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  Denis Wright    (b. 15 July 1926) Boy Soprano Soloist 
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Denis Wright Denis Wright, the inspiration for 'The Better Land', sadly died on Thursday 14th January 2010 aged eighty-three following a very short illness; he had been in hospital for only a few days. Shortly before he died Denis wrote a last contribution which will be published shortly in Stephen Beet's forthcoming book "A Voice for Boys - The key to the Better Land". In it he writes that he wishes his and the example of the other boy sopranos featured on The Better Land CD's will continue to inspire a new generation of boy singers.
Related Sites
Capital date for Skegby singer (Nov 2007)
Church Times Obituries
This obituary by Stephen Beet appeared in the Church Times
The Better Land

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Featured Recordings Compact | Full
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Cowen: The Better Land / Fraser-Simson: Christopher Robin is saying his prayers (HMV C.3313 (12-inch), 78 RPM) December 1942
Featuring Denis Wright  
A: The Better Land (incipit: I hear thee speak of the Better Land.) (song, 1877: wds Mrs Felicia Dorothea Hemans (nee Browne) (1793-1835) - music Frederic Hymen Cowen (1852-1935), arr. Doris Arnold) (matrix 2EA9011-1)
B: Christopher Robin is saying his prayers (please see Billy Neely's page for details of this song) (2EA9010-2)
Both rec. July 1942 at the Grand Theatre, Llandudno, Wales with Doris Arnold's Kentucky Minstrels & Robinson Cleaver (organ), cond. by Leslie Woodgate.
Both pieces are now on Amphion CD "The Better Land" vol. 1.
  Side A -   The Better Land (Cowen)  
  Side B -   Christopher Robin is saying his prayers (Fraser-Simson)  
no cover
Uncle Mac's Favourite Hymns - First series (HMV BD.978/9 (10-inch), 78 RPM) December 1941
Featuring Denis Wright  
Uncle Mac's Favourite Hymns - First series
BD.978 0ER573-2, 574-2,
All things bright and beautiful
There's a friend for little children
[Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep]

BD.979 0ER575-1, 576-1
Once in Royal David's City
[The King of Love My Shepherd Is]
[Onward Christian Soldiers]
[Now the day is over]
Rec. 9th Nov. 1941 at the Colston Hall, Bristol with the Greenbank Children's Choir, Frank A. Taylor (organ); Uncle David (piano); conducted by Leslie Woodgate & introduced by Uncle Mac.

These hymns were sung in abridged versions and those NOT shown above in brackets were reissued on Amphion CD "The Better Land" vol. 2

Uncle Mac of BBC Radio's Children's Hour was Derek Ivor Breashur McCullock (1897-1967), who worked for the BBC between 1926 & 1950. Uncle David was William Eric Davis (1908-96).
no cover
Moore: 'Tis the last Rose of Summer / Schubert: Cradle Song (HMV B.9231 (10-inch), 78 RPM) November 1941
Featuring Denis Wright  
A: 'Tis the last Rose of Summer (incipit as title) (wds & music Thomas Moore (1779-1852) in "A Selection of Irish Melodies" vol. 3, no. 1 [vol. 5], pp. 14-17 (Dec. 1813) - tune there named as "The Groves of Blarney" (apparently also known c. 1790 to a doggerel ballad "Castle Hyde"; as well as "Aisling an Oig-fhir" or "The Young Man's Dream")) (matrix 0EA9528-1: first two verses only)
B: Cradle Song (incipit: Slumber, slumber, sweetest dearest treasure.) (orig. Ger. wds anon. - wrongly attrib. to Matthias Claudius (1740-1815) - here sung partly in the English free transl. by Maria X. Hayes (1910) see below - music F.P. Schubert (1797-1828): "Wiegenlied" (incipit: Schlafe, schlafe, holder süsser Knabe.), comp. Nov. 1816, D498) (0EA9526-1)
Both rec. 4 Oct. 1941 with Gerald Moore, piano.
Both items now on Amphion CDs "The Better Land" vols. 1 & 2 respectively.

