Sunday, February 12, 2012

Jean Collen on WordPress: “Webster’s recording of 'Onaway, awake, beloved' (1947) is one of his finest recordings.”


[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor]

11 February 2011

It is over three months since I have posted anything here. I made the following comment about Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast today:
While I was never lucky enough to see any performance of 'Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast', my late singing teacher and life-long friend, tenor Webster Booth, took part in many performances of the work under the baton of Sir Malcolm Sargent. His first performance was in July 1937 when he and the rest of the cast were clad in American Indian costumes and I have an imposing photo of Webster in his full regalia. He later sang in the fiftieth anniversary performance of the work. Malcolm Sargent chose him as soloist in the work to celebrate his sixtieth birthday. Webster’s recording of 'Onaway, awake, beloved' (1947) is one of his finest recordings.” [Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) is featured at AfriClassical.com. Major observances of the Centennial of his death are underway and are the work of organizations including the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Foundation, http://www.sctf.org.uk]

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