1906 G&T 1st Compl MIKADO LORD HIGH EXECUTIONER Gilbert Sullivan 78

$

98

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I am currently selling a series of great Richard Wagner and classic European 78 rpm orchestral recordings on all the great European labels:

Often overlooked, some of the first complete opera recordings were the G&T and Gramophone complete Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta issues recorded from 1906 - 1908

Although recordings of individual G&S excerpts were made as early as 1898, this 1906Mikado is the first compilation that qualifies as something like a complete opera. The occasion for this milestone was a new repertory season at the Savoy directed by W. S. Gilbert himself, in the Company's first London appearance in several years. Naturally, interest in the operas was at a peak, and G&T meant to capitalize on it.

LORD HIGH EXECUTIONER - The Sullivan Quartet (unidentified members)

10" GRAMOPHONE  78 rpm record w angel back.

Condition: VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS one long light needle run

Plays quiet rare clicks

Cast The Mikado Peter Dawson Nanki-Poo John Harrison
Ernest Pike Ko-Ko Stanley Kirkby
Peter Dawson Pooh-Bah Stanley Kirkby
Peter Dawson Pish-Tush Stanley Kirkby Yum-Yum Denise Orme
Eleanor Jones-Hudson Pitti-Sing Amy Augarde Peep-Bo Eleanor Jones-Hudson Katisha Amy Augarde

Sullivan Operatic Party with Orchestra
Conductor Unknown

Recorded in London
16 August – 18 September 1906

Gramophone Company Advertisement
from a 1907 Savoy Programme

Although recordings of individual G&S excerpts were made as early as 1898, this 1906Mikado is the first compilation that qualifies as something like a complete opera. The occasion for this milestone was a new repertory season at the Savoy directed by W. S. Gilbert himself, in the Company's first London appearance in several years. Naturally, interest in the operas was at a peak, and G&T meant to capitalize on it.

One look at the cast list, however, shows that there is much to be desired in this early effort. The singers, dubbed the "Sullivan Operatic Party" (S.O.P.) or "Sullivan Quartette" (S.Q.) for marketing purposes, were studio artists chosen because their voices "recorded well," not because they had any association with the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. Numbers from the opera were recorded on an ad-hoc basis with whoever happened to be available for a particular recording session, hence the overlapping role assignments. The singers may not even have known their parts in advance.

Notwithstanding these reservations, G&T clearly was concerned about quality. Denise Orme was given no fewer than four chances to record "The sun whose rays," on two separate occasions. Evidently none of them was satisfactory, and a final session was scheduled for Eleanor Jones-Hudson, and it was her recording of the song that was issued. Similarly, two takes of "Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted" featuring Orme and Ernest Pike were rejected, and the duet re-recorded with Jones-Hudson and Pike.

The one Savoyard in the cast was Amy Augarde (1868–1959), who joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a chorister in 1884, played Mad Margaret for a time in the original production of Ruddigore when Jessie Bond was ill, and understudied Hebe in the 1888 revival of Pinafore. While her stage appearances were in soubrette roles, her G&S recordings were in contralto parts.

Wolfson and Francis disagree somewhat on the casting. The names given above are from Wolfson. Francis doesn't name a Pooh-Bah, and he says that:

1. Pike sings all of Nanki-Poo
2. Jones-Hudson sings all of Yum-Yum
3. Denise Orme sings Peep-Bo

The opera was recorded on one 12-inch and sixteen 10-inch single-sided discs, which were designed to be purchased individually. (The 12-inch side was "A wandering minstrel.") In December, 1906, the full set was then issued with a descriptive booklet. It cost 65 shillings. Later, the complete set was re-issued by HMV on double-sided discs. The has not been re-issued on LP or CD.

Issue History Date Label Format Number Comments 1906 G&T 1 12" & 16 10" single-sided discs See #1 below   ca. 1912 HMV 1 12" single-sided & 8 10" double-sided discs See #2 below   1985 Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Cassette unnumbered Part of the issue titledMikado Miscellany Recording Details Side
Nbr Matrix
Number Single-
Sided
(#1) Double-
Sided
(#2) Selection Artist(s) Recording
Date 1 8792b 4406 B427 s.1 If you want to know who we are S.O.P. 28 Aug 06 2 733c 02073 D242 A wandering minstrel I Harrison & S.O.P. ?? Aug 06 3 8793b 3-2491 B429 s.1 Our Great Mikado Kirkby & S.O.P. 28 Aug 06 4 3583e 4403 B433 s.1 Behold the Lord High Executioner S.Q. 19 Feb 06 5 8682b 4407 B431 s.1 Three little maids [sung through twice] Orme, Augarde &Jones-Hudson 16 Aug 06 6 8683b 4411 B428 s.1 So please you sir [2nd verse repeated] S.O.P. 16 Aug 06 7 8974b 4414 B430 s.1 Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted Pike &Jones-Hudson 18 Sep 06 8 8979b 3663 B434 s.1 The sun whose rays Jones-Hudson 18 Sep 06 9 8679b 4605 B431 s.2 Brightly dawns our wedding day S.O.P. 16 Aug 06 10 8714b 4408 B432 s.1 Here's a how-de-do [sung through twice] S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 11 8716b 4412 B427 s.2 Mi-ya sa-ma Augarde, Dawson & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 12 8721b 3-2476 B434 s.2 A more humane Mikado [2nd verse only] Dawson & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 13 8718b 4409 B432 s.2 The criminal cried Augarde, Dawson & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 14 8797b 4607 B428 s.2 See how the fates S.O.P. 28 Aug 06 15 8720b 4410 B433 s.2 The flowers that bloom [sung through twice] Pike, Kirkby & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 16 8955½b 3-2493 B429 s.2 On a tree by a river [refrain whistled] Kirkby 13 Sep 06 17 8724b 4413 B430 s.2 There is beauty in the bellow [sung through twice] Augarde & Dawson 21 Aug 06

Notes:

1. Rees and Wolfson both disagree with Francis on the number of sides, with Francis listing five fewer than the others do. Francis omits sides 1, 2, 4 9, and 14.
2. Francis also misstates the matrix number of s. 16 (misprinting 8955½b as 89551/2b).
3. Bennett lists John Harrison on s. 2 (agreeing with Rees and Wolfson), but he gives the recording date as November 1906.
4. Wolfson lists two sides, presumably of "Alone and Yet Alive," recorded on 28 August 1906 by Amy Augarde but never issued. These bear the matrix numbers 8789b and 8790b, which would fit them into this set. See the Recording Sessions, below.

Recording Sessions Side
Nbr Matrix
Number Selection Artist(s) Recording
Date 4 3583e Behold the Lord High Executioner S.Q. 19 Feb 06 n/a 8608
8608½ The sun whose rays Orme 31 Jul 06 9 8679b
8680b Brightly dawns our wedding day S.O.P. 16 Aug 06 5 8681b
8682b Three little maids Orme, Augarde, Jones-Hudson & S.O.P. 16 Aug 06 6 8683b
8684b So please you sir Augarde, Kirkby, Orme & S.O.P. 16 Aug 06 n/a 8685b
8686b Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted Orme & Pike 16 Aug 06 n/a 8687b On a tree by a river Kirkby 16 Aug 06 10 8713b
8714b Here's a how-de-do S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 11 8715b
8716b Mi-ya sa-ma Augarde, Dawson & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 13 8717b
8718b The criminal cried Augarde, Dawson & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 15 8719b
8720b The flowers that bloom Pike, Kirkby & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 12 8721b
8722b A more humane Mikado Dawson & S.O.P. 21 Aug 06 17 8723b
8724b There is beauty in the bellow Augarde & Dawson 21 Aug 06 n/a 8789b
8790b Alone and yet alive Augarde 28 Aug 06 1 8791b
8792b If you want to know who we are S.O.P. 28 Aug 06 3 8793b
8794b Our Great Mikado Kirkby & S.O.P. 28 Aug 06 14 8795b
8796b
8797b See how the fates S.O.P. 28 Aug 06 2 733c A wandering minstrel I Harrison & S.O.P. ? Aug 06 n/a 8869b
8870b The sun whose rays Orme 3 Sep 06 16 8955
8955½b On a tree by a river Kirkby 13 Sep 06 7 8974b
8975b Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted Pike & Jones-Hudson 15 Sep 06 8 8979b
8980b The sun whose rays Jones-Hudson 16 Sep 06

Notes:

1. In the table above, matrix numbers in italics indicate unissued takes. Where the entire row is in italics, it indicates multiple takes on the same recording date, none of which were issued. Sources are Rees, Wolfson, and Alan Kelly’s magnificent presentation of all matrix numbers having the b- suffix between 1901 and 1919 as transcribed by Howard Friedman.
2. Per Friedman, matrices 8979–80 were recorded on 16 September. Per Rees, they were recorded on 18 September.
3. Per Friedman, unissued matrix 733c was recorded on 29 or 30 August.

 

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