Alfred Deller

Alfred Deller CBE
Born	Alfred George Deller (1912-05-31)31 May 1912 Margate,Kent, England
Died	16 July 1979(1979-07-16)(aged 67) Bologna,Italy
Resting place	All Saints' Church,Boughton Aluph, Kent, England
Occupation	Countertenor
Years active	1940–1979

Alfred Deller's grave atAll Saints' Church, Boughton Aluph

Alfred George Deller,CBE(31 May 1912 – 16 July 1979), was an English singer and one of the main figures in popularising the return of thecountertenorvoice inRenaissanceandBaroque musicduring the 20th century.

He is sometimes referred to as the "godfather of the countertenor".His style in singinglute song,with extensive use ofrubatoand extemporised ornamentation, was seen as radical and controversial in his day but is now considered the norm.

Deller was an influential figure in the renaissance ofearly music:an early proponent of "original instrument performance" and one of the first to bring this form to the popular consciousness through his broadcasts on theBBC.He also founded theStour Music Festivalin 1962,one of the first and most important early music festivals in the world.

Life and career

Church music

Deller was born inMargate,a seaside resort inKent.As a boy, he sang in his local church choir. When his voice broke, he continued singing in his high register, eventually settling as acountertenor.Deller was initially employed as alay clerkatCanterbury Cathedralfrom 1940 to 1947, before joining the choir ofSt. Paul'sCathedral (1947–62).

Solo career

From this choral tradition, Deller emerged as a soloist, largely as a result of the admiration of the composerMichael Tippett,who heard him while at Canterbury and recognised the unique beauty of his voice. Tippett introduced him to the public as a countertenor, rather than a malealto.He also became better known with a radio broadcast ofHenry Purcell'sCome ye Sons of Arton the BBC'sThird Programmewhen this station was launched in 1946. He concentrated on popularising and recording the music of English Baroque and Renaissance music by composers such asJohn Dowlandand Purcell.

Style

Throughout the 19th century, it was only in the tradition of all-male cathedral choirs that the countertenor voice had survived.Deller's voice sounded remarkably high. Misconceptions about the countertenor voice were common at the time Deller was first gaining significant notice as a singer, which was only a matter of decades after the lastcastratohad died;Michael Chancetells the story that once, a French woman, upon hearing Deller sing, exclaimed "Monsieur, vous êtes eunuque" —to which Deller replied, "I think you mean 'unique', Madam."

Deller Consort

In 1948, Deller formed the Deller Consort,a group dedicated tohistorically informed performance.The group recorded music from as early as the 13th century and significantly expanded popular notions of the Baroque repertoire, producing high-quality authentic period performances of the works ofBach,Handel,Purcell, Dowland, and even folk songs.

Membership of the Deller Consort changed over the years, particularly the top line (sopranosApril Cantelo,Honor SheppardandMary Thomas.It included various baritones (especiallyMaurice Bevan) and tenors (especially Philip Todd). From 1964, Alfred Deller's sonMarkwas a member.In 1972, the Deller Consort performed for thePeabody Mason Concertseries in Boston.

Despite his experience directing the consort, Deller's conducting of chamber orchestras attracted some adverse comment regarding technique.

Collaborations

In 1960, Deller sang the role of Oberon in the first production ofBenjamin Britten's operaA Midsummer Night's Dream.Britten wrote this role with Deller specifically in mind, although he was dropped from staged revivals of the work against the composer's wishes, largely because of poor acting technique. The smallness of his voice was also a negative factor in the casting process at Covent Garden.He did record the opera, with the composer conducting in 1967. The 1960 premiere, broadcast by the BBC, is now commercially available and finds Deller in fresher voice;Myfanwy Piperdescribed his singing of Oberon as "unearthly".

LutenistDesmond Dupréperformed with him, initially as a guitarist; other accompanists included harpsichordist and musicologistWalter Bergmann.In later years, he worked with lutenistRobert Spencerand harpsichordistsHarold LesterandWilliam Christie.His recordings include the lute songs of Dowland, operas by Handel, Britten'sA Midsummer Night's Dream,songs and semioperas by Purcell (such asThe Fairy Queen), traditional English folk songs, works byThomas Tallis,and the Bach alto repertoire. He recorded for HMV,VanguardClassics, andHarmonia Mundi.

Deller also sangJohn Blowand Henry Purcell Odes like "Sound the trumpet" fromCome Ye Sons of Artwith the other great counter-tenor of the day,John Whitworth(1921–2013), who is favoured by critic Richard Lawrence for his magnificent voice.

Death

On 16 July 1979, Deller died after aheart attacksuffered whilst working inBolognain Italy. Deller and his wife are buried in the churchyard ofAll Saints' Church, Boughton Aluph,Kent.

Family

Deller married Kathleen Margaret ('Peggy') Lowe (1913–2006) in 1937.They had three children; the eldest,Mark Deller,became an accomplished singer in his own right and frequently performed with his father, for example on the 1972 albumFolksongs.Another son, Simon, trained as a music teacher during the 1960s and taught at Guildford Cathedral choir school, eventually becoming its headmaster.

Honours

Deller was aCommander of the Order of the British Empire.

InCanterbury Cathedral,a tablet in the south quire aisle commemorates Deller and his work.

On 31 May 2012,All Saints' Church, Boughton Aluphheld a concert to celebrate Deller's 100th birthday. There was also an exhibition of paintings and drawings by John Ward, who illustrated many of the early programmes for the music festival.After the concert, the countertenorJames Bowmanplanted a tree in memory of Deller in the churchyard where he is buried.

Selected discography

Deller made at least 136 recordings from 1949 to his death in 1979.His first were for HMV – His Master's Voice Recordings 1949–1954. Then followed 13 years withVanguard Records1954–1967, under the labels The Bach Guild in Europe and Amadeo in the US. Then following a concert in Avignon in 1967 where Deller metBernard Coutaz,founder ofHarmonia Mundi France,Deller spent his remaining years with the French label.

• Shakespeare Songs1967
• Folksongs1972
• John DowlandLute Songs(with Robert Spencer, lute & The Consort of Six), Harmonia Mundi, 1978, re-released June 2012, hmGold HMG50244.45

References

• J.B. Steane:"Deller, Alfred,"Grove Music Onlineed L. Macy (Accessed 6 February 2007),grovemusicArchived16 May 2008 at theWayback Machine,subscription access.
• Peter Giles and J.B. Steane: "Countertenor,"Grove Music Online,ed. L. Macy (accessed 6 February 2007),grovemusicArchived16 May 2008 at theWayback Machine(subscription access).
• Michael & Mollie Hardwick:Alfred Deller: A Singularity of Voice(Littlehampton, 1968).

External links

• Alfred Deller (1912–1979) – A discography (Early Music FAQ)
• 'Recording' with Alfred Deller; Michael Powell @ phoenixlodger.co.uk
• Alfred Dellerdiscography atDiscogs
• Alfred DelleratIMDb