- Elsie Suddaby
Elsie Suddaby (1893 - 1980) was a leading British lyric soprano of the years between
World War I andWorld War II . She was born inLeeds .A pupil of Sir
Edward Bairstow , she was known as ‘The Lass With The Delicate Air’ (taken from the title of one of the most popular songs in her repertoire).On 5 October 1938 she was one of the original 16 singers - lightest of the four soprano voices - in
Vaughan Williams ’s "Serenade to Music ." (The solo line set for her was ‘I am never merry when I hear sweet music.’)She created the soprano part in Vaughan Williams's "Thanksgiving for Victory" in 1945, and the following year she took part in the opening programmes for the
BBC Third Programme , in a broadcast ofMilton 's masque "Comus ", along withPeggy Ashcroft ,John Laurie ,Heddle Nash andDylan Thomas .When Sir Thomas Beecham made his second recording of
Handel 's "Messiah" (HMV ALP 1077-80), Suddaby was the soprano soloist. [The Record Guide, p. 338]Leeds Town Hall has a room named after Suddaby, who died in England at the age of 87.
References
*"
Radio Times ", 27 September 1946.
*Sackville-West, Edward, and others, "The Record Guide", Collins, London, 1955.
* [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Suddaby-Elsie.htm Profile of Suddaby]External links
* [http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/journal/mar_96/esud.html Description of a Suddaby recording]
* [http://www.djpeanuts.com/artist_page/Elsie-Suddaby List of Suddaby recordings]Notes
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