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  Robin Fairhurst    (b. 1941) Boy Soprano Soloist 
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Robin Fairhurst Robin Fairhurst was born in London in 1941. Already a singer with considerable experience, at the age of 14 he was selected to be the first Head Boy when the choir at London's Temple Church was re-established in 1955. At the Temple, he made a great impression as a soloist and remained Head Boy until his voice broke in 1957 at the age of sixteen.
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Featured Recordings Compact | Full
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Hymns: The Lord's my Shepherd / There is a green hill far away (Decca F.10336, 78 RPM) July 1954
Featuring Robin Fairhurst  
A: The Lord's my Shepherd (hymn: wds of Psalm 23 from "Scottish Psalter" of 1650 - tune "Crimond" by Jessie Seymour Irvine (1836-87) in "The Northern Psalter" (1872) where credited to the arranger David Grant, but now acknowledged to be by Irvine) (matrix DR19120)
B: There is a green hill far away (hymn: wds Cecil Frances Humphreys (afterwards Mrs Alexander) (1818-95), publ. 1848 in "Hymns for Little Children" (pp. 31f; no music) where the first lines run "There is a green hill far away, /Beside a ruined city wall" rather than the now familiar ". . . without a city wall" (HA&M) - tune "Horsley" by William Horsley (1774-1858), publ. in "Twenty-Four Psalm Tunes" (1844)) (DR19119)
Both rec. 24 May 1954, Kingsway Hall, London, accomp. Charles Smart, organ.

In a brief review in "The Gramophone" (Sept. 1954, p. 167) W.A. Chislett calls this a "very desirable" disc. "No one can quite replace Master Ernest Lough either in artistry or quality of tone, but Master Robin Fairhurst is the nearest approach I have heard for some time."

At this session a "special recording for Lord Beaverbrook" was made of A Few More Years Shall Roll (Horatius Bonar-Hayne) (DR.19121).
  Side A -   The Lord's my Shepherd (tune "Crimond")  
  Side B -   There is a green hill far away (tune "Horsley")  
Singles Compact | Full
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Handel: Where e'er you walk / J.S. Bach: Sheep may safely graze (Decca 45-71069, 45rpm Single) May 1955
Featuring Robin Fairhurst  
A: Where e'er you walk (from oratorio "Semele" (1744) by G.F. Handel (1685-1759)) (matrix AR.20042)
B: Sheep may safely graze (from Cantata No. 208 ("Hunt Cantata") (1713) by J.S. Bach (1685-1750), arr. Kramer/Davis) (AR.20043)
Rec. 2 Dec. 1954 & 5 Jan. 1955, Kingsway Hall, London, with Charles Smart, organ.

In a brief review in "The Gramophone" (May 1955, p. 539) W.A. Chislett writes "He sings beautifully."

At these sessions two more (unpublished) recordings were made:
Solemn Melody (Walford Davies arr. West) (DR.20044)
Evensong (Easthope Martin (1882-1925)) (DR.20045)
(Decca archive microfilm in NSA.)
  1.   Where e'er you walk (Handel)  
  2.   Sheep may safely graze (J.S. Bach)  
Other Recordings Compact | Full
Robin Fairhurst - The Better Land Volume 6
The Better Land Volume 6 (Amphion PHI CD 220, CD) May 2007
Featuring The Better Land Series   Frank Bird   Richard Bonsall   Master Vernon Carter   Desmond Casey   Thomas Criddle   John Evans-Pughe   Robin Fairhurst   John Gwilym Griffith(s)   Raymond Kinsey   Walter Lawrence   Michael Lumb   Billy Neely   Christopher Robins   Mansel Squire   The Choir of St. Nicholas' College, Chislehurst   Robert 'Bobby' Waddell  
The Better Land Volume 6, with Master Thomas Criddle's photo on the cover, features some previously unissued recordings and broadcasts from the days when 'bel canto' and 'Old Cathedral Tone' was taught to our finest soloists. In addition to a previously 'lost' recording of Billy Neely, this includes broadcast recordings of Master Robin Fairhurst (Temple Church) and an unpublished recording of Vernon Carter.

