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9 TREBLES Featured Boy Sopranos | All Trebles | Boy Altos | Soloist Recordings | Chorister of the Year | 78 RPM | Pop Singles

  Robert Harris   [George Robert A. Harris]    (b. 4 March 1920) Boy Soprano Soloist 
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Robert Harris Sang in the choir of St Ethelburga's Church, St Leonard's-on-Sea, from age nine, then at Holy Trinity, Eastbourne. Awarded first prize at the Brighton Music Festivals 1933-36. Died in 2005. Robert's life and career are given in more detail in Stephen Beet's book "The Better Land" (2005).
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The Better Land

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Featured Recordings Compact | Full
Robert Harris - Coates: Bird Songs at Eventide / Schubert: Who is Sylvia?
Coates: Bird Songs at Eventide / Schubert: Who is Sylvia? (Parlophone R.2133, 78 RPM) December 1935
Featuring Robert Harris  
A: Bird Songs at Eventide (incipit: Over the quiet hills, slowly the shadows fall.) (wds Royden Barrie (pseud. of Harry Rodney Bennett (1890-1948)) - music Eric Coates (1886-1957), 1926) (Rec. 1934).
B: Who is Sylvia? (wds after Shakespeare: "Two Gentlemen of Verona" Act IV, sc. ii - music Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) (D.891, 1826) arr. Henry Ernest Geehl (1881-1961)) (matrix E7039-1, rec. 17 June 1934, Grand Hotel, Eastbourne).
Both accomp. by Leslie Jeffries and his orchestra.
Both issued on Amphion CDs "The Better Land" vols. 3 & 1 respectively.
  Side A -   Bird Songs at Eventide (Coates)  
  Side B -   Who is Sylvia? (Schubert)  
no cover
Scherztinger: One night of love / Molloy: Love's old sweet song (Parlophone R.2102, 78 RPM) September 1935
Featuring Robert Harris  
A: One night of love (incipit: [chorus] One night of love, when two hearts are one.) (wds Gus(tav Gerson) Kahn (1886-1941) - music Victor L. Scherztinger (1880 [or 1890]-1941); song from the film "One Night of Love" (Columbia, 1934) directed by Scherztinger).
B: Love's old sweet song (incipit: Once in the dear, dead days beyond recall.) (wds Graham Clifton Bingham (1859-1913) - music James Lynam Molloy (1837-1909), 1884).
Both rec. 1934(?) & accomp. by Leslie Jeffries and his orchestra at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne.
Both issued on Amphion CD "The Better Land" vol. 4 ("1933").

