Miss Pamela Willetts writes: The autograph full scores of 'The Yeomen of the Guard' and ‘The Mikado' have been for many years in the libraries of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music respectively, but the British Museum Library [now part of the British Library's collections] had no autograph music by Sullivan apart from early pianoforte piece until the acquisition of the full scores 'Patience' and 'The Gondoliers' at the Sotheby's sale of June 13, 1966 (Lots 183 and 186).
These orchestral scores are of particular interest as there is no published full score of either work. The MS of ‘The Gondoliers', almost wholly in Sullivan's autograph differs from the published only in minor details of text and musical setting. The MS text still records some of the earlier stages Gilbert’s libretto which his draft libretto already preserved the section the Gilbert Papers the Museum also bears witness ‘Casilda’ still called ‘Carlotta’ in Sullivan’s MS. and the Duke's entry is announced by the verse:
'From the country of the Cid From the country the Cid
The Duke of Valladolid The Duke Valladolid.'
Although this is amended to the final version:
'From the sunny shore
The Duke of Plaza Tor Tor.'
‘The Gondoliers' is now well documented in the British Museum, for the Gilbert Papers also include Gilbert’s draft of his angry protest to Sullivan about the expenses of the first production of the opera, opera which led to their quarrel and ultimately to the end of their partnership.
The score of 'Patience' is copied in several hands although the major part is in Sullivan’s autograph. Some interesting musical variants are preserved by this MS.: at the end of the volume are bound in an extra introduction to the Finale of Act II, which was not used in the final version, and a song for the Duke (unfortunately lacking the voice part) which was to have formed number four in Act I but was but was subsequently discarded.
Catalogue link: Add MSS 53777 - 53779