Robert Carr (baritone)
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Robert Carr (12 April 1881 – 20 November 1948) was an English
baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
singer and prolific recording artist. Born in London, he studied at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...
under Bantock Pierrepoint. He recorded under his own name and as variously Richard Condor, William Duncan, Harry Durrant, Robert Durrant, Ernest Gray, Bobby Gray, Robert Oswald, and perhaps some others. His recording repertoire was varied ranging from popular songs of the day, sentimental songs, hymns and sacred songs, British patriotic songs (particularly during the First World War) as well as Classical music, most notably a complete recording of
Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...
's ''Faust'' in 1929 under Sir
Thomas Beecham Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, (29 April 18798 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philh ...
under the Columbia label. He also took part in recordings of several
Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...
operettas as well as
Edward German Sir Edward German (born German Edward Jones; 17 February 1862 – 11 November 1936) was an English musician and composer of Welsh descent, best remembered for his extensive output of incidental music for the stage and as a successor to Arthur S ...
's '' Merrie England'' under the direction of Joe Batten. Shortly after the ''
Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...
'' disaster in 1912 he recorded two songs (on both sides of the same record), "Stand by your Post" and "Be British" in memory of the victims. The proceeds from the record's sales went towards helping the victims' families. This was one of the earliest examples of producing recordings to raise funds for charitable causes and it is one that has been continued in subsequent years, most notably with
Live Aid Live Aid was a two-venue benefit concert and music-based fundraising initiative held on Saturday, 13 July 1985. The event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia, a m ...
in the 1980s and
Bob Geldof Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved popularity as part ...
's record Feed the World to raise money for victims of the Ethiopia Famine in 1984. This was the continuation of a tradition that had its origins with Robert Carr's Titanic record. During the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
(where he served in the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
) he recorded a number of songs as part of the recruiting effort and to bolster morale, most notably "We Must All Fall In" and "Laddie in Khaki", composed by
Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...
. In addition to being a recording, concert and opera singer, Robert Carr was also a leading figure with concert parties which provided light entertainment at British holiday resorts in the years before the Second World War. He owned one such party called the Georgians. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Robert Carr worked for
ENSA The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, ...
, an organisation which provided entertainment for British servicemen serving in the war. After the war, he also taught singing at his old music college, the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...
. He died in
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
, England on 20 November 1948. The detective novelist Antony Carr was his son and Australian newsreader
Susannah Carr Susannah Carr (born 21 July 1952) is an Australian television news presenter. Since 1985, Carr has co-presented Seven News in Perth with Rick Ardon. The pair are recognised by ''Guinness World Records'' as the world's longest-serving TV news a ...
his granddaughter.


Recordings

Recordings include: * ''
Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...
: Faust'' Harold Williams (baritone), Robert Carr (baritone), Robert Easton (bass),
Muriel Brunskill Muriel Lucy Brunskill (18 December 1899 – 18 February 1980) was an English contralto of the mid-twentieth century. Her career included concert, operatic and recital performance from the early 1920s until the 1950s. She worked with many of the ...
(contralto) Clarence Raybould (conductor) Dutton Laboratories * ''So Near The Kingdom (Sacred)'' Robert Carr - Ethel Toms Contralto, Baritone Duet - Orch. Acc.
Gennett Gennett Records () was an American record company and label in Richmond, Indiana, United States, which flourished in the 1920s and produced the Gennett, Starr, Champion, Superior, and Van Speaking labels. The company also produced some Supertone, ...
9080-B * ''Beautiful Birds, Sing On'' J. Howe / Robert Carr Baritone—Orch. Acc. Gennett 9082-A * ''What Will You Do With Jesus'' Ethel Toms & Robert Carr Contralto, Baritone Duet with Orch. Acc. Gennett 9092-A * ''Hold Thou My Hand'' Robert Carr Baritone with Orch. Acc. Gennett 9092-B * ''The Rosary'' Nevin / Robert Carr Baritone with Orch. Acc. Gennett 4669-A * ''Hiding In Thee'' Robert Carr Baritone Gennett 4674-B * ''The songs my Mother sang'' Winner 2404 * ''All aboard for the bye-bye land'' Winner 2315 * ''Turn On, Old Time'' Cameron, Wilfrid Virgo & Robert Carr, Trio Winner 2349 * ''I am the King of Spain'' Wilfrid Virgo & Robert Carr, Duet * ''Come sing to me'' Winner 2111 * ''Stand by your Post'' ''Be British'' Winner 2144 (the "Titanic" record) * ''We were Sweethearts'' Winner 2247


References


External links


Discography


{{DEFAULTSORT:Carr, Robert 1881 births 1948 deaths English operatic baritones Gennett Records artists 20th-century English male singers 20th-century English singers