Description

JANET SPENCER (CONTRALTO) (MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, 11 APRIL, 1874 – HOLLYWOOD, 19 MAY, 1948)

The artist, who began her career in her hometown of Melrose as a church concert soloist, came from a family that was friendly with that of Geraldine Farrar, eight years her junior. As a result, she later became the teacher of the young Farrar, who would go on to achieve worldwide fame as an American soprano. In 1903, she introduced Elgar’s oratorio The Dream of Gerontius to American audiences in Chicago. In Philadelphia, she sang Dalila in a concert performance of Samson et Dalila in the presence of the composer Saint-Saëns, who was greatly impressed by her interpretation.

In the first decade of the 20th century, Janet Spencer traveled to Europe, where she appeared successfully in concert. She made a highly acclaimed concert debut in New York in 1909, followed by ten years of intensive work as a concert and oratorio alto in major North American musical centers. After concluding her exclusively concert-based career, she settled in Hollywood as a voice teacher.

Recordings of her deep, powerful alto voice were made for Victor in 1911–12, eight of which were issued, including songs by Cadman as well as an operatic aria.

TRACKLIST

Gae to sleep (Fischer) 74231 C9957-2 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-03-08

Elias (Mendelssohn): O rest in the Lord 74290 C9958-2 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-03-08

Don Carlo (Verdi): O don fatale! 74253 C10001-3 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-03-08

Bolero (Leggero invisibile) (Arditi) 64186 B10227-1 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-04-25

The white dawn is stealing (Cadman) 64249 B10228-2 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-04-25

The moon drops low (Cadman) 64200 B10229-2 Camden NJ 1911-04-26

The hills o’ Skye (Harris) 74291 C10234-1 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-04-26

Good-bye, sweet day (Vannah) 64189 B10235-1 Victor, Camden NJ 1911-04-26