"One night of love": starts in the published score (1934) "Though my heart may be lonely", which Harris sings after the chorus. The full text is:
"Though my heart may be lonely, I find romance in my dreams. While I am waiting for only one night of love, one starlit night of love. (Chorus) One night of love, when two hearts are one, a night to have and hold, when love is gone and starlight grows cold. One night of love, when love is all that I'll recall. When at the break of dawn, I find my lover gone [Harris sings a bowdlerised: I wake to greet the morn], I'll whisper with a smile, I've lived a little while, I've known one night of love."
  Side A -   One night of love (Schertzinger)  
  Side B -   Love's old sweet song (Molloy)  
no cover
Farrar: The Old Church Bells (Parlophone unissued, 78 RPM)
Featuring Robert Harris  
The Old Church Bells (incipit: "I sit in an Old World garden") (wds & music (?) H.M. Farrar) (matrix CE6633-1, rec. 26 Sept. 1934, Grand Hotel, Eastbourne) accomp. by Leslie Jeffries and his orchestra.
Issued on Amphion CD "The Better Land" vol. 4 from a rather worn test pressing.
If anyone can provide details of lyricist/composer/music publisher, please get in touch. Is there perhaps a connection with the Rev. Herbert William Farrar (1856-1943), Rector of Barcombe, Sussex 1915-42, a few miles from Eastbourne? Songs of the same title were also written by E. Fox (1857); Edward W. Thomas (1872); M. Connelly (1879); H. Dacre (1892); J.M. Mason (1894) & R. Rogers (1894) - but all have a different incipit.
  Side A -   The Old Church Bells (Farrar)  
Other Recordings Compact | Full
Robert Harris - The Better Land Volume 4 - Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1927-1954
The Better Land Volume 4 - Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1927-1954 (Amphion PHI CD 168, CD) July 2001
Featuring The Better Land Series   Derek Barsham   John Bonner   Master John Brookman   Master Leslie Day   Robert Harris   Beverley Jones   Raymond Kinsey   Harold Langston   Ernest Lough   Brian Moody   Billy Neely   Graham Payn   Robert Regent   Trevor Schofield  
* denotes recordings published for the first time. This volume will shortly deleted and replaced by the double CD volume The Better Land Volumes 3 & 4. Hurry to order now while stocks last
  1.   Come Back (Toselli's Serenade. Words R.H. Elkin) (L)   Master Leslie Day 1933
  2.   Abide with me (Lyte-Liddle) (L)   Master John Bonner 1929
  3.   Five Eyes* (Gibbs-Cecil Armstrong) (L)   Master Billy Neely 1949
  4.   The Fairy Tree* (Vincent O'Brien)   Master Billy Neely 1949
  5.   I will sing of Thy Great Mercies O Lord* (Mendelssohn)   Master Harold Langston 1929
  6.   Pierrot at the dance (Lockton-Drummond)   Master Trevor Schofield 1929
  7.   One night of love (Kahn-Schertzinger) (L)   Master Robert Harris 1933
  8.   Hark! Hark! the Lark* (Schubert)   Master Brian Moody 1944
  9.   Slumber dear maid (Handel)   Master John Bonner 1929
10.   My heart ever faithful (Bach) (L)   Master Raymond Kinsey 1933
11.   The Old Church Bells* (H.M.Farrar)   Master Robert Harris 1934
12.   Love's old sweet song (Bingham-Molloy) (L)   Master Robert Harris 1933
13.   The Trout* (Schubert)   Master Brian Moody 1944
14.   Nursery Scene, Boris Godounov (Moussorgsky)   Master Derek Barsham
Recorded 30 Apl. 1947 (AR11093 & 11094), with Gladys Palmer, contralto, Norman Lumsden, bass & London Symphony Orchestra cond. Stanford Robinson. Issued June 1947 on Decca K.1601. ["Better Land" the two parts separately in vols. 3 & 4]
15.   Hear my prayer* (Mendelssohn) (L)   Master Billy Neely 1950
16.   Star of Bethlehem (Adams)   Master John Brookman 1934
17.   A Brown Bird Singing (Barrie-Haydn Wood) (L)   Master Robert Regent
18.   I know that my Redeemer Liveth (Handel) (L)   Master Ernest Lough 1927
19.   Hear ye, Israel (part1)* (Mendenssohn) (L)   Master Ernest Lough 1927
20.   Kitty my love will ya marry me?* (Trad. - arr. Hughes)   Master Billy Neely live 1950
21.   Birdsongs at Eventide* (Barrie-Coates) (L)   Master Graham Payn 'Live' 1932
22.   Let the bright Seraphim (Handel) (L)   Master Raymond Kinsey
23.   Angels guard thee (Reilly-Godard) (L)   Master John Bonner 1929
24.   A song of wisdom* (Charles V. Stanford) (L)   Master Beverly Jones 1954
Email   Available from the producer at £10 plus postage, or £55 plus postage for the set of 6 CD's (which includes as a special offer Stephen R. Beet's book "The Better Land - in search of the lost boy sopranos" Contact StephenRBeet@gmail.com Paypal: beetstphn@aol.com
Robert Harris - The Better Land Volume 3 - Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1927-1969
The Better Land Volume 3 - Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1927-1969 (Amphion PHI CD 167, CD) 2000
Featuring The Better Land Series   Derek Barsham   Donald Collup   Robert Harris   Michael Morley   Billy Neely   Graham Payn   Kenneth Purves  
* denotes recordings published for the first time. This volume will shortly be deleted and replaced by the double CD volume The Better Land Volumes 3 & 4. Hurry to order now while stocks last.
  1.   Bless this House (H. Taylor-May H Brahe) (L)   Master Michael Morley
  2.   Beyond the Dawn (Sanderson-Weatherly)   Master Derek Barsham
  3.   Hear Ye Israel* (Mendelssohn) (L)   Master Kenneth Purves
  4.   The First Mercy (Blunt-Warlock) (L)   Master Billy Neely
  5.   Christopher Robin is saying his prayers* (A.A. Milne-H Fraser-Simpson) (L)   Master Billy Neely
  6.   On wings of Song (Mendelssohn-Elkin)   Master Derek Barsham
  7.   Somewhere a Voice is calling* (Newton & Tate)   Master Graham Payn
