Irish Singers Of Great Renown

Over the years rough fragments of ancient Irish stories and melodies have been polished into brilliant gemstones of song by a small group of dedicated musicians, and today virtually the entire body of Irish song has been collected, annotated and published. Most famous of all collectors was Thomas Moore (1779- 1852), who wrote hundreds of poems and set them to mostly Irish melodies. Yet it was left to George Petrie (1789-1866) to discover in 1855 the most famous of all Irish melodies: The Londonderry air. This has been set by a host of poets, the best known version being Danny Boy. Petrie's collections were augmented by several large volumes by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852- 1924), professor of composition at the Royal College of Music from 1887 until his death. His work was thought to be the last word on the subject. Smaller collections were published by Nathaniel Clifford Page (b. 1866), Robert Dwyer Joyce (1830- 1883), and Timothy D. Sullivan (1827-1914). James Lynam Molloy (1837-1909) both collected and composed, his most famous original
works being Love's old sweet song, The Kerry dance, and Bantry Bay. The earliest dateable Irish melody is I am a girl from beside the River Stur (c. 1580), best known today as the tune of The croppy boy.
Up until 1840, the proportion of anonymous Irish melody was always greater than that attributed with certainty to professional composers. Ireland's first composer of truly international stature was probably John Field (1782-1837). A pupil of Giordani and Clementi, Field invented the Nocturne.
Field had no direct successor, but the next generation provided Michael William Balfe (1808-1870), a man of comparable reputation and popularity whose operas were a huge success in Italy, France and England; The Bohemian girl (1843) could be heard everywhere from San Francisco to St. Petersburg. However, so strong was social prejudice against opera in English that it might have been better for Balfe had this work had an Italian text! A contemporary of Balfe was William Vincent Wallace (1812- 1865), composer of Maritana(1845).


These two operas, along with Benedict's The Lily of Killarney, were long known as "The English 'Ring"". At this time Ireland west of the Shannon was so remote as to seem almost another country. From here came the collector Patrick Weston Joyce (1827-1914), who produced an edition of 843 songs, while the Country Clare circus clown Johnny Patterson (c. 1840-1899) was thrilling audiences with The garden where the praties grow, and The ould turf fire, both his own original compositions, words and music. Best known for western subjects was Percy French (c. 1854-1920), who will always be remembered for Phil the fluter's ball.
The area which now constitutes Northern Ireland became famous for the music of Sir Hamilton Harty (1879-1941), composer, and longtime conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. Helen Selina Sheridan (1807-67), a daughter of the playwright, (on marriage, Baroness of Dufferin), became famous for the words of The Irish emigrant, and Terence's farewell to Kathleen (both 1846). The most important Belfastman represented here is the collector Herbert Hughes (1882-1937), whose four large volumes were published by Boosey between 1909 and 1936; he is heard as an accompanist on this record.

A man of very special status was Samuel Lover (1797-1860); here was the Irish equivalent of Francis Bacon - the complete man. He combined the careers of singer, poet, composer, conductor, impresario (of vast schemes and productions) and finally, after his sight disappeared, loveable raconteur. His best known works are Molly Bawn, which is an aria from his opera Il Paddy Wack in Italia, and The low back'd car. Perhaps the best known personality amongst Irish singing actresses is Barbara Mullen (1914-1979), still affectionately remembered for her portrayal on television of the housekeeper Janet McPherson in the long-running and acclaimed drama series Dr. Finlay's Casebook. However, she had long before made her mark as soprano, dancer and romantic female lead on both stage and screen. Her first rise to prominence came in the film Jeannine of 1942. Her earnest and sweet-natured temperament are here reflected in a most distinguished group of Irish poems and melodies. The singing combines verbal  naturalness with comfortable vocal placement. During the inter-war years two Irish baritones were thrust into world prominence. James McCafferty was the protégé of Herbert Hughes, and the older man taught him how to discover the true heart of a song, giving him a complete understanding of the balance between words and music. McCafferty enjoyed a wide success both on record and concert hall, as did his great contemporary, Robert Irwin (b. 1900).

 Following his US début on 14 March 1937 in New York, Irwin became in demand all over the world for his cultivated yet spontaneous personality, and superb lyric voice. The two very different songs presented here are instructive. The Palatine's daughter shows how to sing a humorous Irish song. Quilter's Go, lovely rose on the other hand is a superbly fluent and moving interpretation of this deeply-felt romantic ballad.
The most distinguished Irish soprano of all was Margaret Burke Sheridan (1889-1958). Born in Castlebar, Co. Mayo she studied in London and Italy with Alfredo Martino, making her début during 1918 in Rome singing in La Bohème. A great favourite of Toscanini and Puccini she sang at La Scala, Covent Garden, and the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. Her beautiful personality shines through a truly massive voice and a technique which was surpassed by few other dramatic sopranos, yet there always remains a gentleness which often leaves a male listener wishing that she were his sister. She is a dearly loved artist. The other soprano in this compilation is the pleasing Delia Murphy (b. 1903), wife of the Irish ambassador to Britain. She is remembered principally for the fine series of songs she recorded for HMV in the late 1930s.

