Here we have examples – in several cases multiple examples –
of the art of ten British sopranos of the first half of the
twentieth century. Whether or not all are “great” is dubious,
but certainly all are characterful and worth hearing. The choice
of artists has been done well. Perhaps you might prefer it to
include also Florence Easton or Joan Cross, but it would be
hard to quibble with what has been included in terms of quality,
quantity or variety. Each of the singers featured had a very
individual sound and signature, and one might find it difficult
on the basis of these examples to write of a characteristically
British style of singing during this period.
Agnes Nicholls, wife of Sir Hamilton Harty, starts the disc
off with a wonderfully spontaneous and fearless sounding account
of Rezia’s great aria from “Oberon”. The sound may be very restricted
but there is no mistaking the attack of the voice. To my surprise
Miriam Licette, a singer who can sometimes sound excessively
correct on record, is also notable for her spontaneity here.
The choice of “One fine day”, sung in English, for Eva Turner
is a good one, and less obvious than one of the “Turandot” extracts
one might have expected. It is a glorious and very committed
performance, and an interesting comparison with Margaret Sheridan
(in Italian) at the end of the disc. The examples of Mary Garden
and Maggie Teyte are justly well known as models of the art
of idiomatic French singing. Both Isobel Baillie and Elsie Suddaby
sound lovely but very unstylish in Handel compared with what
we are used to today, although the latter is much better in
the Purcell extract. Dora Labette’s Delius songs, with wonderfully
vague accompaniments by Beecham, are interesting if not entirely
convincing, and Gwen Catley’s virtuoso singing in the Adam Variations
is entertaining if far from her best record. Clearly the compilers
have an especial and very understandable regard for the Irish
soprano Margaret Sheridan, with four long examples of her in
Puccini. This is singing of obvious sincerity and vitality.
Hugo Shirley’s notes are interesting if brief, and only limited
information is given about the sources of the individual recordings.
The transfers are satisfactory if no more than that. This is
nonetheless a fascinating, well filled and well chosen anthology
which should appeal to many to whom the chosen singers are not
even names or who usually avoid “historic” recordings.
John Sheppard
See also review
by Jonathan Woolf
Full listing - all singers are sopranos except where noted:
Agnes Nicholls - Weber: “Oberon” - Ocean, thou mighty monster
[4:23] recorded 19 December 1911
Miriam Licette - Mozart; “ Don Giovanni” – Misera Elvira … Mi
tradi [4:05] recorded 2 May 1929
Eva Turner – Puccini: “Madama Butterfly” – One fine day [4:06]
recorded 10 June 1933
Mary Garden – Debussy: “Pelleas et Melisande” – Mes longes cheveux
[1:45]
recorded before 1904
Maggie Teyte – Paladilhe: Psyche [2:50] recorded 26 March 1941
Hahn: Ce n’etait pas la même chose [2:34] recorded 20 May 1946
with Gerald Moore (piano)
Bizet: Chanson d’Avril [2:30]
Debussy: La flute de Pan [2:28] recorded 12 March 1936
Duparc: Phidyle [4:23] recorded 31 July 1940
Chausson: Le temps des lilas [3:52]
Isobel Baillie - Handel arr Sir Henry Wood: “Alessandro” – Ne’trionfa
d’Alessandro lusinghe piu care [6:27] recorded 16 February 1949
with London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent
Elsie Suddaby - Handel: “Semele” – O sleep! Why dost thou leave
me? [3:35] recorded June 1927
Purcell: “The Fairy Queen” – Hark! The echoing air [1:39] recorded
11 July 1924
Dora Labette - Delius: Cradle Song [2:15], The Nightingale [2:00],
Evening Voices [4:10] recorded June and July 1929 with Sir Thomas
Beecham (piano)
Gwen Catley - Adam: Variations on a Nursery Theme (Listen mother
to my tale) [4:18] recorded 7 March 1949 with orchestra conducted
by Eric Robinson and flute obbligato by Lionel Solomon
Margaret Sheridan - Puccini: “Madama Butterfly” – Bimba dagli
occhi [8:31] recorded 1927 with Aureliano Pertile (tenor) and
Orchestra of La Scala, Milan conducted by Carlo Sabajno, - Un
bel di vedremo [4:28] recorded November 1926, - E questo? [4:13]
recorded November 1927 with orchestra conducted by Eugene Goossens
Puccini: “La Boheme” - Si, mi chiamano Mimi [4:39] recorded
1926
REGIS RRC1374 [79:44] 
