A Legacy
Radio
Vyvyan sang an extraordinary rage of repertoire on radio, from Haydn Masses, Bach Cantatas, Handel Anthems and Italian Renaissance songs to Berio, Wolf, Mahler, Gilbert & Sullivan, Palm Court favourites, and Senta’s Flying Dutchman Ballad for a schools broadcast. Her identifiable appearances on BBC radio are detailed below, though the list is certainly incomplete.
1948
Gay/Pepusch: Beggar’s Opera (Jenny Diver) – later released commercially by Pearl (see DISCS) – 17 Sep
1949
Unknown repertoire. With BBC Welsh SO, 5 Aug, 12.30pm, Light Programme
Berkeley Stabat Mater (cond. Ivan Clayton) – 1 Oct, 10.20pm, Third Programme
Rape of Lucretia (Female Chorus. EOG. Del Mar cond.) – 3 Oct, 8.20pm, Third Prog
Puccini, Haydn, Handel (with BBC Welsh SO) – 11 Oct.12.30pm. Light Prog
The Story of Handel (5-part radio biography, written by Christopher Hassall. Clarence Raybould cond. With Alfred Deller) – 4 Dec, 9.30pm, Home Service.
Sibelius: The Tempest (available British Library ref ICE0003554D1-6) – 31 Dec
1950
Ring Up the Curtain – 3 Jan, Home Service
Come to the Opera – 5 Jan, Light Prog
Montague Phillips: The Rebel Maid (from Cardiff) – 12 Jan
Mozart: Idomeneo (Idamante) – 17 Apr
Handel: Jephtha – 11 May
Gluck: Iphigenie en Aulide (Clytemnestra. Roger Desormier cond.) – 7 July, Third Prog
Arne: Judgement of Paris – 17 July
Dyson: Wife of Bath/Canterbury Pilgrims (Ist JV Prom) – Aug, Third Prog
Berkeley: Poems of Teresa of Avila – 29 Nov
1951
Rimsky-Korsakov: Legend of Invisible City of Kitezh (Fevronia. English transl. Christopher Hassall. Issay Dobrowen cond. Available British Library ref 1LL0011122 S1) – 21 Jan , 7.40pm, Third Prog
Rameau: Dardanus (Venus. Edmond Appia cond) – 25 Feb, 7pm, Third Prog
Easdale: The Sleeping Children (Matron. EOG. Del Mar cond. From Cheltenham Festival) – 13 Jul, Third Prog
Britten: The Rescue (Athene. Raybould cond) – 13 Sep, 7.30pm, Third Prog
Rameau: Hippolyte e Aricie (Phedre. Desormier cond.) – 19 Oct, Third Prog
Unknown repertoire – 27 Nov, 7pm, Third Prog
1952
Handel: Chandos Anthem 1 – 27 Jan
Mixed recital – 7 Feb
Stravinsky: Les Noces – 17 Feb
Handel: Chandos Anthem – 27 Apr
Gluck: Orfeo (with Deller) – 6 Jun
Bach: St John Passion – 29 Aug
Concert from Glyndebourne – 2 Aug, 7.30pm, Third Prog
Kalomiris: The Shadowy Waters (Dectora) – 23 Oct, 7.25pm, Third Prog
‘I know what I like’ (with Joan Cross) – 15 Nov, 6.30pm, Home Service
Bach: Lobet Gott – 16 Nov
Mozart: Seraglio (Konstanze. Sadlers Wells) – 30 Dec, 7pm, Third Prog
1953
Mozart: Vespers – 26 Jan
Lully: Armide (Sidonie & Lucinde) – 6 Feb, 7.20pm, Third Prog
Milhaud: 3 short operas – 10 Mar, Third Prog
Britten: Gloriana (Lady Rich. From ROH) – 2 July, 7pm, Third Prog
Mozart: Idomeneo (Electra. From Edinburgh. Pritchard cond) – 5 Sep, 7pm, Third Prog
Mozart: Exsultate Jubilate (from Liverpool) – 28 Nov
English songs – 21 Dec
1954
Berlioz: L’Enfance du Christ – 3 Jan
Bruckner: Te Deum – 10 Feb
Debussy: Songs – 5 Apr
Hovhaness: Easter Cantata – 19 May (probable UK premiere of work written 1953)
Delius: Mass of Life – 24 Nov, 9.15pm, Home Service
Bach: B Minor Mass – 1 Dec
Ballad concert – 7 Dec, Home Service
Bach: Cantatas – 20 Dec
1955
Milhaud: Orphee – 24 Jan
‘In Lighter Mood’ – 13 Feb
Recital (with Cyril Smith piano, Yorks SO) – 2 Mar, 8pm, Home Service
Handel: Semele – 3 Mar
Mozart: Cosi fan tutte (Sadlers Wells) – 17 Nov, 7pm, Third Prog
1956
Bach, Hasse – 28 May
Handel, Mozart – 20 May
‘Grand Hotel’ – 25 Nov, Light Prog
JCBach – 9 Dec
1957
‘Vocal Embellishment in Mozart’, 22 Mar, recorded with conductor Charles Mackerras.
