |
| View on IMSLP |  |
| Code |  |
Sections
(No sections)
Arrangements
| Details | Section | Arranged for | Arranger |
|---|---|---|---|
| view | Selections | theater orchestra | John Summers Cox |
| view | Selections | cornet and piano | William R. Stobbe |
| view | Selections | piano 4 hands | Henri Cramer |
| view | Overture | piano 4 hands | E.G. Hurley |
| view | Overture | piano | Berthold Tours |
| view | A Policeman's Lot | 3 viols | Albert Folop |
Scores
| Details | Section | Type | Publisher | Date | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | — | Manuscript | 1879 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | Manuscript | 1879 | Part 1 of 3 · view Part 2 of 3 · view Part 3 of 3 · view |
| view | Complete | — | Manuscript | 1879 | Part 1 of 3 · view Part 2 of 3 · view Part 3 of 3 · view |
| view | Complete | — | Manuscript | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Act I · view Act II · view Revision Report · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Act I - Instrumental score* · view Act II - Instrumental score* · view |
| view | Overture | — | Manuscript | — | Complete Score · view Complete Score · view |
| view | Overture | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | parts | Chappell | — | Flute 1/2 (also Piccolo) · view Oboe · view Clarinet 1/2 (A/B) · view Bassoon · view Horn 1/2 (F) · view Cornet 1/2 (A/B) · view Trombone 1/2 · view Timpani/Triangle/Snare Drum/Bass Drum/Cymbals · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Cellos/Basses · view |
| view | Complete | parts | Chappell | — | Timpani/Percussion · view |
| view | Complete | parts | — | — | Act I - Vocal Parts · view Act II - Vocal Parts · view Act I - Instrumental Parts · view Act II - Instrumental Parts · view |
| view | Overture | parts | Chappell | — | Flute 1/2 (also Piccolo) · view Oboe · view Clarinet 1/2 (A/B) · view Bassoon · view Horn 1/2 (F) · view Cornet 1/2 (A) · view Timpani/Triangle/Snare Drum/Bass Drum/Cymbals · view Trombone 1/2 · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Cellos/Basses · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Chappell | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Hitchcock Publishing Co. | 1880 | Complete Score (color) · view Complete Score (monochrome) · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | J.M. Stoddart & Co. | 1880 | Complete Score (includes dialogue) · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | A.W. Tams Music Library | 1901 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Chappell | — | Complete Score (color) · view Complete Score (mono) · view Color Cover · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Schirmer | — | Complete Score (Color) · view Complete Score (Black and White) · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | — | — | Complete Score · view LilyPond Source · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Troupers Light Opera | 2022 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Voices only, without piano reduction | vocal score | — | — | Act I* · view Act II* · view |
| view | Waltz Song: "Poor Wandering One" (Act I, No.8) | vocal score | White | 1881 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Modern Major General (Act I, No.13) | vocal score | White | 1880 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Libretto · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for theater orchestra |
— | — | Complete Parts (minimum orch. without piano) · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for cornet and piano |
— | — | Piano Part and Cornet (B) Part · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for piano 4 hands |
T. A. Bacher | 1881 | Pot pourri — "Memories of The Pirates of Penzance" · view |
| view | Overture | Arrangement for piano 4 hands |
George Willig & Co. | 1881 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Overture | Arrangement for piano |
— | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | A Policeman's Lot | Arrangement for 3 viols |
— | — | Complete Score (Tr Tr B) · view Engraving files (Personal composer) · view Treble Viol 1 · view Treble Viol 2 · view Bass Viol · view |
Recordings/Performances
| Details | Section | Files | |
|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | Complete Recording · file | |
| view | Complete | Overture · file Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry · file When Frederic was a little lad · file Oh, better far to live and die · file Oh false one, you have deceived me! · file What shall I do? — Climbing over rocky mountain · file Stop, ladies, pray! · file Oh, is there not one maiden breast · file Oh sisters, deaf to pity's name? · file Poor wandering one · file What ought we to do — How beautifully blue the sky · file Stay, we must not lose our senses! · file Here's a first-rate opportunity to get married with impunity · file Hold, monsters! · file I am the very model of a modern Major-General · file Oh, men of dark and dismal fate · file I'm telling a terrible story — Hail, Poetry — Oh, happy day · file Oh, master, hear one word, I do implore you! · file Pray observe the magnanimity we display to lace and dimity · file Oh, dry the glistening tear · file Now, Frederic, let your escort lion-hearted · file When the foeman bares his steel · file Now for the pirates' lair! · file Young Frederic! — Who calls? · file When you had left our pirate fold · file Away, away! My heart's on fire! · file All is prepared, your gallant crew await you · file Stay, Frederic, stay! · file Ah, leave me not to pine · file In 1940 I of age shall be — For here is love, and here is truth, and here is food for joyous laughter · file No, I'll be brave! · file Though in body and in mind · file When a felon's not engaged in his employment · file A rollicking band of pirates we · file With cat-like tread · file Hush, hush! Not a word! · file Sighing softly to the river · file Now what is this, and what is that · file Frederic here! Oh joy, oh rapture! — Poor wandering ones · file |
|
| view | Complete | Overture · file Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry · file When Frederic was a little lad · file Oh, better far to live and die · file Oh false one, you have deceived me! · file Climbing over rocky mountain · file Stop, ladies, pray! · file Oh, is there not one maiden breast? · file Oh sisters, deaf to pity's name? · file Poor wandering one · file What ought we to do · file How beautifully blue the sky · file Stay, we must not lose our senses! · file Hold, monsters! · file I am the very model of a modern Major-General · file Oh, men of dark and dismal fate · file Hail, Poetry · file You may go, for you're at liberty · file Pray observe the magnanimity · file Oh, dry the glistening tear · file Then, Frederic, let your escort lion-hearted · file When the foeman bares his steel · file Now for the pirates' lair! · file When you had left our pirate fold · file Away, away! My heart's on fire! · file All is prepared · file Stay, Frederic, stay! · file Ah, leave me not to pine · file For here is love, and here is truth, and here is food for joyous laughter · file No, I'll be brave — Though in body and in mind — Sergeant, approach · file When a felon's not engaged in his employment · file A rollicking band of pirates we · file With cat-like tread · file Hush, hush! Not a word! · file Sighing softly to the river · file Now what is this, and what is that? · file We triumph now · file Away with them, and place them at the bar! · file Poor wandering ones · file |
|
| view | Complete | Overture and Act 1 · file Act II · file |
|
| view | Complete | Act I · file Act II · file |
|
| view | Selections | Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry · file Oh, better far to live and die · file Climbing over rocky mountain · file Oh, is there not one maiden breast · file Poor wandering one · file I am the very model of a modern Major-General · file When the foeman bares his steel · file When a felon's not engaged in his employment · file With cat-like tread · file |
|
| view | Overture | Complete Performance · file |
©2025 David P. Anderson