Glasgow Orpheus Choir

The recent post from the King's College Choir got me thinking about other choral music I might feature, and this old HMV issue came to hand - a record I had not listened to.

The Glasgow Orpheus Choir was quite famous in its day, at least in Britain and to some degree the US. The ensemble lasted until the retirement of its founder, Sir Hugh Roberton, in 1951. These recordings were made, as far as I can tell, in the immediate post-war period.

The self-regarding notes from Roberton, included below, suggest that the choir was quite beloved, and that may be. However, its charms seem distinctly faded by the passing of the years. Sir Hugh's comments indicate that he was pleased that the choir disbanded upon his retirement. He doesn't mention that many of its members continued as the Glasgow Phoenix Choir, which continues to this day.

[August 2019 addendum: The choir was much better than I had recognized a decade ago. A new remastering shows off its quality. I've banded Roberton's annoying introductions so you can ignore them if you wish.]