Alfred Concanen

Concanen made his sheet music debut in 1860, succeeding John Brandard as master of that art form, a position he held until his own death twenty-six years later.

The 1860s were the peak of British music hall tradition and gave rise to the lion comique – such song and 'patter' performers as George Leybourne ('Champagne Charlie'), Alfred Vance – billed as 'The Great Vance', and G. H. MacDermott were hugely popular, and Concanen captured both their acts and their personalities in his beautifully executed lithographs.

During his career Concanen probably created thousands of designs for sheet music covers, usually charging between two and twenty guineas each, depending on the work involved and the amount of detail desired by the publishers.

In addition, in 1869 he illustrated Carols of Lockayne by H. S. Leigh; in 1874 The Wilds of London and, in 1876 Low Life Depths, both by James Greenwood.

Comprehensive collections of his sheet music covers are held by the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Library, among others.