British Singers and Players: V. Robert Radford Author(s): C. Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 63, No. 951 (May 1, 1922), pp. 307-310 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/910160 Accessed: 23-12-2015 14:35 UTC

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This content downloaded from 141.233.160.21 on Wed, 23 Dec 2015 14:35:59 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES-MAY I 1922 307

AT THE ACADEMY AND THE FESTIVALS m Q. 'What is yourage, birthplace,hereditary he usical Times musicianship, nationality past and present, AND SINGING-CLASS CIRCULAR and so on ?' A. 'In spite of all temptation,an English- MAY I 1922 man. Nottinghamborn and bred. A deserter fromthe honourable vocation of accountancy. A climber, who rose to the height of the BRITISH SINGERS AND PLAYERS: Royal Academy of Music doorway by means of the step-ladderof accompanyinga pseudo- V.-ROBERT RADFORD nigger minstrel troupe. My mother was musical, my fatherhad a good voice. As a It is the executive musician's lot to win the boy I was a treble soloist. My voice broke, brightest but the soonest withering wreaths. and I accompanied and conducted the Theirs are plaudits and notoriety such as a minstrel troupe in spare time from office- composer hardlycomes by. But theirnames are work. Miss Agnes Larkcom thenadays mostlyephemeral. Still a memorydoes now and used to come to Nottinghamto teach. She then emergefrom the tides of time. Acclaimed gave me an introductionto Mr. Randegger. names of the 19th century,such as John Braham His encouragement meant my farewell to and Charles Santley, still have a meaning. books and figures. I entered the R.A.M. They speak to us still of the best achievementand in Mr. Frederic King's class. From the best taste,in that particularline, in a given period, firstmy voice as a man has been a real bass, and Mr. Henry Davey, the historian of English but I rememberat the R.A.M. opera class music, surelyis rightin insistingthat the taste to singingCarmen's Toreador-transposed down. which an outstanding singer appealed, the taste While I was stillan Academy student I was which at the same time he helped to form and given a small part in Berlioz's Faust at the refine,is part of the matterof history. Norwich Festival of 1899-1 sang alongside Robert Radford, our English 2oth centurybass, Albani, Lloyd, and Black.' appears to us such a singer. What he has done 'What was the real starting-pointof your and sung in the past twentyyears speaks for what public singing?' the English taste of the time has most requiredof 'Percy Harrison, of Birmingham, a a singer,and at the same time his taste and art powerfulimpresario in those days, engaged have had theiraction on what we like sung and me for his subscription concerts. But for how we like it sung. Posterity then will kindly a time things were hard. I had the usual note the name of Radford in its records; the little humiliations of a young singer who typeof the good Englishsinger, who startsby doing wants to be a really commanding figure the things that are expected of him, only rather straightaway,but has to be glad enough to better, and then proceeds to do other things, accept little engagements for-well, for the enlarging his field withoutat all abandoning the smallest possible number of guineas, if firstplot. In the unexpected achievement is the guineas are in the plural at all! My first preservativetouch against time. The thoughtof Covent Garden year was i9go5. It was the Santley sticks in the mind-the great, the one opening night-Don Giovanni under Richter, Elijah of the Mendelssohnianheyday, and at the with Destinn, Renaud, and Journet. I was same time the first English Vanderdecken, and the Commandatore-not a small ordeal, I the most brilliant. Similarly Radford, the ratherseem to remember. established bass soloist of Handel Festivals,steps ' The next year(19o6) was my firstHandel out as the first English Boris and Ivan, and a Festival. I sang Judas Maccabaeus. I was zealous mason in the new rebuilding of English the " kid " of the Festival, and at the public opera. rehearsalthings went swimmingly enough. But Robert Radford, at this moment when we before the performanceI had not been par- approach him with our little catechism,stands at ticularlywell, and in Arm, arm ye brave I the top of his half-completedarch of life-work: " cracked" on the top E. Dreadful moment! twentyyears of public singing well and soundly I felt that the sound of that note at such an built-twenty more to be done. But how august ceremonymust have gone forthto all peripatetic is the job of these modern master- the nation, and certainlyI wasn't allowed to singers! They are wondrousstores of lore about forget it by chaffingfriends. But anyhow railway routes and hotel accommodation, and the everybodystill remained quite kind, and I catechiser'swell-nigh only chance seems to be in was applauded charminglyby the chorus and an express dining-car. Linger elsewherewith your audience, and in spite of that E I have sung questioning,and yourbusy mastersinger is probably at the other Handel Festivals since.' risking the missing of a train or defrauding an ' At how many Festivals all told have you audience of its Judas Maccabeus or its Sarastro. sung ?' Mr. Radford, however, is one day cornered, and Sorry! But it is so long since I gave up then cheerfullysubmits. being an accountant. Roughly,say thirty.'

