BCSD - John Hahessy (John Elwes)

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John Hahessy [John Elwes] (b. 20 October 1946)

Boy Alto Soloist

English tenor John Elwes began his musical career at Westminster Cathedral in London where he was Head Chorister. Under the name John Hahessy, he had considerable success as a boy alto – from BBC broadcasts and recordings, to concerts with conductors such as Benjamin Britten, who dedicated his Corpus Christi Carol to him. At the age of 14 he sang the part of Isaac in the world premiere recording of Britten's canticle Abraham and Isaac with the composer and Peter Pears.

John Elwes has a busy concert and operatic life, mostly in Europe, performing with conductors such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Roger Norrington, Joshua Rifkin, and Christopher Hogwood. He has participated in more than 100 recordings. Notable among these are Dowland's First Book of Ayres, Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin, Purcell's The Tempest with Gardiner, Bach's Saint Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and B-Minor Mass (BWV 232) with Gustav Leonhardt, Honegger's Le Roi David with Corboz, and Händel's Messiah with Masaaki Suzuki.

— bach-cantatas.com

Full name originally John Joseph Hahessy. After studying under George Malcolm at Westminster Cathedral he went to the Royal College of Music. From age 14 he lived with the family of the tenor George Elwes (d. 1921) and later took their surname. Made his debut as a tenor in 1968 at a Promenade Concert performance of Vaughan Williams' "Serenade to Music". Since the late 1970s he has lived in France.

Related Sites

Profile at Bach-Cantatas.com

Search Google for 'John Hahessy': Web - Images

Singles

Compact | Full

John Hahessy - Songs from Friday Afternoons

Songs from Friday Afternoons (Argo EAF 18, 45rpm Single) 1961

Featuring John Hahessy
Includes five of the twelve 'Songs', however the record does include "The Birds" (1929) and a new arrangement, by the composer, of his "Corpus Christi Carol", from "A Boy was Born" (1933). It was arranged specially for Hahessy. Michael Berkeley is "The Cuckoo".

1. The Birds, A New Year Carol, Corpus Christi Carol
2. I mun be married on Sunday, Cuckoo!, Fishing Song, There was a monkey
3. Abraham and Isaac (Britten)		with Peter Pears

Britten: Missa Brevis (Decca CEP 654, 45rpm Single) 1960

Featuring John Hahessy Michael Ronayne Westminster Cathedral Choir Kenneth Willes
Director: George Malcolm At Christmas in 1958, Benjamin Britten went to hear the boys of the Westminster Cathedral Choir sing his Ceremony of Carols conducted by George Malcolm. He was so impressed by their voices, he wanted to write something for them. The result is the Missa Brevis, recorded here for the first time.

Other Recordings

Compact | Full

Britten Rarities (Eloquence 4802296, CD) July 2012

Featuring John Hahessy King's College Choir, Cambridge
This collection brings together rarities and surprises from the Decca/Argo Britten discography, a collection notable as much for the infrequency with which much of this music is performed, as it is for the fact that many of these are world-premiere recordings of Britten’s music. The source material itself is extremely rare and virtually every recording represented here is, in its LP/EP format, a collector’s item, largely from the Argo catalogue.

The all-vocal program opens with Voices for Today which Britten wrote to mark the 20th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. His devotion to excellent music for children is represented by a collection of songs, including five from Friday Afternoons and sung by the boy alto John Hahessy. This is the first CD issue of these famous 1961 recordings.

1.   Voices for Today, Op. 75 Choir of King's College, Cambridge

2.   I mun be married on Sunday (Songs from Friday Afternoons, Op. 7) John Hahessy, boy alto; Benjamin Britten, piano

3.   Cuckoo! (Songs from Friday Afternoons, Op. 7) John Hahessy, boy alto; Michael Bekeley, treble; Benjamin Britten, piano

4.   Fishing Song (Songs from Friday Afternoons, Op. 7) John Hahessy, boy alto; Benjamin Britten, piano

5.   There was a monkey (Songs from Friday Afternoons, Op. 7) John Hahessy, boy alto; Benjamin Britten, piano

6.   A New Year carol (Songs from Friday Afternoons, Op. 7) John Hahessy, boy alto; Benjamin Britten, piano

7.   The birds John Hahessy, boy alto; Benjamin Britten, piano

8.   A boy was born, Op. 3: Corpus Christi Carol John Hahessy, boy alto; Benjamin Britten, piano

9.   Canticle II: Abraham & Isaac, Op. 51 Norma Procter, contralto; Peter Pears, tenor; Benjamin Britten, piano

10.   Cradle Song (A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano

11.   The Highland Bales (A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano

12.   Sephestia's Lullaby (A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano

13.   A Charm (A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano

14.   The Nurse's Song (A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano

15.   Bottom's Dream (A Midsummer Night's Dream) Sir Geraint Evans, baritone; L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Brian Balkwill

16.   The Sword in the Stone Terence Hanbury White, narrator

17.   Oedipus (Henry Purcell) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano. (Bonus track)

18.   Don Quixote (Henry Purcell) Pamela Bowden, contralto; Peter Gellhorn, piano. (Bonus track)

Available at amazon.com

Available at arkivmusic.com

John Hahessy - Victoria: Responsories for Tenebrae

Victoria: Responsories for Tenebrae (Argo ZRG 5149, LP) 1960

Featuring Westminster Cathedral Choir John Hahessy Michael Ronayne Kenneth Willes
Later releases:
Decca 425 078-2, CD; Argo Eclipse ECS 747, LP 1975; Double Decca 433 914-2, CD 1992
Second Soprano soloist in Victoria's Responsories for Tenebrae recorded in Westminster Cathedral in April 1959 with the Cathedral Choir under the inspired conducting of George Malcolm.

Hahessy is not credited on the CD liner or notes, but was identified in the LP issue on Argo Eclipse ECS 747 (1975), with Michael Ronayne as First Soprano soloist.

John Hahessy - Benjamin Britten: Canticles

Benjamin Britten: Canticles (London 425 716-2LM, CD)

Featuring John Hahessy
Performers:
*John Hahessy (alto)
James Bowman (Countertenor)
Peter Pears (Tenor)
John Shirley-Quirk (Bass)
Barry Tuckwell (Horn)
Osian Ellis (Harp)
Canticles 1-3 originally issued on Argo ZRG 5277

1. Canticle 1 - My beloved is mine
2. Canticle 2 - Abraham and Isaac, Op.51* (L)		John Hahessy, alto, sings the part of Isaac
3. Canticle 3 - Stil falls the rain
4. Canticle 4 - The journey of the Magi
5. Canticle 5 - The death of St. Narcissus
6. Sweeter than roses

Available at Musica Bona

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas (BBC Legends BBCB 8003-2, CD)

Featuring John Hahessy Michael Ronayne
Originally recorded in 1959

Claire Watson, Peter Pears, Jeannette Sinclair, Arda Mandikian, Patricia Clark, Rosemary Philips, John Hahessy, Michael Ronayne, Purcell Singers, English Opera Group Orchestra, George Malcolm, Benjamin Britten.

Hahessy recorded the very short part of Spirit in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas under Britten for the BBC in September 1959.

This page last modified on Tuesday, March 10, 2009