76:
61:
422:
512:) (Handel), 'Arise ye subterranean winds' (Purcell), and many of the better and longer ballads of the time. He recorded the standard bass and tenor duets ('Larboard Watch', 'The Gendarmes', 'Excelsior', 'The moon hath raised her lamp above', and 'Watchman, what of the night'?) with John Harrison, and also recorded English songs in quartette arrangements (e.g., Pearsall's 'O, who will o'er the downs so free?') with John Harrison,
705:
Radford is said to have suffered from ill-health all his life, and it was this handicap which prevented him from developing his career on the international scene. A photograph of him (but no account of his career) is shown by
Michael Scott in his important survey
439:
483:
in 1906-7 (supplementing 'For the mountains shall depart', and 'Is not his word like a fire' on 10" records): over the next few years he added 'I am a Roamer' (Mendelssohn), 'Nazareth', 'Vulcan's Song'
431:
40:
133:. He had natural dramatic gifts which from the outset suggested an operatic career, but his early professional life was devoted particularly to oratorio and the concert platform.
651:
after the advent of the electric microphone in 1925. In late acoustic and early electric sets of
Wagnerian passages, he is heard at some length (often opposite the great
1065:
1080:
883:
Bennett 1955: see also The
Catalogue of 'His Master's Voice' Records up to and including November 1914 (Butcher, Curnow & Co, Blackheath 1914), 109–110.
440:
1031:
600:: this was to be the last occasion on which Elwes sang the work. The artists (together with W.H. Reed and others) stayed at the Elwes home at
469:
Radford had an early and successful relationship with the gramophone, beginning with a song called 'Ho! ho! hear the wild winds blow' for the
1075:
39:
1070:
97:
singer who made his career entirely in the United
Kingdom, participating in concerts and becoming one of the foremost performers of
1055:
692:: the recorded sound is mostly disappointing. In 1924 it was stated that in oratorio his voice was best suited to bass parts in
568:
and others. Besides these, he recorded several new titles from his own repertoire in 1918–20. On 26 March 1919 he appeared at a
608:
380:(title role), which he was the first to sing in English. In April 1914 he was in the first English-language performance of
248:
As early as
November 1900, Henry Wood had engaged Radford for his uncut performance at Nottingham of the first two acts of
565:
553:
22:
569:
611:, and also became an important member of its singing company. He sang in two Philharmonic Society performances of
589:
508:
496:
237:
689:
644:
273:
183:
325:
1060:
536:, and was a valuable asset to the promenade concerts in that period. In 1917, he joined with the company of
448:
195:
753:
584:
118:
513:
101:
and other sacred music. He had equally great success in a broad spectrum of operatic roles, ranging from
708:
391:
375:
215:
187:
159:
672:
297:
250:
1050:
1045:
694:
302:
172:
106:
858:
521:
486:
399:
359:
259:
225:
203:
75:
60:
593:
407:
403:
853:
Elkin 1944, 64. His (English) Gurnemanz appears in highlights recorded under Albert Coates, with
517:
470:
220:
207:
176:
94:
336:, who succeeded him as Britain's foremost bass. Among his best-known roles were Mephistopheles (
684:
616:
479:
474:
369:
309:
263:
233:
122:
655:
636:
624:
620:
541:
628:
354:
191:
154:
126:
229:
150:
224:. He was also in the Leeds Chorus performance of the Mass in B minor, with Carrie Tubb,
666:
601:
574:
537:
502:
473:
in June 1903. His first 12" records were 'It is enough' and 'Lord God of
Abraham' from
363:
317:
290:
199:
102:
1026:
1039:
854:
660:
640:
597:
579:
549:
341:
313:
284:
211:
164:
130:
872:
A Catalogue of Vocal recordings from the
English catalogue of the Gramophone Company
117:
Even as a young man, Radford possessed a deep and resonant voice. He studied at the
632:
561:
333:
268:
438:
557:
395:
348:
744:(Werner Laurie, London 1955), 236–238); see also Eaglefield-Hull 1924 (below).
461:
321:
278:
146:
90:
712:. He is the subject, too, of a brief story in Peter Dawson's autobiography.
612:
533:
171:
was first performed). In 1906 he became the principal bass soloist in the
678:
545:
386:
98:
652:
142:
109:, due to the strength and burnished beauty of his well-trained voice.
491:
381:
337:
949:
Eaglefield-Hull 1924; Davidson 1955; Rosenthal & Warrack 1974.
769:
H.J. Wood, My Life of Music (Gollancz, London 1946 edn), 137–138).
699:
452:, recorded 1920, with Radford singing the role of the Pirate King
228:
and others, in the 'Three B's' Festival' of April 1915, again at
840:
838:
320:
in his productions at various venues, including Covent Garden,
648:
420:
970:(Gramophone Company, London 1927 Revised edition), 356–380.
332:
he again played Fasolt, opposite the Fafnir of the younger
544:
in the first major project to record
Gilbert and Sullivan
308:
He was then engaged with the Grand Opera
Syndicate at the
532:
Radford continued to record from time to time during the
167:
Centenary
Concert of 21 October 1905 (at which Wood's
93: – 3 March 1933, London) was a British
682:(HMV D 1025–29) and as both Hans Sachs and Pogner in
262:
and others. In 1904 he made his first appearance at
68:
53:
30:
818:Davidson 1955, 237; Rosenthal & Warrack 1974.
258:scene for the first time in England), along with
828:
826:
824:
607:In 1920–22, he became a founder Director of the
210:and others; on the following day he was with
8:
592:under Charles King on 29 October 1920, with
506:), 'Honour and Arms', 'Arm, arm ye brave' (
295:and (according to another source) Hagen in
758:A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians
74:
59:
38:
27:
1004:(Duckworth, London 1979), p.181 fig. 133.
940:(Grayson and Grayson, London 1935), 265.
490:), and 'She alone charmeth my sadness' (
145:Music Festival in 1899. He appeared for
1066:20th-century British male opera singers
1030:Six portraits of Robert Radford in NPG
720:
282:in 1908, taking the roles of Fasolt in
647:. He continued to make recordings for
459:
446:"Oh, better far to live and die" from
328:. In Beecham's production of Wagner's
254:(introducing the Paris version of the
121:in London, mainly under the conductor
1025:Brief biographical notice with photo
316:, and he was successively engaged by
276:. He was again engaged for Richter's
21:For the English football player, see
7:
1081:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
938:Gervase Elwes, The Story of his Life
572:Concert singing 'Wotan's Farewell' (
182:On 26 May 1911, he took part in the
179:, and remained so until the 1920s.
905:(Hutchinson, London 1951), p. 126.
729:Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera
163:. He was also a soloist at Wood's
14:
631:, and again in October 1925 with
125:, but also received lessons from
702:) and in the Handel oratorios.
494:), 'O ruddier than the cherry' (
460:Problems playing this file? See
436:
390:with English soloists (with the
731:(London 1974 impression), 327).
500:), 'Hear, ye winds and waves' (
137:Concert and oratorio, 1899–1915
609:British National Opera Company
432:Oh, better far to live and die
1:
844:Rosenthal & Warrack 1974.
727:H. Rosenthal and J. Warrack,
615:'s 9th Symphony, first under
169:Fantasia on British Sea-Songs
548:, together with the singers
1076:Pupils of Alberto Randegger
874:etc, (Oakwood Press, 1955).
590:Northampton Musical Society
414:First recordings, 1903–1914
244:Operatic career before 1914
153:prom on 9 February 1900 in
23:Robert Radford (footballer)
1097:
927:(Rider, London 1946), 146.
570:Royal Philharmonic Society
44:Robert Radford, circa 1925
20:
1071:Musicians from Nottingham
800:(Rider, London 1944), 77.
760:(Dent, London 1924), 403.
688:, all under the baton of
528:After the First World War
266:, as the Commendatore in
238:London Symphony Orchestra
184:Sheffield Festival Chorus
49:
37:
1002:The Record of Singing II
301:. In 1910 he joined the
173:Handel Festival concerts
1056:British operatic basses
449:The Pirates of Penzance
798:Queen's Hall 1893–1941
787:Eaglefield-Hull, 1924.
754:Arthur Eaglefield Hull
585:The Dream of Gerontius
425:
214:and others in the big
119:Royal Academy of Music
1013:Dawson 1951, 208–209.
991:Eaglefield-Hull 1924.
958:Elkin 1946, 153, 154.
709:The Record of Singing
424:
392:London Choral Society
326:His Majesty's Theatre
196:London Music Festival
160:The Martyr of Antioch
141:His debut was at the
303:Denhof Opera Company
107:Gilbert and Sullivan
936:W. & R. Elwes,
903:Fifty Years of Song
778:Wood 1946, 190–191.
619:in March 1924 with
604:for the occasion.
514:Maud Perceval Allen
487:Philemon and Baucis
260:Robert Watkin-Mills
218:performance of the
16:British bass singer
925:Royal Philharmonic
676:, as Gurnemanz in
658:), as Alberich in
471:Gramophone Company
426:
221:St Matthew Passion
216:Leeds Choral Union
177:the Crystal Palace
72:3 March 1933
742:Opera Biographies
685:Die Meistersinger
617:Felix Weingartner
582:. He appeared in
441:
371:Ivan the Terrible
310:Royal Opera House
234:Henri Verbrugghen
123:Alberto Randegger
84:
83:
57:13 May 1874
1088:
1014:
1011:
1005:
998:
992:
989:
983:
977:
971:
965:
959:
956:
950:
947:
941:
934:
928:
921:
915:
912:
906:
899:
893:
890:
884:
881:
875:
868:
862:
851:
845:
842:
833:
830:
819:
816:
810:
807:
801:
794:
788:
785:
779:
776:
770:
767:
761:
751:
745:
738:
732:
725:
656:Florence Austral
637:Muriel Brunskill
625:Margaret Balfour
621:Florence Austral
542:Alhambra Theatre
509:Judas Maccabaeus
497:Acis and Galatea
443:
442:
423:
79:
78:
64:
63:
42:
28:
1096:
1095:
1091:
1090:
1089:
1087:
1086:
1085:
1036:
1035:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1008:
999:
995:
990:
986:
978:
974:
966:
962:
957:
953:
948:
944:
935:
931:
922:
918:
913:
909:
900:
896:
892:Wood 1946, 302.
891:
887:
882:
878:
870:J. R. Bennett,
869:
865:
852:
848:
843:
836:
831:
822:
817:
813:
809:Wood 1946, 147.
808:
804:
795:
791:
786:
782:
777:
773:
768:
764:
752:
748:
739:
735:
726:
722:
718:
673:Götterdämmerung
670:, and Hagen in
629:Frank Titterton
530:
467:
466:
458:
456:
455:
454:
453:
444:
437:
434:
427:
421:
416:
358:), the Father (
355:The Magic Flute
298:Götterdämmerung
246:
192:Mass in B minor
186:performance of
155:Arthur Sullivan
139:
127:Battison Haynes
115:
73:
58:
45:
33:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1094:
1092:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1061:British basses
1058:
1053:
1048:
1038:
1037:
1034:
1033:
1028:
1021:
1020:External links
1018:
1016:
1015:
1006:
993:
984:
982:1927, 252–265.
972:
960:
951:
942:
929:
916:
907:
894:
885:
876:
863:
846:
834:
832:Davidson 1955.
820:
811:
802:
789:
780:
771:
762:
746:
733:
719:
717:
714:
602:Little Billing
538:George W. Byng
529:
526:
457:
445:
435:
430:
429:
428:
419:
418:
417:
415:
412:
318:Thomas Beecham
245:
242:
200:Agnes Nicholls
138:
135:
114:
111:
89:(13 May 1874,
87:Robert Radford
82:
81:
70:
66:
65:
55:
51:
50:
47:
46:
43:
35:
34:
32:Robert Radford
31:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1093:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1010:
1007:
1003:
997:
994:
988:
985:
981:
980:Opera at Home
976:
973:
969:
968:Opera at Home
964:
961:
955:
952:
946:
943:
939:
933:
930:
926:
920:
917:
914:Bennett 1955.