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'And how often have you sung in The The gramophoneis undoubtedlymaking rapid Mfessiak? ' changes in the musical world. Apart from ' Sorryagain! But, at a guess, two hundred opera, it is changingthe teachingof music in times. And certainlya dozen to fifteentimes schools. Take Oundle; I suppose it is one in many years.' of the most progressiveof our public schools. 'And how oftenhave you sung in public ?' Full-dressoratorios are performedthere, and the is a means of musical The question has Mr. Radford thoroughly gramophone regular instruction.' beaten. He diffidentlyventures the estimate'three thousand.' THE SINGER'S TECHNIQUE THE ENGLISH OPERA-SINGING REVIVAL 'Is opera-singingcalculated to improvethe 'Discuss [so the catechismproceeded] one English oratoriostyle ?' or more new musical influencesof your time.' 'We often hear now that it does. It is true of course. It is also true that to me to have been a new enough, 'There appears a oratorio is useful for It is dawn of of The good style opera. appreciation opera. English fair to oratoriotradition to remember of Richterfourteen English Ring performances years that Richter enlisted of his followed Denhof's seasons and verymany English ago, by then, fromthe oratorioschool. A of Sir Thomas are bound Ring performers course, Beecham's, of Bach and Handel is in to be historical. I must I am an enthusiast good singer already say no small for for I think it is a branch of part equipped singing Mo?zart, opera myself. and After some of the music that a cannot do Verdi, Wagner. all, country properly demands are the same. The of Bach without. There are for whom singer people and Handel has learntto so to it is the avenue to music. I think a carve, speak, only a formed and decided and vocal national school of do not eloquent opera singing (I line. That too is wanted if a voice is mean a "4National School" in is going capitals) effectivein a theatrewith a if are to be to be large large necessary singers complete orchestra at Now there is a artists. All thisis rathermore a faithof mine storming you. modern type of quite artisticsinger who is a than just a professionaloutlook. I mean to failure at both. This is the type of singer say thatas thingsare at present opera is not who has never learntto use a big brush.' exactly an overwhelmingpecuniary lure ! - I type, then, is something new since might even hint that a good many English 'This own studentdays ?' singerswho have giventhemselves to opera in your anyhow I seem to come the past dozen years or so werefar fromdoing 'Apparently; across more youngstersto-day whose one and the best thingpecuniarily for themselves. But ambition is the singingof "art songs," opera has a lure-a permanent lure both for only and remarkablyintelligent and musicianly singersand for the public. There are other they often are. But there is a musical formsas good, of course, but nothing youngsters tendencyamong them to mix their tastes in that quite takes its place.' general music withmatters of vocal technique. The talk was inevitablydrawing near the subject They wish at all costs to sing the music of in of the recentsuccessful launching the North of certainmodern composers, and certainmodern this the British National Opera Company, which composers seem to me to have the fault of May is takingthe boards at Covent Garden. In writingvocal music which disregardsthe very the refloatingof this Company-reported two and nature of the human voice. Do they write a half years ago, under the name of the Beethamn for the violin in a way which would be more to after a a Company, be, many gallant expedition, appropriate for kettle-drums? Anyhow, at wreck-Mr. Radford of been complete has, course, colleges where I examine I find the level of a prime mover. intelligenceand musical perception high and 'February and March at Bradford, the average command of voice production Liverpool, Ediqburgh, Leeds, and Halifax poor. These clever students cannot, for showed thatthere is in the countryan appetite all their musicianship, step out and take such as had never been before for opera. a creditable part in the B minor Mass or Hopes have been surpassed. And so, although Aida.' Italian and German and French and Russian 'What music, then, if not Schinberg and ghosts may rise in myriadswhen we sing at Stravinsky,should be the singer'sschool ?' Covent Garden in May, I remain quite 'Sing Purcell, Bach, Handel, and Mozart, optimistic about London. When I look I suggest,and if you can sing them well, then round for the causes of thisfresh appreciation you may shame the devil!' it occurs to me that one share in the credit 'What music is your own privatedelight ?' must go to the gramophone. Gramophone 'The answer is in four letters-B-A-C-H. discs have taught people far and wide to When I need a tonic I sit down and play Bach know well certain portions of many operas. -cantatas and so on. For pleasure in actual Many who have never been opera-goersare singinggive me Handel, Mozart, Verdi, and now not in fear of being entirelyin the dark. Wagner-all of them men who knew how to

