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Track(s) taken from CDA67290

The old house

First line:
Lonely I wander through scenes of my childhood
composer
Sir Frederick O'Connor (1870-1943)
1935
author of text
Sir Frederick O'Connor (1870-1943)

Sir Thomas Allen (baritone), Malcolm Martineau (piano)
Recording details: January 2001
Champs Hill, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: February 2002
Total duration: 2 minutes 20 seconds

Cover artwork: Psyche Entering Cupid’s Garden (1903). John William Waterhouse (1849-1917)
Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, Lancashire / Bridgeman Images
 

Reviews

‘A persuasive case for the often sublime artistry of the humble parlour song … I found no trouble at all in listening to in continuously from start to finish. That no doubt has also much to do with the great gifts and skills of both artists’ (Gramophone)

‘Thomas Allen recalls happy evenings round the family piano and offers this well sung collection, which will strike a lost chord with many’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Done stylishly … by a great singer with a gorgeous voice’ (American Record Guide)

‘I was amazed, listening to the rich warmth of Thomas Allen's voice, just how many of these songs I knew … Popular, enduring tunes encapsulating a golden era, honestly performed by one of the great baritones of our age’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Recording and presentation are first rate … strongly recommended’ (MusicWeb International)

‘There is a warm and intimate feeling about Allen’s treatment of these songs … Malcolm Martineau’s accompaniments are exemplary’ (Opera News)

‘Our focus is on Allen’s strong, full-voiced renditions that rarely fail to ingratiate and impress … this is music for everyone’ (Classics Today)
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Frederick O’Connor was a distinguished soldier, who served in India for many years. A prisoner of war in Persia in World War I, he served on special duties in Siberia in 1918 and was British Envoy in Nepal from 1921 to 1925. He was knighted on his retirement from the Indian Political Department in 1925, after which he pursued widespread interests. He was a close friend of Walt Disney and British royalty, and his keen interest in music led to the composition of published songs. These included ‘The Old House’, which is another that owes its popularity to having been recorded—in November 1939—by John McCormack. The song recalls an old cottage in Ireland where a childhood nanny of O’Connor’s lived.

from notes by Andrew Lamb © 2002

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