George Le Brunn (born George Frederick Brunn; 20 June 186318 December 1905) was an English composer of popular songs, active during the heyday of the music halls.

Biography

He was born in Brighton, Sussex, and was educated privately, studying music, piano and violin. He started using the surname "Le Brunn", thinking that it would help him be taken seriously as a musician, and played piano in theatre orchestras and music halls in London and elsewhere in the late 1870s and early 1880s.Richard Anthony Baker, ''British Music Hall: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2014, , pp.135-138 From 1883, he worked full-time as a songwriter, at first with Harry Adams, before establishing a working partnership lasting for over twenty years with lyricist John P. Harrington. Their songs included "The Seven Ages of Man" (sung by Charles Godfrey, 1888) and "Ev'rything In The Garden's Lovely!" (1894; popularised by

Marie Lloyd Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (12 February 1870 – 7 October 1922), professionally known as Marie Lloyd (), was an English music hall singer, comedian and musical theatre actress. She was best known for her performances of songs such as " T ...

). Harrington said of Le Brunn: "I have worked with a number of famous composers of popular songs... but, without fear of contradiction, I boldly assert that George Le Brunn was the daddy of them all... George could compose songs as easily and deftly as another man might write a letter... Some of our most popular songs were composed in ten or fifteen minutes...". Le Brunn also worked successfully with other lyricists. With W. T. Lytton, he wrote "When You Wink the Other Eye" (1890), which helped launch Marie Lloyd's career. In 1892, he wrote " Oh! Mr Porter" with his brother Thomas Le Brunn (18641936), included in the repertoires of Marie Lloyd and Norah Blaney. He also wrote, with Edgar Bateman, two songs made successful by

Gus Elen Ernest Augustus Elen (22 July 1862 – 17 February 1940) was an English music hall singer and comedian. He achieved success from 1891, performing cockney songs including "Arf a Pint of Ale", "It's a Great Big Shame", "Down the Road" and "If It ...

, "If it Wasn’t for the 'Ouses in Between" (1894) and "It's a Great Big Shame" (1895). Bateman described Le Brunn as "a writer whose remarkable gift of melody is equalled by but few, and whose fertility of invention is equalled by none."Peter Gammond, ''The Oxford Companion to Popular Music'', Oxford University Press, 1991, p.334, In 1905, George Le Brunn died of meningitis in Brixton, London, aged 42, and was buried in

Lambeth Cemetery Lambeth Cemetery is a cemetery in Tooting, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is one of three cemeteries owned by Lambeth London Borough Council, the others being West Norwood Cemetery and Streatham Cemetery. History Like nearby Streatham C ...

. Because of copyright theft, his widow was left almost penniless. His fellow composer

Leslie Stuart Leslie Stuart (15 March 1863 – 27 March 1928) born Thomas Augustine Barrett was an English composer of Edwardian musical comedy, best known for the hit show '' Florodora'' (1899) and many popular songs. He began in Manchester as a church org ...

wrote that Le Brunn was "...the most prolific popular melodist of his time. His songs are being sung in every corner of the earth and he has probably had more current songs in prominence than any living composer. Through the monstrous depradations of the music pirate, he died in financial difficulties." A benefit concert was arranged to help his family, which raised £600, of which Marie Lloyd contributed 100 guineas.

References

External links

Recording of "Never Introduce Your Bloke to Your Lady Friend" at the Library of Congress National Jukebox
{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Brunn, George 1863 births 1905 deaths English songwriters People from Brighton 19th-century English musicians Neurological disease deaths in England Infectious disease deaths in England Deaths from meningitis