911:
908:
904:
898:
895:
889:
886:
880:
877:
873:
867:
864:
860:
859:Percy Hemming
856:
855:Walter Widdop
850:
847:
841:
839:
835:
829:
827:
825:
821:
815:
812:
806:
803:
799:
793:
790:
784:
781:
775:
772:
766:
763:
759:
755:
750:
747:
743:
740:G. Davidson,
737:
734:
730:
724:
721:
715:
713:
711:
710:
703:
701:
697:
696:
691:
690:Albert Coates
687:
686:
681:
680:
675:
674:
669:
668:
663:
662:
661:Das Rheingold
657:
654:
650:
646:
645:Albert Coates
642:
641:Walter Widdop
638:
634:
630:
626:
622:
618:
614:
610:
605:
603:
599:
598:Gervase Elwes
595:
591:
587:
586:
581:
580:Landon Ronald
578:Act 3) under
577:
576:
571:
567:
563:
559:
555:
551:
550:Nellie Walker
547:
543:
539:
535:
527:
525:
523:
522:Edna Thornton
519:
515:
511:
510:
505:
504:
499:
498:
493:
489:
488:
482:
481:
476:
472:
465:
463:
451:
450:
433:
413:
411:
409:
405:
401:
397:
393:
389:
388:
383:
379:
378:
377:Boris Godunov
373:
372:
367:
366:
361:
357:
356:
352:), Sarastro (
351:
350:
345:
344:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
314:Covent Garden
311:
306:
304:
300:
299:
294:
292:
288:, Hunding in
287:
286:
285:Das Rheingold
281:
280:
275:
271:
270:
265:
264:Covent Garden
261:
257:
253:
252:
243:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
222:
217:
213:
212:Gervase Elwes
209:
205:
204:Edna Thornton
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
180:
178:
174:
170:
166:
165:Trafalgar Day
162:
161:
156:
152:
148:
147:Henry J. Wood
144:
136:
134:
132:
131:Frederic King
128:
124:
120:
112:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
77:
71:
67:
62:
56:
52:
48:
41:
36:
29:
24:
19:
1009:
1001:
996:
987:
979:
975:
967:
963:
954:
945:
937:
932:
924:
919:
910:
902:
897:
888:
879:
871:
866:
849:
814:
805:
797:
792:
783:
774:
765:
757:
749:
741:
736:
728:
723:
707:
704:
695:The Creation
693:
683:
677:
671:
665:
659:
633:Dorothy Silk
606:
594:Norah Dawnay
583:
573:
566:Peter Dawson
562:Derek Oldham
554:George Baker
531:
507:
501:
495:
485:
478:
468:
447:
408:Dawson Freer
404:Thorpe Bates
385:
376:
370:
364:
353:
347:
342:
334:Norman Allin
329:
307:
296:
289:
283:
277:
274:Hans Richter
269:Don Giovanni
267:
255:
249:
247:
230:Queen's Hall
219:
181:
168:
158:
151:Queen's Hall
140:
116:
113:Early career
86:
85:
18:
1051:1933 deaths
1046:1874 births
901:P. Dawson,
861:(Amfortas).
667:Die WalkĂĽre
664:, Wotan in
575:Die WalkĂĽre
558:Ernest Pike
518:Alice Lakin
475:Mendelssohn
400:John Coates
396:Carrie Tubb
360:Charpentier
349:Il Seraglio
291:Die WalkĂĽre
226:John Coates
1040:Categories
1000:M. Scott,
923:R. Elkin,
796:R. Elkin,
462:media help
346:), Osmin (
330:Ring cycle
322:Drury Lane
279:Ring cycle
251:Tannhäuser
208:Ben Davies
188:J. S. Bach
91:Nottingham
613:Beethoven
588:with the
546:operettas
534:Great War
256:Venusberg
236:with the
99:oratorios
80:(aged 58)
679:Parsifal
643:, under
387:Parsifal
232:, under
194:for the
653:soprano
540:of the
198:, with
143:Norwich
520:, and
503:Scipio
492:Gounod
480:Elijah
382:Wagner
365:Louise
338:Gounod
272:under
103:Wagner
716:Notes
700:Haydn
343:Faust
149:at a
857:and
639:and
627:and
596:and
406:and
374:and
324:and
129:and
95:bass
69:Died
54:Born
649:HMV
516:or
477:'s
410:).
384:'s
368:),
362:'s
340:'s
190:'s
175:at
157:'s
105:to
1042::
837:^
823:^
756:,
635:,
623:,
564:,
560:,
556:,
552:,
524:.
402:,
398:,
394:,
312:,
305:.
240:.
206:,
202:,
698:(
484:(
464:.
293:,
25:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
