GREAT BOY SOPRANOS - THE BETTER LAND SERIES IN SIX VOLUMES
PHI CD 158: The Better Land Volume One Recorded 1914 -1944
Master Denis Barthel: He was Despised (Handel) & O Little Town of Bethlehem (H. Walford Davies),
Master John Bonner: Nymphs & Shepherds (Purcell). Somewhere a Voice is Calling (Newton & Tate).
Master Gordon Carter: O For the Wings of a Dove (Mendelssohn).
Master Iwan Davies: The Holy City (Adams Weatherley).
Master Leslie Day: I Hear You Calling Me (Hartford-Marshall). For you alone.
Master Frederick Firth: O Lord Whose Mercies Numberless (Handel).
If there were dreams to sell (Ireland). My Heart Ever Faithful (Bach). Serenade (Schubert).
Master Robert Harris: Who is Sylvia? (Schubert - arr. Geehl).
Master Derrick Jones: Smilin' Through (Arthur A. Penn).
Master Walter Lawrence: Spring Morning (Carey).
Master Trevor Schofield: Goodnight Said the Cuckoo (P.B. Harding).
Master Morris Stevens: God Shall Wipe Away all Tears (Sullivan).
Master Thomas Tweedie: By an Old Abbey Door (Towers, Leon, Nicholls).
Master Denis Wright: The Better Land. Market Square. The Last Rose of Summer. Christopher Robin is saying his Prayers. (A.A.Milne-H.Fraser Simpson).


PHI CD 159: The Better Land Volume Two Recorded 1930 - 1950
Master Derek Barsham: Silent Worship (Handel-Somervell). Passing By (E. Purcell-Herrick).
I'll Walk Beside You (Murry-Lockton). Anchor Song (Smith). Star of Bethlehem (Adams-Weatherly).
Nymphs & Shepherds (Purcell). Star of God (Coates-Murray).
Master Denis Barthel: Jerusalem (Parry-Blake). Lullay Myn Lyking. Hallelujah (Easter Hymn dating from 1623).
Masters Harold Langston & Denis Barthel: Remember now thy Creator (Sterndale-Bennett).
Master Thomas Meddings: As pants the Hart (Spohr).
Master Billy Neely: Ninepenny Fiddle (Trad. arr. Moore). Lark in the Clear air (Trad).
The Birds (Britten-Belloc). Child and the Twilight (arr.Moore). A Fairy Story by the Fire (Merikanto).
Vergin Tutt 'Amor (Francesco Durante). Il Moi Bel Foco (Benedetto Marcello-Baker). Cherry Ripe (Hurn-Herrick).
Master Graham Payn: Hymn that I Sang as a Boy (Miller-Burnaby). Meadowsweet (April).
Master Denis Wright with the Greenbank Children's Choir with Uncle Mac (Derek McCulloch).

PHI CD 167: The Better Land Volume Three Recorded 1927 - 1969
Master Derek Barsham: Beyond the Dawn (Sanderson-Weatherly). On wings of Song (Mendelssohn-Elkin).
Nursery Scene, Boris Godounov (Moussorgsky). Hear my prayer / O for the wings of a dove (Mendelssohn)
Father who hast made us brothers (Baron). The Holy City (Adams-F. Weatherly).
Master Donald Collup: Exultate Jubilate (Mozart).
Master Robert Harris: Birdsong at Eventide (Barrie-Coates).
Master Michael Morley: Bless this House (May H. Brahe). Hark Hark, the lark (Schubert).
The Lass with the delicate air (Michael Arne).
Master Billy Neely: The First Mercy (Blunt-Warlock). Children's Songs (Arensky): The Robin, A Fable, Sad little bird,
Child & the butterfly, Cradle Song, & Easter Day. Coventry Carol (Traditional, arr. Moore).
Christopher Robin is saying his prayers (A.A. Milne-H. Fraser-Simpson).
Master Graham Payn: Somewhere a voice is calling (Newton & Tate). As I knelt by that old armchair (Arale-Dene).
Master Kenneth Purves: Hear Ye Israel (Mendelssohn). Angels ever bright (Handel). How Lovely are Thy Dwellings (Liddel).