The choristers of St Nicholas' College Chislehurst feature by popular request in their famous 'Brother James' Air and O Lovely Peace. Master Thomas Criddle's amazing voice has excited much comment by reviewers and singing teachers.
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This disc is quite remarkable for the wide range of vocal qualities and styles displayed, spanning a period of nearly 60 years. The two tracks by John Gwilym Griffith (new to CD) are alone worth the price of the disc, being sung with exquisite tone, style and feeling. Walter Lawrence, the New York choirboy, shows us in a track from 100 years ago, an amazingly easy vocal mastery of coloratura in "Rejoice Greatly" (Messiah), despite the slightly hurried tempi necessary to fit the (abridged) aria onto a 4-minute disc. The French song on his other track is another example of excellent technique and breath control. Thomas Criddle again shows a very attractive, pure, clear voice and good style in his May 1943 items. Frank Bird (also newly on CD), sounding younger than his 15¼ years, is a fine example of the English parish choirboy between the wars. Other tracks are perhaps not quite as pleasurable, but rewarding in their own way as historically illustrative. Michael Lumb and John Evans-Pugh sing in an over-refined or "precious" manner now outdated and probably not to most tastes. Robin Fairhurst lacks the necessary "steel" in his voice and has less than ideal breath control, while Raymond Kinsey (so prized in volumes 4 & 5) here sounds tired in a laboured account of Gounod's "Ave Maria". Mansel Squire's rendering of "I know that my Redeemer liveth" (Messiah) is rather curious: worryingly hesitant and inexpressive, without the progress from conviction in the opening lines, through triumph to awe and wonder at Divine grace, which the very best singers bring to the piece. He is not helped by an uninspiring organ accompaniment. One can only assume that limited studio time precluded a re-take. In summary, with a total playing time of 76 minutes this is a valuable document for those interested in the singing styles of boy soloists (both choristers and entertainers) since the earliest days of recording and the disc bears repeated careful listening. BJP
  1.   That Old-Fashioned Mother of Mine (David / Nicholls)   Master Thomas Criddle
  2.   I give thanks for you (Linton / Young)   Master Thomas Criddle
  3.   Rejoice Greatly (Handel -- The Messiah)   Master Walter Lawrence
  4.   Come unto Him (Handel -- The Messiah)   Master Robert Waddell
  5.   How beautiful are the feet (Handel -- The Messiah)   Master John Gwilym Griffith
  6.   I know that my Redeemer liveth (Handel -- The Messiah)   Master Mansel Squire
  7.   Danny Boy (F.E. Weatherly / Old Irish tune Londonderry Air)   Master Desmond Casey
  8.   Drink to me only with thine eyes (Ben Jonson / traditional English air)   Master John Gwilym Griffith
  9.   Brother James' Air (Psalm 23 / Marosa by J.L.M. Bain, arr. G. Jacobs)   Masters Michael Lumb & John Evans-Pughe
10.   O lovely peace (Handel -- Judas Maccabeus)   Masters John Evans-Pughe & Michael Lumb and the Choristers of St. Nicholas' College, Chiselhurst, Kent.
11.   Song of Songs (Lucas / Moya)   Master Frank Bird
12.   Villanelle (The Lark's Song, sung in French) (F. van der Elst / Eva Dell'Acqua)   Master Walter Lawrence
13.   A Tragic Story (Thackeray / Britten)   Master Billy Neely. Recording issued for the first time.
14.   Sheep may safely graze (Bach BWV208)   Master Robin Fairhurst
15.   Where e'er you walk (Handel -- Semele)   Master Robin Fairhurst
16.   The Tailor and the Mouse (traditional)   Master Robin Fairhurst. Recording issued for the first time.
17.   Ave Maria (sung in English) (Gounod)   Master Raymond Kinsey
18.   Turn Thy Face from my Sins (Attwood)   Master Vernon Carter. Recording issued for the first time.
19.   Tell Me, Lovely Shepherd (E. Moore / W. Boyce -- Solomon)   Master Christopher Robins. Recording issued for the first time.
20.   Santa Lucia   Master Richard Bonsall
21.   Daddy (Mark-Lemon / Behrend)   Master Thomas Criddle
22.   I shall be there (Bowler / Haydn Wood)   Master Thomas Criddle
Email   Stephen Beet Order directly from Stephen Beet to avail of the special price: Each CD is £10 plus postage.
The Better Land set of six CDs is £55 plus postage. (This includes a copy of Mr. Beet's book "The Better Land - In search of the lost boy sopranos." Please contact Mr. Beet StephenRBeet@gmail.com. PayPal address: beetstphn@aol.com Prices quoted in Euro and other currency on request.
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Britten Conducts Britten, Vol 3 (London Decca , CD) May 2006
Featuring Stephen Alexander   Darien Angadi   Stephen Daniels   Emanuel School Boys Chorus   Mark Emney   Robin Fairhurst   Daymond Hares   David Hemmings   Michael Ingram   Barnaby Jago   Colin Morris   David Pinto   Graham Preston   Adrian Thompson   Lyn Vaughan   Wandsworth School Boys' Choir   John Wojciechowski  
10 CD set.
Available at   CD Universe
Robin Fairhurst - Britten: The Little Sweep
Britten: The Little Sweep (London 436 393-2 , CD) July 1993
Featuring Robin Fairhurst   David Hemmings   Michael Ingram   Lyn Vaughan   Wandsworth School Boys' Choir  
A recording made in 1955 by Alleyn's School Choir / English Opera Group Orchestra with David Hemmings (as Sam), Jennifer Vyvyan, Nancy Evans, April Cantelo, Trevor Anthony, Sir Peter Pears, Michael Ingram [Michael Crawford] (as Gay Brook), Marilyn Baker, Robin Fairhurst (as Jonny Crome), Lyn Vaughan, Gabrielle Soskin, Conducted by Benjamin Britten
Books Compact | Full
Robin Fairhurst - 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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