Review by HDR [Harold Rosenthal?] in "The Gramophone" (Nov. 1941, p. 99): "The newcomer's voice has not the absolutely even, drawn-thread quality of Lough's. It is more of a true soprano, with the slightest tremolo, which makes it very attractive. The Schubert Cradle Song is altogether charming, and is sung with the quiet ease of a real lullaby - so many of them stray into the concert hall or opera house by mistake. The Last Rose of Summer is, of course, a famous song. Madame Patti was very fond of it; but the sentiments seem odd from the lips of the young. In listening to the record, I could not help thinking of Master Wilkins Micawber, who, 'as an alternative between that and bed, sang us The Woodpecker Tapping.' "
It is worth quoting more fully the passage referred to, in Dicken's novel "David Copperfield" (1849-50), ch. 36. Mr Micawber is speaking: " 'It is my intention, my dear Copperfield, to educate my son [a boy of 12 or 13] for the Church; I will not deny that I should be happy, on his account, to attain to eminence.' 'For the Church?' said I [. . .] 'Yes,' said Mr. Micawber. 'He has a remarkable head-voice, and will commence as a chorister. Our residence at Canterbury, and our local connexion, will, no doubt, enable him to take advantage of any vacancy that may arise in the Cathedral corps.' On looking at Master Micawber again, I saw that he had a certain expression of face, as if his voice were behind his eyebrows; where it presently appeared to be, on his singing us (as an alternative between that and bed) 'The Wood-Pecker tapping.' "
The song referred to is Moore's "Ballad Stanzas" of 1804 (publ. 1806) set to music as "The Wood-Pecker" in 1814 - about ten years before the time of the story - by the famous Irish tenor Michael Kelly (1762-1826), which includes the much repeated words: "And I heard not a sound but the wood-pecker tapping the hollow beech-tree."

Text of English version of the Cradle Song by Hayes (1910 score) with brackets ( ) around passages varied by Wright:
"Slumber, slumber, (dearest, sweetest) [sings: sweetest, dearest] treasure, Rock'd so gently by thy mother's hand; Soft repose and tranquil pleasure Soothe thee with the lulling cradle band. / Slumber, slumber, in sweet dreams reposing, (While protects thee thy fond) mother's arm; All her riches here enclosing, (Holds she in her clasp so true and warm.) Slumber, slumber on thy downy pillow (Love's hymn round thee music sweet shall make;) And a lily and a rosebud Shall reward thee when thou dost awake."
 [Wright's substituted words are not all enunciated clearly enough to transcribe.]
  Side A -   'Tis the last Rose of Summer (Moore)  
  Side B -   Cradle Song (Schubert D498)  
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Boughton: The Faery Song / Ronald: Down in the Forest (Spring) (HMV B.9256 (10-inch) (unissued), 78 RPM) 1941
Featuring Denis Wright  
This disc was scheduled for release in Feb. 1942 but cancelled, presumably due to material shortages because of WWII.

A: The Faery Song (incipit: How beautiful they are, the lordly ones who dwell in the hills.) (song, publ. 1919, from music drama "The Immortal Hour" by Rutland Boughton (1878-1960), composed 1912-13, with wds by Fiona Macleod (pseud. of William Sharp, 1855-1905) adapted by the composer) (matrix 0EA9681-1)
B: Down in the Forest (Spring) (incipit: Down in the forest something stirred, so faint that I scarcely heard.) (wds Harold Simpson - music Landon Ronald (surname orig. Russell, 1873-1938): "A Cycle of Life. Five Songs" (1906), no. 2)
(0EA9684-1)
Both rec. 30 Dec. 1941 with Gerald Moore, piano.
  Side A -   The Faery Song (Boughton) (L)  
  Side B -   Down in the Forest (Spring) (Ronald) (L)  
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Fraser-Simson: Market Square (HMV unissued on 78 rpm, 78 RPM) 1941
Featuring Denis Wright  
Market Square (incipit: I had a penny, a bright new penny. I took my penny to the market square.) (wds Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956), poem publ. in "Punch" 26 March 1924, then in book "When we were very young" (1924) - music Harold Fraser-Simson (1872-1944), in "Fourteen songs from 'When we were very young' " (1924), pp. 22f.) (matrix 10-inch 0EA9529)
Rec. 4 Oct. 1941 with Gerald Moore, piano.
Now on Amphion CD "The Better Land" vol. 1.

