Alfred Deller
Alfred Deller was the first renowned countertenor. As a child, Deller studied voice first with his father as a boy soprano, and when his voice changed he continued his singing as a countertenor. He joined the Canterbury Cathedral choir in 1940, where Michael Tippett heard him and invited him to London to make his debut. He came to the attention of the English public after a 1946 radio broadcast of Purcell's Come, ye sons of art, away. During the early years of his career, he concentrated on performing English Baroque and pre-Baroque composers such as Purcell and Dowland. In 1950 he formed the Deller Consort, a group that dedicated itself to performing early music using authentic performance practice. For many years, the group toured Europe and the Americas, bringing the music of this period to a new public. In 1964, Deller's son, Mark, joined the Deller Consort, also as a countertenor. Deller founded the Stour Music Festival in 1963 in order to have another venue for his Consort and to team with other early music specialists such as Franz Bruggen and Gustav Leonhardt. In 1960, he sang the role of Oberon in the premiere of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. This was the first important countertenor role in opera of the 20th century. He repeated the role at Covent Garden Opera House, London, the following year. Other composers who wrote works specifically for Deller include Fricker, Mellers, Ridout, and Rubbra. In 1970, he was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He died while on vacation in Italy.
Alfred Deller set the standard for countertenors for many years. His voice was very light with a wonderful lyric quality. He was most effective in the more contemplative pieces, but when necessary he was able to sing very florid pieces extremely well. Although he could sing the dramatic arias of Handel, he never allowed his voice to be pushed beyond its basically light sound. Deller's recordings cover the entire range of his repertoire from the lute songs of Dowland to Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream with many stops along the way. Without Alfred Deller, the international recognition of countertenor voice might not have come as quickly as it did.
© TiVo
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Couperin: Leçons de ténèbres pour le mercredy
Alfred Deller, Raphaël Perulli, Michel Chapuis, Philip Todd
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 1, 1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Purcell : King Arthur (The Deller Consort and Choir - The King's Musick - Alfred Deller)
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 1, 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alfred Deller: Portrait of a Legend
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 1, 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Art Of Alfred Deller: The Counter-tenor Legacy
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Musical Concepts on Jan 1, 1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Folksongs
Alfred Deller, Desmond Dupré, Mark Deller
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 1, 1972
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gibbons: Anthems, Madrigals & Fantasies / Morley: Madrigals
Alfred Deller, Violen-Ensemble Der Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, August Wenzinger
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon Classics on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alfred Deller: Madrigals, Complete Deller Vol. 5
Classical - Released by Musical Concepts on May 19, 2009
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The Legendary Alfred Deller and his Consort: The Best of Christmas Music
Alfred Deller, Musica Antiqua Wien
Classical - Released by Menuetto Classics on Nov 30, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
"O Ravishing Delight" English Ayres
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 1, 1969
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Machaut: Messe Notre Dame
Classical - Released by Deutsche Harmonia Mundi on Jan 1, 1961
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Purcell: Songs and Sacred Arias
Classical - Released by Regis Records on Jan 1, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Purcell: Welcome to All the Pleasures
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lute Songs; Purcell: Come, Ye Sons Of Art
Ensemble Orchestral de L'Oiseau-Lyre, Anthony Lewis, Alfred Deller
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on Aug 16, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best of Alfred Deller
Classical - Released by Past Classics on Dec 1, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blow: Ode on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 15, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Madrigal Masterpieces
Classical - Released by Omega Vanguard on Jul 17, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne & Three Coronation Odes
Alfred Deller, Oriana Concert Choir, Oriana Concert Orchestra
Classical - Released by Vanguard Classics on Dec 9, 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
DHM Spendeurs: Machaut:Messe Nostre Dame à 4
Classical - Released by Deutsche Harmonia Mundi on Jan 1, 1961
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chant grégorien (Deller Consort, Alfred Deller)
Sacred Vocal Music - Released by harmonia mundi on Nov 15, 1972
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Holly and the Ivy
Christmas Music - Released by Vanguard on Aug 22, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Purcell: King Arthur (excerpts) (Deller Consort, Alfred Deller)
Classical - Released by harmonia mundi on Jan 1, 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo