Clara Butt
A Critical Survey Vol. 1: The Acoustic Years
Dame Clara Butt, at six feet, two inches tall and a booming voice, was larger than life. She filled concert halls throughout her career and was loved by her countrymen like no other singer before or since. This two CD set provides the listener with a wide-range of repertoire and focuses on the sound that made Clara Butt a legend. The selections chosen and the quality of transfers will change any preconception one has of Butt. Humorous and informative notes by Michael Aspinall round out this critical survey.
Track Listing
| | | |
| CD 1 (79:30) | |||
Handel | |||
| 1. | ALESSANDRO: Lusinghe più care | 4:52 | |
| 24 July 1912; (Ac6381f) HMV 2-053076 | |||
| 2. | SOSARME: Rend'il sereno al ciglio | 4:36 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6775-1) Columbia 74009 | |||
| 3. | SERSE: Ombra mai fu | 4:00 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6655-2) Columbia 7121 | |||
Opera | |||
| 4. | ORFEO: Che farò (Gluck) | 4:08 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6767-1) Columbia 74038 | |||
| 5. | LUCREZIA BORGIA: Il segreto [Brindisi] (Donizetti) | 3:03 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6896-2) Columbia 74012 | |||
| 6. | LA FAVORITA: O mio Fernando (Donizetti) | 3:44 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6606-2) Columbia 74002 | |||
| 7. | FAUST: When all was young (Gounod) | 2:52 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6605-2) Columbia 74003 | |||
| 8. | SAMSON ET DALILA: Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix (Saint-Saëns) | 4:07 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6656-1) Columbia 74004 | |||
| 9. | DON CARLOS: O don fatale (Verdi) | 4:05 | |
| ca. 1915-16; (6557-1) Columbia 74000 | |||
Classical song | |||
| 10. | Caro mio ben (Giordani) | 3:44 | |
| 19 December 1910; (2128c-1/2c) HMV 2-053210 | |||
| 11. | In questa tomba oscura (Beethoven) | 3:20 | |
| 30 August 1922; (75165-1) Columbia 7267 | |||
| 12. | Ama nesciri (Annie Scott) | 1:08 | |
| 13. | En prière (Fauré) | 3:05 | |
| 20 July 1909; (3519f) HMV 2-033009 | |||
| 14. | A youth once loved a maiden (Heine/White) | 2:17 | |
| 15. | The tears that night (Heine/White) | 1:14 | |
| 25 July 1912; (Ac6392f) HMV 03368 | |||
| 16. | A hymn for aviators (Sir Hubert Parry) | 3:18 | |
| 7 August 1919; (76025-1) Columbia 7174 | |||
| 17. | Soft-footed snow (Sigurd-Lie) | 2:03 | |
| 9 July 1925; (A2259-1) Columbia X330 | |||
The cruel sea | |||
| 18. | Three fishers went sailing (Hullah) | 4:12 | |
| 29 October 1910; (4558f) HMV 03222 | |||
| 19. | Women of Inver (Loughborough) | 4:12 | |
| 25 July 1912; (Ac6389f) HMV 03305 | |||
| 20. | Have you news of my boy Jack? (Sir Edward German) | 3:48 | |
| February/March 1917; (75414-2) Columbia 7145 | |||
Family music-making: Clara and "Bertie," Pauline, Hazel and Ethel | |||
| 21. | Snowdrops (Lehmann) | 3:43 | |
| with husband Kennerley Rumford, baritone | |||
| 20 July 1909; (3517f) HMV 04045 | |||
| 22. | The keys of heaven (Broadwood) | 3:41 | |
| with husband Kennerley Rumford, baritone | |||
| ca. 1915-16; (6690) Columbia 7300 | |||
| 23. | The birth of the flowers (Lehmann) | 4:03 | |
| with sisters Pauline (soprano), Hazel (contralto) and Ethel (contralto) | |||
| ca. 1915-1916; (6666-2) Columbia 7120 | |||
| CD 2 (79:18) | |||
Elgar | |||
| THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS: | |||
| 1. | My work is done | 3:51 | |
| with Maurice D'Oisly, tenor | |||
