
These musical scores represent Western Australia’s contribution to the MusicAustralia project, sponsored by the National Library of Australia.
Much of the music is patriotic in nature, as under Australian copyright law, only music prior to 1927 is in the public domain and this time frame includes Federation in 1901, and World War I.
They have now been redigitised as PDF format for ease of access. The scores can be downloaded and further information about each score can be found on the individual catalogue record.
Patriotic Music
Many of the scores are patriotic to Britain, the motherland, while others proclaim loyalty to Australia as an independent nation.
Some of the songs of Britain include:
- Whenever England calls. Words by J.D. Cousins ; music by Robert Turner.
- Whenever Britain calls. Words by J.D. Cousins ; music by Robert Turner.
- Hail! Royal Prince. By Frederick Miller ; the orchestration arranged by Reginald D'Arcy-Irvine.
Many are about Australia:
- Advance Australia . Words by J.M. Cochot ; music, English national anthem
- Australia beloved. Words by Lillian [sic] Wooster Greaves ; music by Jessie Hancey.
- Boys of Australia. Words by A.W. Gutmann ; music by Genge Wilson.
- Hymn of Australia. Words by Gertrude Stanway Tapp ; music by Geo. Stacy.
- To arms, Australia! Words by W.E. Gardiner ; music by H. Hadwen-Chandler.
Still others are about Western Australia, the newest, most isolated colony/State:
- Lovely Swan River. Words by Ellen Putland ; music by Billy Edwards.
- The Golden West (Frank Cato)
- The golden West. Words by Carlyle Ferguson ; music by Edith Withers.
- By the River Swan. Words by B.C. Norman ; music by Arthur Chanter
These songs are the result of a growing sense of identity as Australians, but also reflecting the ties to the settler’s mostly British heritage.
- A serenade. Words by Dorothy MacKay ; music by Kitty M. Hoyle.
- The awakening. By S.M. Harris.
- Australia will be there. Written by John Beukers ; composed by Harold Betteridge.
- Bells, bells, what did you say? Composed by Robert Turner ; words by Mrs. E. M. James.
- Brave Battalion Eleven. By S.M. Harris
- Captain Cook! Written & composed by Inwood Bilton.
- Carmen. music by H. Vowles ; words by P.U. Henn
- The elite skating waltz. Composed by Garton Dunton.
- Emeriti. Words by F.R. Barlee ; music by Elsa Langley.
- Fair western land
- Five Tennyson lyrics: The winds as at their hour of birth, A spirit haunts the year's last hours, The owl, Come not, when I am dead, The poet's song. By Donn Browne
- Flag of liberty. Words by Field Miles; music composed by Genge Wilson.
- Flourish West Australia
- Flowers. Words and melody by Arthur C. Hendrie.
- Four songs of the West. Bonnie Perth wi' the Swan creepin by o'; Sailing on the Swan; As bonnie as ony in Scotland; My Jeanie's comin' oot frae Aberdeen. Words and music by Walter P. Meston.
- Freedom's cause. Words by Arthur S. Webb ; music by Florence Fairlye.
- The gallant Light Horse. Words by A. Tyrrell Williams ; music by Nellie L. Williams.
- The greatest pal I had. Words and melody by Chas. A. Boundy ; melody arranged by Richard de Laeter.
- Hang on, Australia! Words by Lilian Wooster Greaves ; music by Amy Melville Beetham
- Hush Words by Thos. Le Breton ; music by H. Pople.
- I will bless the Lord at all times. Composed by James Lord.
- If I only knew. Words by Mary L. Pendered ; music by Sir William C.F. Robinson.
- It's good to be a Briton nowadays. Words by Will Sargant ; music by Herbert Brahms.
- Keep the old flag flying, boys! Written by L.H. Thorpe ; and composed by W.G. Thorpe.
- O joyful day of peace. Composed by William J. Sampson ; [words by] W.T.G. Berriman.
- The passing bell. Music by E. Jackson ; words by H.E. Clay.
- Right on to Berlin we'll go! Right on to Berlin we'll go! Written and adapted by Wm. Duns.
- Rouse thee Wes'tralia. Rouse thee Wes'tralia: proclamation song by Henry E. Clay.
