Jennifer Vyvyan Menu
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    • A Career – Introduction
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    • A Repertoire – Introduction
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      • Recordings – Introduction
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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.

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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

Listen to Opening the Boxes on BBC iPlayer

A Legacy

TV & Film Discs Discography
  • A Career – Introduction
  • Timeline
  • Biography
  • Performance list
  • A Repertoire – Introduction
  • Baroque
  • Classical/Romantic
  • Benjamin Britten
  • Other Modern
  • – Malcolm Williamson
  • – Arthur Bliss
  • – Francis Poulenc
  • – Roberto Gerhard
  • – Manolis Kalomiris
  • – Brian Easdale
  • – Guy Halahan
  • – Peter Racine Fricker
  • – Gordon Crosse
  • A Woman – Introduction
  • The Vyvyans
  • Character
  • Voice
  • Appreciation
  • Ivan Clayton
  • A World – Introduction
  • Companies
  • Singers
  • Cold War Cultural Diplomacy
  • Finance
  • A Legacy – Introduction
  • Recordings
  • – Radio
  • – TV & Film
  • – Discs
  • Discography
  • Scholarships
  • Research
  • Facebook page

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