A Portrait of Norman Walker

A Portrait of Norman Walker
Arias in english by: Purcell - Handel - Gounod - Holbrooke
Norman Walker
Dutton Laboratories CDLX 7021

Content:

    George Frideric Handel: Acis and Galatea
  1. I rage, I melt, I burn ... O ruddier than the cherry

    2. George Frideric Handel: Judas Maccabeus
  2. I feel the deity within ... Arm, arm, ye brave

    3. George Frideric Handel
  3. Why do the nations

    4. George Frideric Handel: Messiah
  4. The trumpet shall sound

    5. Joseph Haydn
  5. And God said

    6. Joseph Haydn: The Creation
  6. Now Heav'n in fullest glory

    7. Sir Edward Elgar: The dream of Gerontius
  7. Jesu! By that shuddering dread

    8. Joseph Holbrooke: Dylan
  8. Sea King's song

    9. Joseph Holbrooke: Children of Don
  9. Noden's song

    10. Charles Gounod: Faust
  10. Then leave her

    11. Benedetto Marcello: Le Quattro Stagione
  11. Dal cime dell'Alpi .. Venti olà

    12. Stefano Landi: La Morte d'Orfeo
  12. Bevi, bevi

    13. Henry Purcell
  13. What, what shall be done? (Z 341, Excerpt)

    14. Stephen Storace
  14. The pretty creature

    15. Lane Wilson
  15. False Phyllis

    16. Battson Haynes
  16. Off to Philadelphia

    17. Capel
  17. Love, could I only tell thee

    18. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Magic Flute
  18. O Isis and Osiris

    19. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio
  19. Ah, my pretty brace of fellows

Playing time: 70' 51"

Performers:
Norman Walker (bass) with
[1]-[2] Orchestra - Lawrence Collingwood, cond.
[3]-[4] Royal Liverpool Philarmonic Orchestra - Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond.
[5]-[6] Philarmonia Orchestra - Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond.
[7] Liverpool Philarmonic Orchestra - Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond.
[8] Orchestra - Joseph Holbrooke, cond.
[9] Orchestra - Clarence Raybould, cond.
[10] Joan Cross, Webster Booth, Sadler's Wells Opera Chorus, London Philarmonic Orchestra - Warwick Brathwaite, cond.
[11]-[12] London Chamber Singers & Orchestra - Anthony Bernard, cond.
[13] Alfred Deller (counter-tenor), Richard Lewis (tenor), London Chamber Singers & Orchestra - Anthony Bernard, cond.
[14]-[17], [19] Gerald Moore (piano)
[18] Ella Walker (piano)

Date of release: 1996

Excerpts from original recording, (place and recording date):
[1]-[2] Columbia DX 1908 [78 rpm] (Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 02/1954)
[3]-[4] Columbia 33CX1146-8 [LP] (Huddersfiels Town Hall, UK, 01/1954) - Handel: Messiah
[5]-[6] Columbia DX 1407 [78 rpm] (Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 08/1947)
[7] HMV C 3445 [78 rpm] (Huddersfiels Town Hall, UK, 04/1945)
[8]-[9] Decca X 176 [78 rpm] (Decca Studios, Thames Street, London, UK, 06/1937)
[10] HMV C 3086 [78 rpm] (Kingsway Hall, London, UK, UK, 03/1939)
[11] HMV HMS 50 [78 rpm] (Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 02/1951)
[12] HMV HMS 44 [78 rpm] (Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 03/1951)
[13] HMV HMS 57 [78 rpm] (Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 02/1951)
[14]-[17] Columbia DB 3177 & DX 1830 [78 rpm] (Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 03/1952)
[18] Previously unpublished (Columbia Studio, Petty France, London, UK, 1928)
[19] Previously unpublished (Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 05/1947)

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.):
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.): 74/883-160 (December 1996)
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.):
Goldberg (#-p.):

Comments:
Information from owned CD. This is an exceptional recording both for the technical qualities of the remastering from the original 78 rpm shellac pressings and the vocal perfection of one of the most renowned english basses. A CD to discover.

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge