Review: Cylinder recording Daniel Wigg 1909

Subject: Review: Cylinder recording Daniel Wigg 1909
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 09:45 AM

In the course of my research, I came across this recording made by RVW in 1909. I was amazed at the quality of the recording and the ability of the singer. I was familiar with his name and songs but I had not heard this particular recording before. I thought you might like it. You may need to scroll along to the last entry in the search results to hear him sing 'The Death of Nelson' I think melodically his tune (which seems to be a variant of Polly Vaughn) has the edge over Harry Cox's tune, but that's just my opinion. See what you think.
Remember to scroll to the right until the very last entry.

https://www.vwml.org/search?q=RN1552&hasmedia=1&is=1

Subject: RE: Review: Cylinder recording Daniel Wigg 1909
From: Reinhard
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 05:52 PM

At the bottom of that entry is a "Permanent URL" to access it directly without having to scroll: https://www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN30699

Subject: RE: Review: Cylinder recording Daniel Wigg 1909
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 06:35 PM

Yes, thanks, Reinhard. Listening closely to the recording, the singer, despite being 83 at the time uses some inventive structural variations, and pauses, and is very confident. I imagine he was an exemplary singer when he was younger. RVW was not noted for taking his singers seriously as performers, and sometimes would not bother with their names. In the case of this song, he noted in the FSJ that 'The rest of the words were not worth publication'. I think this is a gem of a recording and there is a lot to learn from the performance.

Subject: RE: Review: Cylinder recording Daniel Wigg 1909
From: RTim
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 09:43 PM

It is Not 100% certain that the Cylinder was recorded by Vaughan Williams....some of us believe it was Dr. George Gardiner who made these recordings toward the end of his life and in the last year that he collected in Hampshire.
It is clear from the EFDSS Journals that Vaughan Williams transcribed the tune from the cylinder recording...but there is No proof that Williams did the actual recording. This is only one of several songs that have Cylinders, and they are all disputed.
Gardiner was to die very early the following year...and Williams held sway elsewhere....

I guess in the end....it doesn't matter, however I am one who believes we owe a great debt of gratitude to Gardiner for the work he did in Hampshire..it was his Major contribution to the genre....Williams gained fame from his other works...

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Review: Cylinder recording Daniel Wigg 1909
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 23 Feb 24 - 08:37 AM

Agreed.