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writefor the bass voice. There comes in a in Mozart's Seraglio (Osmin). Among verymany little grievance I have against composers of later r6les some of his favourites are Boris to-day. How many of them think of Godounov, Ivan the Terrible,the Father in Louise, differentiatingvoices? Of course there is Pogner, and King Mark. He feels stronglyabout Elgar, and everybass must take offhis hat at the inadequacy of many English versionsof well- the name. Judas, in The Apostles, is one of known operas. the greatly characterised parts of universal music. There are some first-ratesongs of 'Ludicrous translationshave been a great to the of in John Ireland. (And in parenthesis I rather handicap singing opera English. The chief is the pat myselfon the back for having been some responsibility publisher's. sort of factorin gettingIreland's earliersongs Some foreign publishers in particular seem neither to know nor care published.) what nonsense in 'But if you grumble to an ordinarycom- guise of English is printed in the score. Then thereare able who poser that his songs are too high for you, he literarypeople write " readable translationswhich however gaily says, Oh, transpose down a third or ignorethe so ! " Yes, transpose down, accompaniment quality of singableness. Before anyonedares to and all, and the compositionbecomes dull and publish an English versionof an important there to be ineffective! It is curious that in days when so opera ought a round-table conferenceat which all the much is thoughtof orchestral colour-values points could be discussed. This is a whichone composers are so indifferenttowards vocal question day the National values. I should have thoughtit was clear Opera Company is going into that in a bass song the distributionof the thoroughly. As it is, most singersedit their themselves. Bit bit we accompaniment, for instance, ought to be parts by ought to build quite differentfrom a soprano song. In the up a collection of definitive English each one tested sense and use. orchestra a composer does not lightly say, librettos, in in There are few ones that " Oh, transposethat trumpetpart down and enough existing will give it to a bassoon." pass all tests. valuable 'I thinkhuge creditis due to Mr. Plunket 'A innovationwhich the National Greene for winningnowadays a bearing for Opera Company can already plume itself on is the new substitute bass voices in music of a better stamp than for scenery-Mr. Oliver Bernard's device-which has been used to be the vogue. It is not so long ago approved the North. The is: curtains since a bass soloist could sing little more lately in principle on instead of solid interesting songs than The Diver and played by shiftinglights sets." own belief is that in all The type. I notice, too, that My the Skipper non-realistic this will there appear to be more true basses nowadays operas entirelyreplace conventional Mr. Herbert than twenty years or so ago. I seem to scenery. Thompson, rememberthat a true bass was rathera rare at Leeds, gave it the warmestpraise, and to mind the bird. We could to-daydo well with a first- my poetic, atmospheric effect is The idea no class basso cantante, heavy and with a big incomparable. derives, doubt, from Gordon theories of upward range-I mean a Wotan voice. It is Craig's stage decoration. There is furthermorethe not easy in the length and breadth 'of the additional that much is saved in land to find a good English Wotan, I can advantage money the of assure you.' avoiding transport scenery. In fact, it opens up a fresh future for opera per- [Mr. Radford's own range is fromabout F sharp formances, particularly in the provinces. above the bass stave to the C below it.] The Magic Flute, Tannhiiuser, Tristan, and Madame have 'Beecham was once conductinga rehearsal Faust, Butterfly already been in this The of The Magic Flute, and at one place in staged way. experimentis to be triednext monthat Covent Garden.' Sarastro'srecitative, where one usuallygoes up to C, Beecham pointed down, and I dived Mr. Radford rememberedthat when his beneath the stave. It "came off,"and ever words saw the month' since I have sung the low C.' light,'next would be 'this month,' the fatefulmonth of May. TRANSLATIONS AND SCENERY ' It will be a monthof crucialimportance to Mr. Radford draws by way of a hobby, and he English singers. We do not ask forovermuch confesses to having composed 'on the quiet.' indulgence from opera-goers. At the same 'One of my songs was published under a time, let them be as kind as they can be. This is nom de guerreby Boosey, and had something the reorganizedCompany's firstyear, of a success, but I don't really sufferfrom and difficultiesare prettyconsiderable. But swelled head on thataccount.' the give-and-takeand the esprit de corps behind the scenes are extraordinary-a In the firstEnglish Ring Mr. Radford sang refutationof those who scoffedat vain opera- Hunding and Fasolt. Then in the firstBeecham singersbeing incapable of pulling togetherin season he took part in Strauss's St. John's Eve and a common cause.'