PHI CD 168: The Better Land Volume Four Recorded 1927-1954
Master Derek Barsham: Nursery Scene, Boris Godounov (Moussorgsky).
Master John Bonner: Abide with me (Lyte-Liddle). Slumber dear maid (Handel). Angels guard thee (Reilly-Godard).
Master John Brookman: Star of Bethlehem (Adams).
Master Leslie Day: Come Back (Toselli's Serenade. Words R.H. Elkin).
Master Robert Harris: One night of love (Kahn-Schertzinger).
The Old Church Bells (H.M.Farrar). Love's old sweet song (Bingham-Molloy).
Master Beverley Jones: A song of Wisdom (Charles V. Stanford).
Master Raymond Kinsey: My heart ever faithful (Bach). Let the bright Seraphim (Handel).
Master Harold Langston: I will sing of Thy Great Mercies O Lord (Mendelssohn: St. Paul).
Master Ernest Lough: I know that my Redeemer Liveth (Handel). Hear ye, Israel (part1) (Mendelssohn).
Master Brian Moody: Hark! Hark! the Lark (Schubert). The Trout (Schubert).
Master Billy Neely : Five Eyes (Armstrong Gibbs). The Fairy Tree (Vincent O'Brien). Hear my prayer* (Mendelssohn). Kitty my love will ya marry me? (Trad-arr. Hughes).
Master Graham Payn: Birdsongs at Eventide (Barrie-Coates).
Master Robert Regent: A Brown Bird Singing (Barrie-Haydn Wood).
Master Trevor Schofield: Pierrot at the dance (Lockton-Drummond).

PHI CD 189: The Better Land Great Boy Sopranos Volume Five Recorded 1927-1957

Master Derek Barsham: Abide with Me (Liddle) 1944
Master John Bookman: Nearer my God to Thee (Carey) 1934
Master John Bonner: There is a green hill far away (Gounod). Should he upbraid? (Henry Bishop).
Angels Serenade -La Seranata (G. Braga) 1929
Master Alan Bradbrook: Beekeeper's Introit * (arr. G. Dixon) 1957
Master Leslie Day: A brown bird singing (Barrie-Haydn Wood) 1933
Master Thomas Criddle: On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn) 1943
Master Beverley Jones: A song of peace* (Charles V. Stanford) 1954
Master Raymond Kinsey: Rejoice Greatly (Messiah - Handel). Oh for a closer walk with God (Foster).
With Verdure Clad (Creation-Haydn) 1933
Master Cyril Lewis: Y Deryn Pur -The Dove (Somervell-Williams) 1934
Master Ernest Lough: Hark! Hark! the lark (Schubert) 1927
Master Michael Morley: Mighty like a rose (Nevin-Staton),If I can help somebody (Androzzo).
Birdsong at Eventide (Coates).Lullaby (Brahms) 1951
Master Billy Neely: Hallelujah Exsultate Jubilate (Mozart) 1950
Master Robert Duncan Peel: Angels Ever bright (Handel) 1927
Master Kenneth Purves: O for the wings of a dove (Mendelssohn) 1928
Master Robert Regent: Father in Heaven* (Largo-Handel) 1938
Master Trevor Schofield: A song of long ago (A.E. Adams) 1929
* Previously unissued material. Apart from the Lough track, all tracks issued for the first time on CD.

TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 77.23

Released 25/9/03

PHI CD 220: The Better Land Volume Six Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1912-1970

 