  8.   By that old armchair (Arale Dene)   Master Graham Payn
  9.   Angels ever bright (Handel) (L)   Master Kenneth Purves
10.   Children's Songs (Arensky) a) The Robin, b) A Fable, c) Sad little bird, d) Child & the butterfl   Master Billy Neely
11.   Hark Hark, the lark (Schubert) (L)   Master Michael Morley
12.   Hear my prayer/O for the wings of a dove (Mendelssohn- arr. Leslie Woodgate) (L)   Master Derek Barsham with the High Wycombe Orpheus Male Voice Choir
13.   The Lass with the delicate air (Michael Arne)   Master Michael Morley
14.   How Lovely are Thy Dwellings (Liddel)   Master Kenneth Purves
15.   Exultate Jubilate* (Mozart) (L)   Master Donald Collup
16.   Birdsong at Eventide (Barrie-Coates)   Master Robert Harris
17.   Nursery Scene, Boris Godounov (Moussorgsky)   Master Derek Barsham & Norman Lumsden, bass
Recorded 30 Apl. 1947 (AR11093 & 11094), with Gladys Palmer, contralto, Norman Lumsden, bass & London Symphony Orchestra cond. Stanford Robinson. Issued June 1947 on Decca K.1601. ["Better Land" the two parts separately in vols. 3 & 4]
18.   Father who hast made us brothers (Baron)   Master Derek Barsham
19.   Coventry Carol (Traditional, arr. Moore) (L)   Master Billy Neely
20.   The Holy City (Adams-Weatherly) (L)   Master Derek Barsham
Email   Available from the producer, StephenRBeet. See special offer. StephenRBeet@gmail.com
Robert Harris - The Better Land - Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1914-1944
The Better Land - Great Boy Sopranos Recorded 1914-1944 (Amphion PHI CD 158, CD) 1999
Featuring The Better Land Series   Denis Barthel   John Bonner   Master Gordon Carter   Master (Arthur) Iwan Davies   Master Leslie Day   Frederick (John) Firth   Robert Harris   Aled Jones   Derrick Jones   Walter Lawrence   Trevor Schofield   Morris Stevens   Thomas Tweedy   Denis Wright  
The celebrated series of CD albums featuring the boy sopranos of the past. This volume is now deleted but replaced by the double CD volume The Better Land Volumes 1 & 2. See above.
  1.   The Better Land (Hemans-Cowen) (L)   Denis Wright
  2.   I Hear You Calling Me (Harford-Marshall) (L)   Leslie Day
  3.   He was Despised (Handel) (L)   Denis Barthel
  4.   Who is Sylvia? (Schubert ­ arr. Geehl)   Robert Harris
  5.   O Lord Whose Mercies Numberless (Handel) (L)   Frederick Firth
  6.   Somewhere a Voice is Calling(Newton & Tate)   John Bonner
  7.   God Shall Wipe Away all Tears(Sullivan) (L)   Morris Stevens
  8.   O For the Wings of a Dove (Mendelssohn) (L)   Gordon Carter
  9.   Serenade (Schubert)   Frederick Firth
10.   Smilin' Through (Arthur A. Penn) (L)   Derrick Jones
11.   Spring Morning (Carey)   Walter Lawrence
12.   If there were dreams to sell (Ireland) (L)   Frederick Firth
13.   Christopher Robin is saying his prayers (Milne- Fraser-Simson) (L)   Denis Wright
14.   By an Old Abbey Door (Towers, Leon, Nicholls)   Thomas Tweedy
15.   Goodnight Said the Cuckoo (P.B. Harding)   Trevor Schofield
16.   O Little Town of Bethlehem (H. Walford Davies) (L)   Denis Barthel
17.   The Last Rose of Summer (Thomas Moore) (L)   Denis Wright
18.   My Heart Ever Faithful (Bach) (L)   Frederick Firth
19.   Nymphs & Shepherds (Purcell)   John Bonner
20.   Market Square (Fraser-Simpson) (L)   Denis Wright
21.   The Holy City (Adams Weatherley) (L)   Iwan Davies
22.   For you alone (P.J.O'Reilly-Henry Geehl) (L)   Leslie Day
Email   Purchase from Stephen Beet Individual CD's £10 each plus postage. The Better Land set of 6 CD's is available from StephenRBeet@gmail.com Price £55 plus postage. Included in this offer is a FREE copy of "The Better Land - In search of the Lost Boy Sopranos" (retail value £10) Paypal address: beetstphn@aol.com
Books Compact | Full
Robert Harris - Better Land, The: In Search of the Lost Boy Sopranos
Better Land, The: In Search of the Lost Boy Sopranos (Rectory Press , Book) April 2005
Featuring The Better Land Series   Temple Church Choir   Clifford Adams   Derek Barsham   Denis Barthel   John Bonner   Richard Bonsall   Alan Bradbrook   Master John Brookman   Richard Brown   Master Gordon Carter   Master (Arthur) Iwan Davies   Master Leslie Day   Robin Fairhurst   Frederick (John) Firth   Michael Ginn   John Gwilym Griffith(s)   Robert Harris   Michael Hartnett   Aled Jones   Beverley Jones   Raymond Kinsey   Harold Langston   Ernest Lough   Robin Lough   Thomas Meddings   Brian Moody   Billy Neely   Graham Payn   Robert Duncan Peel   Kenneth Purves   The Choir of the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy   Steffani and his Silver Songsters   Thomas Tweedy   Denis Wright  
By Stephen Beet. Features much newly-discovered material, telling the often very human stories of the boys behind the voices, at the height of their singing careers and in their later lives. Copiously illustrated with many previously-unpublished photographs and manuscript samples, with a Foreword by Peter Purves.

As well as chapters on Iwan Davies, Derek Barsham, and Denis Wright, amongst others there are also chapters under the following headings: The Temple Boys, The Manchester Boys, The Music Hall Boys, The Fleeting Boys, and The Broadcast Boys.

This book is available directly from the author: Contact StephenRBeet@gmail.com Price £10 plus postage

This book is available for the cost of postage and packing only if the set of six The Better Land CD albums is ordered.
Email   Stephen Beet The book costs £10 plus postage. Cheque or PayPal.
This page last modified on Saturday, June 04, 2011
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