Dum dum da: Music of the Melodrama

As mentioned in the post about the Surrey Theatre, it hosted a 22 piece orchestra, which was not uncommon for the day. Rather, this was a vital piece to theatre for the melodrama. The orchestra would play, not only at particular songs, but as transitions between scenes and as background incidental music to  heighten the emotions of the scene. (Booth, p.xiv)

Here is a wonderful example in The Inchcape Bell, when the dumb sailor boy is being chased by the villain Hans Hattock:

Sir John: ...Who knocks?
Music. The window is hastily opened by the Boy, who enters, and, throwing himself at Sir John's feet, indicates that he is pursued, and that he is dumb
Sir John: Dumb and pursued. Ah! Captain Taffrail here; is it of him you are afraid?
Music. Enter Taffrail, and two sailors. The Boy runs towards Taffrail, embraces him, places his hand on his heart, and indicates that he is his friend
(Booth, pg 11)

Booth makes an interesting observation: "Actors must have used the music to enhance their own vocal delivery." And besides being used in a creative way, the music would have the mundane task of covering loud noises from backstage scene changes.

Particular kinds of music would be associated with certain stock characters when making entrences and exits. A comic man would have a different musical motif assigned to him than a hero motif. (Booth, pg xiv)

As mentioned above, there would be songs with lyrics meant for the actor to sing. Only two characters, Sampson Sawdust and Amelia had songs to sing, the other two sung by the chorus of seamen and pirates. The play only gives the lyrics to these songs, not the sheet music, and the only hint to the tune of Sampson's song  is "Air- 'Blue Bonnets'" (pg. 7) Michael Booth elaborates on this, saying that it was probably set to a loose version of All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border, which is a traditional Scottish song.

Above is the original version being sung, which I think might have come closest to what was done. If you follow Sampson's lyrics along with the melody, it works very well.

Here are a sample of Sampson's Lyrics:

Drink, drink, lovers of every sort:

Then, my boys, boldly you Cupid may throttle.

Drink, drink, while you can get a drop;

Often man's courage lies hid in a bottle.

Many a Captain Bluff

Feels his pulse low enough,

Nor dares the question pop, though e'er so handy.

Boys, when you kiss again,

Smacks for the lasses, and bravos for brandy.

Drink, drink, else you may shut up shop;

All know that love is an awkward disorder;

Drink, drink, while you can get a drop.

Apart from the lyrical songs sung by major characters and directions for music to accompany action, there is a direction for a hornpipe song on the pirate ship. (pg 19)  What was usual for nautical melodramas was to have skilled dancers then dance the Sailor's Hornpipe. (pg 238)

Resources Used:

M, H D. The two "Circuses and the two "Surrey Theatres". London: Theatrical Publisher, 89, Strand, 1866. google.com. Web. 10 Mar. 2011. <http://books.google.com/books?id=j1ZDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=The+Surrey+Theatre+of+Blackfriars+road+dimensions&source=bl&ots=1oP5ZXXhgE&sig=xpIdTWt4VE0etsP0l4BLj-OGJ8s&hl=en&ei=MwN5TZ3UFoG-sQO73c>.

Booth, Michael R., Michael Cordner, Peter Holland, and Martin Wiggens, eds. The Lights O' London and Other Victorian Plays. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. N. pag. Print.