The 1919 HMV Gondoliers

Sounds on CD VGS215 Cover art by Matt Bland

In 1917, HMV recorded a new Mikado, its first G&S set in a decade. Rupert D'Oyly Carte contracted to provide some limited artistic advice, but all the singers were taken from HMV's own stable. The Mikado recording was evidently successful enough that HMV signed up with D'Oyly Carte for four more operas to be recorded under a similar arrangement, of which this Gondoliers was the first.

This would be the last time HMV recorded an opera without any D'Oyly Carte singers, as the policy of using exclusively their own artists came to be seen as increasingly outdated. At about the time this recording came out, the D'Oyly Carte Company launched a highly-publicized return to London after many years' absence. The fact that the recording and stage casts were different compelled HMV to justify their actions with the following mumbo-jumbo:

The records of the opera now issued by "His Master's Voice" are unique and of supreme historic interest, since they have been recorded under the direct supervision of Mr. Rupert D'Oyly Carte, with the assistance of his company, and some of the finest English singers of the day. Thus the real tradition of the Gilbert and Sullivan days, as established by the author and composer, with Mr. D'Oyly Carte of the original Savoy productions, has been perpetuated in these records, which thus have special authority, while as artistic productions they are equally remarkable.

Earlier HMV Album Cover. (See discussion above.)

As is typically the case for recordings of the time, the casting here is anything but consistent. Where more than one singer covers a role, the allotment is as follows:

The recording details below show that a number of sides were issued with different takes. It was a common practice at the time, but there are more alternate takes for this set than for any of the other HMV sets. Michael Walters points out that, of the two published takes for side 19, Edna Thornton sings slightly different words for the Duchess's song each time, and neither is correct!

Issue History

Recording Details

Notes:

1. The overture was recorded on 7 July 1919 (matrices Ho3875af & Ho3876af), but not issued as part of the set. The latter matrix was issued separately on HMV C928 in February 1920, backed by a Princess Ida selection.

2. Francis does not report alternate published for any sides except side 15. All of the takes reported above have been verified by the contributions of Philip Goodall, Peter Parker, Michael Walters, and Chris Webster.

3. On side 12, the alternate take HO4550 was recorded much later than the rest of the set — possibly to replace a damaged master. According to Chris Webster, this take excludes the recitative "Come Let's Away," so purchasers who bought a set containing HO4550 didn't get this piece of the opera.

   At the time this recording was made, HMV assigned a new matrix number to different takes, instead of appending a numerical suffix, as they would later do. The date listed above is conjectural, but matrix HO4549, just one "take" earlier, was recorded on 2 October 1920 as part of a Yeomen set. No other Yeomen sides were recorded that day, so 2 October could well have been a day set aside for retakes.

4. Later copies of the set replaced John Harrison's "sparkling eyes" (side 15) with a new recording by Tudor Davies, George W. Byng conducting. The original master may have been damaged, or HMV may have wanted to substitute a more popular singer.

5. Side 20 and the "sparkling eyes" of Tudor Davies were included on Arabesque's LP reissue of the 1931 Ruddigore.

Recording Sessions