Although rather dimly recorded and transferred to CD from a worn test pressing, this recording (like "The last Rose of Summer") is cleanly and expressively sung with limpid tone, excellent timing and good characterization in the vendors' cries.
  Side A -   Market Square (Fraser-Simson)  
no cover
Unpublished recordings where matrices are believed to exist (HMV unissued on 78 rpm, 78 RPM) 1941
Featuring Denis Wright  
Test recordings made at Abbey Road Studio No. 3 on 20 Aug. 1941 with piano accompaniment by Harry Smith:
Ave Maria (matrix 2EA9453-1)
The Last Rose of Summer (0EA9454-1)
Cradle Song (0EA9455-1)
[The last two items were re-recorded in Oct. 1941 for issue.]

Unissued recordings of session on 4 Oct. 1941 at Abbey Road Studio No. 1A with piano accompaniment by Gerald Moore:
Believe me if all those endearing young charms (0EA9527-1,-2),
Ave Maria (2EA9530-1)

Unissued recordings of session on 30 Dec. 1941 at Abbey Road Studio No. 3 with piano accompaniment by Gerald Moore:
Jeanie with the light brown hair (0EA9682-1,-2)
Holy Night (0EA9683-1,-2)
On Wings of Song (0EA9685-1,-2)
Other Recordings Compact | Full
Denis Wright - The Better Land Volume 2: Great Boy Sopranos 1930 - 1950
The Better Land Volume 2: Great Boy Sopranos 1930 - 1950 (Amphion PHI CD 159, CD) 2000
Featuring Derek Barsham   The Better Land Series   Billy Neely   Denis Barthel   Harold Langston   Thomas Meddings   Graham Payn   Temple Church Choir   Denis Wright  
This volume is now deleted but replaced by the double CD volume The Better Land Volumes 1 & 2. See above.
  1.   Jerusalem (Parry-Blake) (L)   Master Denis Barthel
  2.   Silent Worship (Handel-Somervell) (L)   Master Derek Barsham
  3.   Passing By (E. Purcell-Herrick) (L)   Master Derek Barsham
  4.   Ninepenny Fiddle (Trad- arr. Moore) (L)   Master Billy Neely (1950)
  5.   Lark in the Clear Air (Trad) (L)   Master Billy Neely (1950)
  6.   Cradle Song (Schubert-Claudius)   Master Denis Wright
  7.   I'll Walk Beside You (Murray-Lockton) (L)   Master Derek Barsham
  8.   Beyond the Dawn (Sanderson-Weatherly)   Master Derek Barsham
  9.   The Birds (Britten-Belloc) (L)   Master Billy Neely
10.   Child & the Twilight (arr Moore)   Master Billy Neely (1950)
11.   Remember now thy Creator (Sterndale-Bennett)   Masters Harold Langston & Denis Barthel, with the choir of the Temple Church, London.
Recorded July 1930. Acc. Dr. George Thalben Ball. Unpublished recording 3rd. July 1930.
12.   Lullay Myn Lyking (Trad 15th Cent-Terry) (L)   Master Denis Barthel
13.   Uncle Mac's Favourite Hymns: All Things Bright & Beautiful, There's a Friend for Little Chil   Master Denis Wright with the Greenbank Children's Choir
14.   Hymn that I Sang as a Boy (Miller-Burnaby)   Master Graham Payn
15.   Meadowsweet (April)   Master Graham Payn (1933)
16.   Anchor Song (Smith)   Master Derek Barsham
17.   A Fairy Story by the Fire (Merikanto)   Master Billy Neely
18.   Vergin Tutt 'Amor (Francesco Durante) (L)   Master Billy Neely
19.   Star of Bethlehem (Adams-Weatherly)   Master Derek Barsham
20.   As Pants the Hart (Spohr) (L)   Master Thomas Meddings with the choir of the Temple Church
21.   Il Mio Bel Foco (Benedetto Marcello-Baker)   Master Billy Neely
22.   "The Libertine: Nymphs & Shepherds"   Master Derek Barsham.
Transcription disc of B.B.C. Children's Hour broadcast, with Nancy Phillips, violin. First issue on "Better Land" vol. 2.
23.   Cherry Ripe (Hurn-Herrick) (L)   Master Billy Neely (1949)
24.   Halleluja (Easter Hymn dating from 1623)   Master Denis Barthel
25.   Star of God (Coates-Murray) (L)   Master Derek Barsham.
Recorded 3 or 4 May 1946 with piano accomp. Live direct-disc recording at the Royal Albert Hall during the Boys' Brigade Annual Display, Physical Phantasmagoria. First issue on "Better Land" vol. 2.
Review at   The Better Land
Email   Purchase from Stephen Beet
Denis Wright - 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
Denis Wright - 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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