[1] That Old-Fashioned Mother of Mine (David / Nicholls) Master Thomas Criddle with organ accomp. by Andrew Fenner. HMV BD.1057 Rec. 4/5/1943
[2] I give thanks for you (Linton / Young) Master Thomas Criddle
with piano accomp. by Andrew Fenner. HMV BD.1074 Rec. 12/1/1944
[3] Rejoice greatly (Handel - Messiah) Master Walter Lawrence with orchestra. Columbia 430 pre-electric recording 18/11/1912
[4] Come unto Him (Handel - Messiah) Master Robert Waddell
with organ accomp. Parlophone E.11477 Rec. 14/5/1950
[5] How beautiful are the feet (Handel - Messiah) Master John Gwilym Griffith with double string quartet & flute accomp. Columbia 5489 Rec. 1929
[6] I know that my Redeemer liveth (Handel - Messiah) Master Mansel Squire
with organ accomp. by Felton Rapley. Decca X.420 Rec. 9/5/1950
[7] Danny Boy (F.E. Weatherly / Old Irish tune Londonderry Air)
Master Desmond Casey - advertised as "The Phenomenal Australian Boy Soprano" with orchestra. Parlophone R.1442 Rec. 1932
[8] Drink to me only with thine eyes (Ben Jonson / traditional English air)
Master John Gwilym Griffith with double string quartet accomp.
Columbia 5489 Rec. 1929
[9] Brother James' Air (Psalm 23 / Marosa by J.L.M. Bain, arr. G. Jacobs)
Masters Michael Lumb & John Evans-Pughe with organ accomp. by Sir Sydney Nicholson. Issued on the Red Label 'School of English Church Music' ROX series190 and recorded in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Holborn, London 4/6/1939
[10] O lovely peace (Handel - Judas Maccabeus) Masters John Evans-Pughe & Michael Lumb and the Choristers of St. Nicholas' College, Chiselhurst, Kent.
Details as track [9]
[11] Song of Songs (Lucas / Moya) Master Frank Bird
with instrumental accomp. Columbia FB.2157 Rec. 1939
[12] Villanelle (The Lark's Song, sung in French) (F. van der Elst / Eva Dell'Acqua) Master Walter Lawrence with orchestra.
Columbia 430 pre-electric recording 23/8/1912
[13] A Tragic Story (Thackeray / Britten) Master Billy Neely with piano accomp. by Havelock Nelson. "Off-air" recording from BBC Children's Hour 8/9/1949 #
[14] Sheep may safely graze (Bach BWV 208: transl. Davis & arr. Kramer)
Master Robin Fairhurst with organ accomp. by Charles Smart.
Decca 45-71069 Rec. 1954
[15] Where'er you walk (Handel - Semele) Master Robin Fairhurst.
Details as track [14]
[16] The Tailor and the Mouse (traditional) Master Robin Fairhurst.
Unaccompanied and announced by himself. Rec. live in concert 1957 #
[17] Ave Maria (sung in English) (Gounod) Master Raymond Kinsey
with organ accomp. Arnold Grier HMV C.2629 Rec. Sept. 1933
[18] Turn Thy face from my sins (Attwood) Master Vernon Carter
with organ accomp. by Frederick Carter.
Rec. in St. Patrick's C. of I. Cathedral, Armagh, 1961 #
[19] Tell me, Lovely Shepherd (E. Moore / W. Boyce -- Solomon)
Master Christopher Robins. Rec. 1952 #
[20] Santa Lucia (Traditional) Master Richard Bonsall
with piano accomp. by Alan Pow. Rec. 1970
[21] Daddy (Mark-Lemon / Behrend) Master Thomas Criddle
with organ accomp. by Andrew Fenner. HMV BD.1057 Rec. 4/5/1943
[22] I shall be there (Bowler / Haydn Wood) Master Thomas Criddle
with piano accomp. by Andrew Fenner. HMV BD.1074 Rec. 18/12/1943
# Denotes recording is issued for the first time
TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 76.04
Complied & produced by Martin J. Monkman, Amphion Recordings.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Amphion Recordings gratefully acknowledges the help of the following people in the preparation of this album: Frederick Appleby, Martin Carson, and Colin Brownlee, who have provided records; Edward Reid Power, who has written the Foreword and given invaluable editorial advice; Roger Beardsley, for the restoration of Billy Neely's disc. Grateful acknowledgement is also made to all the featured artistes, in whose honour this album is produced.
Stephen Beet has researched and compiled the discs and has been responsible for the writing and compilation of this booklet. He would add especial thanks to Martin Monkman, the far-sighted proprietor of Amphion Recordings, who had the faith to undertake this project in 1998.

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