Smith, Sydney

International Music Score Library Project [IMSLP] entry: Sydney Smith

Sydney Smith (1839-1889) was an English composer [not to be confused with assorted wits, poets, statesmen, soldiers and others of the same name, or Sidney], also called Edward Sydney Smith, Paul Beaumont and Victor Delacour. He composed or arranged hundreds of pieces of salon music, enormously popular in his day and beyond, especially his early work.

Piece	MP3	Midi	Genre
La Harpe Eolienne		MIDI	piano salon CD1
	La Harpe Eolienne is Smith's Op 11, from 1861. There is a later piano duet version, and various simplified editions; I haven't seen any of these. An Allegro Brillante is followed by an Allegretto Grazioso. I have sequenced it from copies in assorted folios; no copyrights are given in these. There are many minor variations between editions. An Aeolian Harp is one blown by the wind, so the ethereal echoes and the tinkling runs are appropriate. But the joyous arpeggios near the end are a bit out of place, though fun (and quite easy) to play!
Le Jet d'Eau		MIDI	piano salon
	Le Jet D'Eau, subtitled Morceau brillant, is Smith's Op. 17, dating from 1862. The instruction is Allegro Grazioso. Sequenced mostly in 2001 from my own copies. Despite the sound, this is quite an easy piece. The hands have simple parts separated by a cascade of notes which split between the hands. A personal favourite, as one of the few pieces I have managed to memorise which always impresses the audience.
Danse Napolitaine, Op. 33		MIDI	piano salon
	Danse Napolitaine consists of a brief vivace introduction, and an a la Tarantella marked presto. Sequenced in 2021 from the Second Star Folio [Paxton, undated]. The Sydney Smith Archive also has a duet version; this seems to be much the same notes but spread over more hands! According to IMSLP, this piece was composed in 1863, and was dedicated to Euphemia Willis-Fleming. This is presumably the Euphemia Katherine who was the daughter of Thomas Willis-Fleming, an aristocrat and MP. He married in 1845; his daughter died in 1918. On this assumption, she would likely have been a teenager when Smith dedicated this piece to her. It's not a particularly difficult piece except that most of it consists of staccato and rapidly repeating quiet chords for the right hand; she must have had stamina!
Lily of the Valley		MIDI	piano salon
	Lily of the Valley is a mazurka, marked grazioso. It is another of Smith's early pieces, dating from 1860 and published as Op. 14. It is dedicated to Emma Langhorne, who seems not to be known to Google. Sequenced in 2022 from the First Star Folio, Paxton [undated]. The pedalling is a little eccentric, eg with variations in repeats that may or may not be intended; I've followed the score as printed.

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Andy Walker, anw [at] cuboid4.me.uk [remove digit to construct address]