- Surfing in the sea. Words and music by Katharine F. Browne.
- Te Deum laudamus. Composed by Haydn K. Hardwick.
- Those Stirling Ranges. Words & music, Grace Foster.
- Three songs: My wishes for you; My fairy; Music in my soul. By Gwladys Edwards.
- Three songs: The holy Christmas child; On Mothers' Day; Look up, dear heart. By Gwladys Edwards.
- To women of the nations. Words and music by Hilda Pullen.
- W.A. centennial march. By Laszlo Schwartz.
- Welcome home. Words by F.R. Barlee ; music by William Stephens.
- We've got a big brother in America (Uncle Sam). Words & music by Dryblower Murphy.
- We've got a good friend in America. Written and composed by "Dryblower" Murphy.
- When you come home again. Words by C.O. Erwood ; music by H. A. Donald.
- Wildflower of Western Australia
Joseph Summers
- An Australian Christmas carol. By J. Summers.
- The Commonwealth of Australia. By Louisa Sayers ; music by Dr. Summers
- Eucharistic hymn of young Australia. Words by Rev. Bro. Hughes ; music by J. Summers.
- For good old England. Words by J.D. Cousins ; music by Dr. Summers
- Swanland
- The Westralian anthem. By Louisa Sayers ; music by Dr. Summers.
Born in Charlton, Somerset, England in 1839, and died in Perth, 10 October, 1917. Summers was a composer, church musician and school music inspector. Before emigrating to Melbourne in 1865 on the Royal Standard, he studied with Goss, Gauntlett and Sterndale Bennett, completed a Bachelor of Music at Oxford and a Doctorate of Music at Canterbury. Summers was the organist at St Peter’s, Eastern Hill from 1868-1879, then at All Saints, St Kilda from 1879-1896. While at St Peter’s, he was also the conductor of the Melbourne Philharmonic Society, 1872-1874.
As a school music inspector for the Victorian Department of Education (1878-91), he supported the teaching of staff notation rather than the traditional tonic sol-fa method.
He moved to Perth in 1897. Although he had plans for retiring in Subiaco, he was persuaded by local musicians to form a musical society, the Philharmonic, which had 50 members. Summers also conducted a Liedertafel Society.
Soon after his arrival in Perth, Rev. James Duff commissioned him to compose music to his dramatized version of Milton’s Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, entitled The Two Worlds. It was completed after fifteen months’ work, and was first performed at a private hearing at Bishop’s Palace. The work was well received, and was later performed for Governor Lawley at Government House by Williamson’s Royal Opera Co., with one reviewer claiming that ‘it is glorious music’.
From 1903-1910, Summers was only working as a composer, and during this time he wrote An Australian Christmas Carol. The majority of his compositions were choral music, including hymns, anthems, and patriotic songs.
Further reading:
- Summers, J. Music and musicians: personal reminiscences, 1865 – 1910. Galwey Printing Company, Perth, 1910.
- Bebbington, W. (ed) Oxford companion to Australian music. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1997.
They Shall Grow Not Old
They shall grow not old. Words from St. John 15:13, and Laurence Binyon ; music by E.L. and H.N. Summers.
Article about a 2004 performance from The Cambridge Post, April 24, 2004, p. 4. Reproduced with permission.
A choral evensong at 5pm is how St Edmund’s Anglican Church in Wembley will mark Anzac Day.
The choir will sing the moving anthem, In Memorium, which has strong local links, according to the church’s newsletter.
The anthem was sung for the first time at St Barnabas’s Church in West Leederville at a memorial service for Bert Daymond, a young airman killed over Germany during World War II.
Bert had been a member of the St Barnabas choir before the war and the music for In Memorium was composed by his choirmaster H.N. (Harry) Summer and his son, Ted.
According to Sheila Andrew and Connie Robinson, who were in the choir at the time, the bugle parts were performed by an air force trumpeter and it was very moving.
Sheila has also investigated the origins of The Ode that’s always recited on Anzac Day: “They shall [grow not] old as we that are left grow old …” The Ode is the fourth verse of a poem called For the Fallen, by English poet Laurence Binyon.
The seven-verse poem was first published in The Times in September 1914 and honoured those who had died in World War I.