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In a last word, Mr. Radford was asked about critics who are so thick of head or so hard of the prospect of English music finding a home heart as notto recognisethat whatever Mr. Cochran among these English singers. does in revue is right. 'I imagine,'he says, 'that if a newspaper stated that a customerat Harrod's 'A ticklish The size of Covent question! Stores indignantlyrefused to pay fora handkerchief Garden is such a consideration. If we were sold as silkbut of calico itwould make itself in a smaller theatre there are actually playing liable for a libel action unless it could prove the half-a-dozen which it would English operas statement to be true.' I it is my be a and an assured success to suppose only pleasure stupidity,but it does not seem to me that the two but isn't it a fact that the indubit- stage; cases are absolutely parallel. Whether a hand- able masterpieces of English opera are kerchiefis made of silk or of calico is a matter little masterpieces-I mean Savitri and of not of There are tests which The fact, opinion. by The Immortal Hour, and Boatswain's it can be settled to satisfaction. But Mate and O'Brien-whereas Covent everyone's Shamus whethera 'turn' in a revue is sufficientlyclever or Garden was built for and Verdi? Meyerbeer amusing for a criticto writehome about, or even Can name an you yourself English grand to writeto his paper about, is a matterless of fact opera, of the Covent Garden scale, appropriate of and I cannot see our in for us this thahi opinion; quite judges every way production by and juries, as yet, to for the summer?' sending people gaol crime of differingfrom an impresarioon a matter [But here the catechised catechiser blenched, of taste. and was still.] Now that threatsof legal action are in the air, the critic be allowed to contributea 'But as time goes on the production of perhaps may note or two to the chorus. He is English operas will be one of the very generally the who are known reasons of the National Company's being,' regardedby people technically said Mr. Radford. as artistsas somethingto be firedat. What if, as a change, he begins firinghimself? It may easily And he mentioned a name or two; but for come to this if certainpeople in theworld of music these the time is not yet. C. do not mend theirways. They are strange people, these artists. They professto have the utmost contempt for criticism PROTECTION FOR CRITICS and the critics; yet theyspend many pounds every in the criticismof the critics-when By ERNEST NEWMAN year reprinting it happens to be favourable. No critic objects to The critics seem to have been having rather a that procedurein and by itself. Critics are kind- bad time lately. First of all therewas the case of hearted people, and if theycan help a lame dog the Editor of the Revue des deux IMondes,who was over a stile theyare only too glad to do so. But ordered by a court-apparently in perfectserious- they have a rightto object, and theydo object, to ness-to place at the service of some dramatistor the dog gettingthe liftunder false pretences. The other,who thoughthe had not been treated with dog, forhis part,has no rightto go about making sufficientrespect, twice the space of the original it appear thata critichas been admiringlyhelping articlefor a replyto a criticism. Next came the him over the stile when what the critic reallytried Parisian actresswho threatenedproceedings against to do was to push him under the stile and keep an artist for having exhibiteda caricatureof her him there, in the interestsof other dogs and of -which of course is only anotherform of criticism. humanity'scalves. Still less righthas the dog to Then anotherParisian actresssued a dramaticcritic go about sayingthat the critic tried to poison and for damages because he gave in print the true hamstringhim, when all the criticdid was to say reason for the sudden terminationof one of her that he did not like the dog's bark,or was doubtful performances-which was not that she was over- as to his havinga license. come by the emotion induced by her part, but Some of these 'artists' have a way of cutting simply that her dental plate had come in out a sentence here and a phrase there from a two. The lady did not deny the truth of the criticism,and reprintingthese in such a way as to explanation,but felt that in making it public the make it appear thatwhat was at its best a tolerantor journalist had been lacking in reverence for her ironic smile on the critic'sface was reallya grinof as an artist. They are a touchylot. You can't ecstatic welcome. Sometimes the 'artist' goes chaffthem withouttheir being offended; you can't beyond even this mild foirmof sharp practice. I discuss themseriously without their being offended. once wroteabout a certainforeign singer in terms What are you to do withthem ? that were designed to make it clear even to him Recently we have had the sad spectacle of how little I thought of his art. A little later a Mr. C. B. Cochran being compelled to conquer compatriotof this person,returned from a tour in his well-knownaversion from self-advertisementhis native country,told me that this 'artist' was and come into the limelightwith an attack on the everywhereproclaiming in the native press and in dramatic critics. Mr. Cochran is nothingif not his programmesthat I had alleged him to be one thorough-going. It is only his kindnessof heart of the greatestsingers I had ever heard. I have that holds him back from sueing for libel those no remedy, of course. Sheer mendacity of this

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