Music Magazine Profile of Jennifer Vyvyan – 14 Apr, 10.30am, Home Service
Bach: St John Passion (From Aldeburgh, Holst cond. Available British Library ref 1CDR0012201/2)
Bizet: Djamileh (title role of a slave girl in Cairo with whom the Caliph falls in love. BBC Midland Chorus/Orch. Wurmser cond) – 17 Nov, 9.15pm, Third Prog. The entire performance of this one-act opera is now accessible on YouTube, but here are two extracts.
[29:44-36:27]
[46:07-49:11]
1958
Bliss: Madam Noy & Rout – 31 March (available on Lyrita label CD)
Handel: Radamisto – 7 July, 7.30pm, 7.30pm
Gerhard: Cancons Populars Catalanes (with William Glock, piano. Available British Library ref B9861/5) – 7 Oct, 8pm, Third Prog
Beethoven: 9th Symphony (UN Nations Day Concert, broadcast 72 countries) – 24 Oct, 7pm, Home Service
1960
Britten: Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tytania. From the premiere production, Aldeburgh. Now available on the Testament label) – 11 Jun
Handel: Radamisto – 9 July, 7.30pm, Third Prog
Grand Hotel – 31 Jul, Light Prog
Rimsky-Korsakov – 24 Oct
1961
Mozart: Il Re Pastor (Elise. Vaughan cond) – 19 Mar, 7.30pm, Third Prog
Handel: Rinaldo (Armida. From Sadlers Wells) – May
[US soundfile: Act 2 – Ah crudel, il pianto mio. 00:49 – 5:55]
Britten: Cantata Academica (Prom) – August
1962
Handel: Deidamia (Achilles. Goldsborough cond) – 11 Feb, 5.30pm, Third Prog
Bliss: The Beatitudes (broadcast of premiere performance, Coventry) – 25 May.
Bach: Cantatas – 13 Jun
Britten: Albert Herring (Sadlers Wells) – 26 Jun, 7.30pm, Third Prog
Artist of the Month – 2,9,16,23,30 Dec, 10.40pm, Network 3
1963
Handel: Alexanders Feast (available British Library ref C1398/0142 C12-13) – 22 Apr
1965
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream (LSO/Maag LP recording, experimental stereo broadcast) – 9 Dec, 9.45am, Network 3
Handel: Messiah – 26 Dec
1966
Schubert: The Conspirators (BBC Northern Orch) – 24 Apr, 12pm, Network 3
Desert Island Discs (Jennifer Vyvyan profiled) – 18 July, 12.20pm, Home Service
Vaughan Williams: Hodie – 23 Dec, 8pm, Home Service
1967
Handel: L’Allegro – 26 Jan
Szymanowski: Stabat Mater – 31 Jan
Schubert: The Conspirators – 20 Apr
Handel: Judas Maccabeus (from Bruges) – July
Milhaud: Le Pauvre Matelot (Carewe cond) – 3 Sep, 1.40pm, Network 3
1968
Recital, Mahler & Debussy (Paul Hamburger, piano) – 23 Oct, including three of the Ariettes Oubliées
1970
Britten: Les Illuminations ( available British Library ref C943/344 S2C4) – 15 Mar
Williamson: The Growing Castle (excerpts, with Williamson pno. Available British Library ref NP1600WN) – 3 Sep
1972
Williamson: The Icy Mirror (from Cheltenham. Available British Library ref NP2003WTRI) – 9 July, 3pm, Radio 3
Handel: Athalia (from Smith Sq) – Dec
1973
Schubert: Lazarus (Maria. From Smith Sq) – Jan
1974
French Songs – Mar/April
Faure: songs – 3 Oct (available British Library ref C1398/1880CP), including Apres un reve, Chant d’Autumn, and a wonderful account of the Op. 43 Nocturne, done with glistening clarity. Pianist unidentified.
‘A Choir in itself is an amazing thing’ (doc on Royal Choral Soc) – 14 Dec, 8pm, Radio 4
1978
Assessment of career (John Steane presenter) – 7 July, 7.30pm, Radio 3
1998
Review of Jennifer Vyvyan’s career (Gordon Stewart, presenter. Available British Library ref H101 24/1) – 10 July, Radio 3
2011
‘Opening the Boxes’ (Jennifer Vyvyan documentary, Michael White presenter. 18 Aug, 11.30am, Radio 4