| ca. 1915-1916; (6771-1) Columbia 75005 | |||
| 2. | I see not those false spirits | 3:55 | |
| with Maurice D'Oisly, tenor | |||
| ca. 1915-1916; (6772-1) Columbia 75006 | |||
| 3. | We now have passed the gate | 3:49 | |
| with Maurice D'Oisly, tenor | |||
| ca. 1915-1916; (6773-1) Columbia 75007 | |||
| 4. | Softly and gently | 4:31 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6774-3) Columbia 75008 | |||
| SEA PICTURES: | |||
| 5. | Where corals lie | 3:28 | |
| 24 July 1912; (Ac6384f) HMV 03299 | |||
Songs about or for children | |||
| 6. | Husheen (Fahy/Needham) | 3:42 | |
| 20 July 1909; (3511f-2) HMV 03152 | |||
| 7. | My treasure (Trevalsa) | 1:57 | |
| ca. 1917-1921; (29903) Columbia X225 | |||
| 8. | The fairy pipers (Brewer) | 1:59 | |
| ca. 1917-1921; (29901) Columbia X227 | |||
Dramatic ballads | |||
| 9. | The enchantress (Hatton) | 3:09 | |
| February/March 1917; (76016-2) Columbia 7123(1) | |||
| 10. | Will he come? (Sullivan) | 3:50 | |
| 29 October 1910; (4559f) HMV 03224 | |||
| 11. | My son (Del Riego) | 3:12 | |
| 11 November 1914; (AK18492e) HMV 2-3056 | |||
Victorian ballads of sentiment | |||
| 12. | The little silver ring (Chaminade) | 2:17 | |
| 20 July 1909; (3510f-1) HMV 03156 | |||
| 13. | The leaves and the wind (Cooper/Leoni) | 1:47 | |
| 20 July 1909; (3505f-1) HMV 03150 | |||
| 14. | The sweetest flower that blows (Cuthbert Hawley) | 2:24 | |
| ca. 1917-1921; (29904) Columbia X226 | |||
| 15. | A summer night (Goring Thomas) | 3:49 | |
| 28 May 1925; (6687-4?) Columbia S158 | |||
The folk song in the drawing room | |||
| 16. | Barbara Allen (Traditional) | 3:02 | |
| 7 February 1910; (4089f) HMV 03186 | |||
| 17. | My dear soul (Sanderson) | 3:00 | |
| 6 July 1921; (71315-1) Columbia X252 | |||
| 18. | The lover's curse (arr. Hughes) | 1:56 | |
| 19. | I know my love (arr. Hughes) | 1:45 | |
| ca. 1915-1916; (6540-3) Columbia 7116 | |||
| 20. | Kathleen Mavourneen (Crouch) | 4:11 | |
| 7 February 1910; (4086f) HMV 03178 | |||
| 21. | Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn (Old Welsh Folksong) | 2:42 | |
| ca. 1917-1921; (69148) Columbia X239 | |||
| 22. | Ye banks and braes o' Bonny Doon (Old Scottish Air) | 3:18 | |
| ca. 1917-1921; (69149) Columbia X236 | |||
A Message of Hope | |||
| 23. | Peace and rest (Batten) | 4:03 | |
| 28 October 1910; (4554f) HMV unpublished | |||
| 24. | The promise of life (Cowen) | 3:15 | |
| 20 July 1909; (3498f) HMV 03157 | |||
| 25. | Abide with me (Liddle) | 4:17 | |
| 7 February 1910; (4088f) HMV 03179 | |||
CD 1:
Accompaniment: Orchestra [1, 6, 9-1]; Orchestra conducted by Wood [2-5, 7-8]; Orchestra conducted by Hartly [11]; Piano [12-19, 21-23]; Orchestra conducted by Beecham [20]
Languages: English [7, 14-23]; French [8, 12-13]; Italian [1-6, 9-11]
CD 2:
Accompaniment: Orchestra conducted by Wood [1];Orchestra conducted by Wood with Chorus of Angelicals [2-4]; Orchestra [5, 9, 24]; Piano [6-7, 12-14, 16-22]; Celeste [8]; Piano and Organ [10-11, 23, 25]; Piano and 'Cello [15]
Languages: English [1-20, 22-25]; Welsh [21]
Producer: Michael Aspinall
Audio Conservation: Ward Marston
Photographs: Charles Mintzer and the Stuart-Liff Collection
Booklet Design: Takeshi Takahashi
Marston would like to thank Ruth Edge, Dan Hladik, Lawrence F. Holdridge, Peter Lack, Jeffrey Miller, Michael Quinn and John Simpson.
CD 1, Track 20 and CD 2, Track 11 are remastered by Richard Bebb from test pressings in his private collection
CD 2, Track 23 courtesy of EMI