The tenor Cavan O'Connor-at the time of writing happily still with us, well past his ninetieth year - was an unashamedly popular artist who sang in concert halls, pubs and clubs. He recorded extensively, and the example included here makes it easy for us to understand why he was so well-liked: grace, charm and lightness of style.
The Irish-American baritone Dennis O'Sullivan enjoyed global fame during his lifetime. Born in San Francisco in 1868, he had a glittering career. After studying with Vannuccini in Florence and Sir Charles Santley (1834-1922) in London, he made his début there on 6 March 1895. On 2 March 1896 he sang in Stanford's opera Shamus O'Brien at the Opéra-Comique in London. O'Sullivan was also a straight actor, performing the plays of Boucicault. Tragically, O'Sullivan died in Colombus, Ohio in 1908 at the age of 40.

The bass-baritone Patrick Colbert was born in Waterford in 1897 (died London, 1971). He made his début at an early age with the O'Mara Opera Company. Moving to England, he joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, toured the USA and Canada with them in 1927, and left them shortly thereafter. Colbert was subsequently a member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company. Sir Compton Mackenzie admired him greatly. Phil the flutter's ball was the song most closely associated with Patrick Colbert, and he used it as a sort of signature tune. As can be heard here, it is a wonderful vehicle for displaying his sonorous dark timbre and impeccable diction. Phil the fluter's ball is the true story of a penniless man who decided to face his poverty by throwing one last dance in his barn. The barn still exists, and is a tourist attraction today, particularly as its dimensions are no larger than an average modern living room.
William F. Watt, born in Waterford c. 1895, is known almost exclusively today from his recordings, which were made for Panachord, Columbia and Irish HMV between 1923 and at least 1932.

 He is here heard in a very pleasant rendition of Moore's almost mystical No, not more welcome. Denis O'Neil, however, had a career of some 35 years, making his records for Gramophone and Typewriter, Panachord, and for Edison Bell. Another well-known tenor represented here is Thomas Aspinall Burke (Tom Burke). Born in Leigh, Lancashire (of Irish descent) he was first employed as a coal miner, before it was discovered that he had a voice. He studied at the Manchester College of Music & the R.A.M. in London before going to Italy to study under Ernesto Colli and Fernando de Lucia, the great Neapolitan tenor. His début was at the Dal Verme in Milan in 1919 as the Duke in Rigoletto. This was followed by seasons at Covent Garden 1919, and 1927-1928. Puccini said of him "I have never heard my music sung so beautifully". Tom Burke (1890-1969) sang in the first English performances of Gianni Schicchiand Il tabarro. The Minstrel Boy was his encore, and that is why it is included here. In that rousing old warhorse Excelsior! Burke is partnered by the fine baritone Foster Richardson.


An early star in the firmament of great Irish singers was the famous baritone J.C. Doyle, of whom James Joyce wrote in Ulysses that he would be hearing that night "J.C. Doyle. The best". The novel is set in Dublin on 16 June 1904, "Bloomsday". Doyle was a veteran of the recording industry, and his records are avidly collected.
Another artist of the highest international reputation was Harry Plunket Greene (1865-1936), a baritone (sometimes listed as bass baritone) who once heard can never be mistaken. Born at Old Connaught House, County Wicklow, he was only 17 when he went to Stuttgart to study with Hromada, travelling a year later to Florence for further tuition with Vannuccini. After his Covent Garden début in 1890, he soon went on to create many Parry works, also The Dream of Gerontius (1900). He married Sir Hubert Parry's daughter Gwendolen, and then alternated his career between England and the USA. Noted for his fine enunciation, he made a great impression overall.


Greene opens with Off to Philadelphia, which must surely rank as one of the most deeply tragic songs in the English language. It was arranged for Greene in 1889 by Walter Battison Haynes, at the special request of Arthur Boosey. There follows The garden where the praties grow, a song much associated with McCormack; in this interpretation the song's unpretentious charm is just as much in evidence, but it is evinced in a rather different way. We conclude this anthology, and Greene's contribution to it, with Poor old horse, his most famous recording and an unashamed tear-jerker if ever there was one.
STEPHEN O'CONNOR