Description

DAVID BISPHAM (PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, 5 JANUARY, 1857 – MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY, 2 OCTOBER, 1921)

 

 

 

 

He first sang as an amateur in church choruses in Philadelphia. In 1886 he went to Italy, where he studied with Vannuccini in Florence and Francesco Lamperti in Milan; later studied in London with Shakespeare and Randegger. He made his operatic debut as Longueville in Messager’s ”La Basoche” (English Opera House, London, Nov. 3, 1891), in which his comic acting ability, as well as his singing, won praise. He made his first appearance in serious opera as Kurwenal in ”Tristan und Isolde” (Drury Lane, June 25, 1892). He was particularly effective in the Wagnerian baritone roles; made his American debut with the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. as Beckmesser (Nov. 18, 1896), and was on the Metropolitan roster 1896-97, 1898-99, and 1900-03. He was a strong advocate of opera in English. A Soc. of American Singers was organized under his guidance, presenting light operas in the English language. He publ. an autobiography, A Quaker Singer’s Recollections (N.Y., 1920). A Bispham Memorial Medal Award was established by the Opera Soc. of America in 1921 for an opera in English by an American composer.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

Friedrich von Telramund 12/25/191900, Alberich 1/24/191901, 1/31/191901, Kurwenal 12/26/191901, Sixtus Beckmesser 1/9/191902, Urok 2/18/191902, Friedrich von Telramund 12/11/191902, Wolfram von Eschenbach 12/23/191902, Alberich 1/27/191903, 2/3/191903, 2/5/191903, Sixtus Beckmesser 3/17/191903 (in Filadelfia).

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

A Banjo Song (Homer) A5320 30767-1 Columbia, New York 1911-05-19

Acis and Galatea (Händel) O ruddier then the cherry A5095 5033M Columbia, New York 1907-08-07

All through the night (-) A5320 30770-1 Columbia, New York 1911-05-19

Annie Laurie (Scott) (Holdridge M-649-1) 30023 M-647-1 Columbia, New York 1906-03?

Annie Laurie (Scott) (w. orch) A5022 36475-1 Columbia, New York 1912-10-23

Believe me if all those endearing young charms (trad) A5095 30210-2 Columbia, New York 1907-08-07

Boat Song (Ware) A5166 30332-1 Columbia, New York 1910-01-11

By Celia’s Arbour (Mendelssohn) 30221 A5100 Columbia, New York 1909-02-24

Danny Deever (Damrosch) (w. orch) A5021 30773-2 Columbia, New York 1911-05-22

Der Wanderer (Schubert) (w. orch) A5014 36476-2 Columbia, New York 1912-10-23

Der Wanderer (Schubert) 30018 Columbia, New York 1906-03

Down among the dead men (Old English) A5503 30148-3 Columbia, New York 1911-06-23

Drink to me only with thine eyes (Old English) 30027 Columbia, New York 1906-03

Drink to me only with thine eyes (trad) A5132, 30284-1 Columbia, New York 1909-08-14

Elijah (Mendelssohn) It is enough 30212 A5100 Columbia, New York 1909-02-09

Elijah (Mendelssohn) Lord God of Abraham A5258 30543 Columbia, New York 1910-10-04

Erlkönig (Schubert) (1906-03-06) 30019 M-700-1 Columbia, New York 1906-03

Faithful Johnny (Beethoven) 30149 A5121 Columbia, New York 1909-02-24

Faust (Gounod) Dio possente 30037 M-25-2 Columbia, New York 1906-06

Hark, hark the lark (Schubert) (on Rena matrix LR69) 30021 M-702-1 Columbia, New York 1906-03

Hedge Roses (Schumann) A5420 36355-2 Columbia, New York 1912-04-08

Ivanhoe (Sullivan) Ho, Jolly Jenkin 30218 A5099 Columbia, New York 1909-02-24

Ivanhoe (Sullivan) Woo thy snowflake 30287 A5137 Columbia, New York 1909-08-14

Kathleen Mavourneen (Crouch) 30036 M-24-1 Columbia, New York 1906-06

Loch Lomond (trad) A5420 36352-1 Columbia, New York 1912-04-08

Mary of Argyle (Nelson) 30285, A5132 Columbia, New York 1909-08-14

Messiah (Händel) Why do the nations A5332 30545 Columbia, New York 1910-10-04

Oft in the Stilly Night (Stevenson) 30792 384 Columbia, New York 1911-06-23

Oft in the Stilly Night (Stevenson) A5377 30792-1 Columbia, New York 1911-06-23

Paulus (Mendelssohn) O God have mercy A5258 30546 Columbia, New York 1910-10-04

Pirate Song (Gilbert) (w. orch) A5019 30774-2 Columbia, New York 1911-05-22

Pirate song (Gilbert) 30026 M-648-1 Columbia, New York 1906-03

Ring out, wild bells (Gounod) A5161 30334-1 Columbia, New York 1910-01-12

Rock’d in the cradle of the deep (Gooch) 30766 385 Columbia, New York 1911-05-19

Route Marching (Stock) A5664 37208-2 Columbia, New York 1915-03

Samson (Händel) Honor and arms A5332 30544 Columbia, New York 1910-10-04

Semele (Händel) Where’er you walk 30219 A5099 Columbia, New York 1909-02-24

Tell me, Mary (Hodson) A5473 36682-2 Columbia, New York 1913-03-28

The Arrow and the Song (Balfe) 36473 384 Columbia, New York 1912-10-23

The Arrow and the Song (Balfe) A5437 36473-2 Columbia, New York 1912-10-23

The Banks of Allan Water (Horne) A5377 30791-2 Columbia, New York 1911-06-23

The Old Guard (Rodney) A5664 37207-2 Columbia, New York 1915-03

The Palms (Faure) A5161 30331-1 Columbia, New York 1910-01-12

The Pauper’s Drive (Homer) A5166 30333 Columbia, New York 1910-01-11

The pretty Creature (Storace) 30220 A5121 Columbia, New York 1909-02-24

The Yeoman’s Wedding Song (Poniatowski) A5362 30793-1 Columbia, New York 1911-06-23

Thursday (Molloy) (date) A5492 36681-2 Columbia, New York 1913-03-28

Trovatore (Verdi) Il balen A5137 30286 Columbia, New York 1909-08-14

Vicar of Bray (-) (date) A5492 36474-2 Columbia, New York 1912-10-23

Who is Sylvia (Schubert) (w. orch.) A5018 36683-3 Columbia, New York 1913-03-28

Who is Sylvia (Schubert) 30020 Columbia, New York 1906-03

Who knows (Heinrich) A5362 30768-1 Columbia, New York 1911-05-19