Raybould Clarence - Purcell Dido And Aeneas Decca X 101-7 1935 - Free Audiobook

The first complete recording of Henry Purcell's Dido & Aeneas was released by Decca in 1935, in an album of 7 78t.records. The following piece about this appeared in The Gramophone (Nov.1935): The Decca Company is spending £20,000 on the great enterprise of recording Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas without cuts. Purcell wrote it in 1688 for the young ladies of Josias Priest's Academy in Chelsea, a stone's-throw from the site of Decca's recording studios. Professor Dent's version will be used. Mr. Clarence Raybould will conduct The Boyd Neel String Orchestra and Mr. Kennedy Scott's A Cappella Singers, and among the soloists are Mary Jarred, Mary Hamlin and Roy Henderson. The part of Dido will be sung by Nancy Evans, a newcomer from Liverpool, whose remarkable voice and suitability for the role set the seal on Decca's longcherished project. **Nancy Evans** (1915-2000): English mezzo-soprano, had lessons from John Tobin, Maggie Teyte and Eva de Reusz. Made her recital debut in Liverpool at 18; her stage debut was in 1938 (Sullivan: The rose of Persia). Had small roles at the Royal Opera House in London. After the war, she was part of Benjamin Britten's newly formed English Opera Group. Britten wrote the song cycle A charm of lullabies, and the role of Nancy in the opera Albert Herring for her. She was married to Walter Legge from 1941 to 1948, and remarried in 1949 to librettist and producer Eric Crozier, who was a founder of the Aldeburgh Festival with Britten and Peter Pears. She taught singing at the Britten-Pears School. Roy Henderson (1899-2000): English baritone singer, conductor and teacher. He had a major singing career from 1920s to 1940s, became a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in 1940. He taught Kathleen Ferrier for seven years. **Mary Jarred** (1899-1993): English contralto, began singing small opera roles in 1929. On the recommendation of Lauritz Melchior, sang at the Hamburg Opera for 3 years. From 1933-1939 Covent Garden. also renowned as a concert singer, sang in Messiah, Matthew Passion, Elijah and Choral Symphony (Beethoven) and Dream of Gerontius (Elgar), among others. From 1965-1973, she taught at the Royal Academy of Music.

Gwen Catley (1906-1996): English coloratura soprano who sang in opera, concert and revue (with Jack Hylton). Clarence Raybould (1886-1972): English conductor, pianist and composer. He conducted both lighter (operettas, etc.) and standard classical repertoire. He also conducted many works by contemporary, particularly British, composers. In 1956, partly thanks to the Russian president Khrushchev, a memorable and extremely successful tour of Russia took place of eight British musicians: Alfredo Campoli (violin), Cyril Smith (piano), Phyllis Sellick (piano, wife of Cyril Smith), Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano), Leon Goossens (oboe), Gerald Moore (piano), Sir Arthur Bliss (composer) and Clarence Raybould. Henry Purcell (1659-1695): Dido & Aeneas

1st act: The palace 2nd act: The cave 3rd act: The ship Cast: Nancy Evans: Dido Roy Henderson: Aeneas Mary Hamlin: Belinda Mary Jarred: Sorceress Gwen Catley: First witch Gladys Carrie: second witch; second woman Olive Dyer: Spirit Sydney Northcote: sailor Mr. Charles Kennedy Scott's A Capella Singers Boyd Neel String Orchestra Bernhard Ord: harpsichord Clarence Raybould, conductor 78t 30 cm: Decca X 101-107 Matrix no: TA.1961-3; 1957; 1950-3; 1958; 1954-5; 1959; 1964; 1956

Recorded: 1935 10 9+10