Peter Dawson sings "Kashmiri Song (Pale Hands I Loved Beside The Shalimar)," composed by Amy Woodforde-Finden. It is sometimes called "Kashmiri Love Song."
"Shalimar" here probably refers to the famous Mughal garden complex located in Lahore, Pakistan. Pakistan did not exist when the poem was written. This area was British India at the time.
The words are by Laurence Hope, the pen name of Adela Florence Nicolson--she lived in Lahore at one point, so she knew the Shalimar Gardens.
Pale hands I loved beside the Shalimar,
Where are you now? Who lies beneath your spell?
Whom do you lead on Rapture's roadway, far,
Before you agonize them in farewell?
Oh, pale dispensers of my Joys and Pains,
Holding the doors of Heaven and of Hell,
How the hot blood rushed wildly through the veins,
Beneath your touch, until you waved farewell.
Pale hands, pink tipped, like Lotus buds that float
On those cool waters where we used to dwell,
I would have rather felt you round my throat,
Crushing out life, than waving me farewell!
This song is one of four in a set composed by Amy Woodforde-Finden around 1902--the set is titled Four Indian Love Lyrics. Dawson made three recordings of the Four Indian Love Lyrics: in 1923, 1925 and 1932. This is from the last set. The orchestra is conducted by Ray Noble, better known as a songwriter and bandleader.
Amy Woodforde-Finden set music to a previously published poem by Laurence Hope, the pen name of Adela Florence Nicolson. Her poem first appeared in a book titled The Garden of Kama (1901), which was Hope's first book of poems--that book, which sold well, was also known as India's Love Lyrics.
Peter Smith Dawson, born on January 31, 1882, in Adelaide, South Australia, was one of his generation's most versatile singers, including great success with records of operatic arias, oratorio solos, sentimental ballads, upbeat popular songs, and parlor tunes.
He possessed an incredibly rich bass-baritone voice. He was deft at interpretation, and his enunciation was spectacular.
He came from a humble background. His father was Thomas Dawson, ironworker and plumber.
Peter Dawson sang as a boy soprano at a social at the College Park Congregational Church, St Peters, and was later in the St Andrew's Presbyterian Church choir.
In 1902, Dawson moved to London and studied with Charles Santley and others.
On 20 May 1905 he married Annie Mortimer Noble, a soprano with the stage name of Annette George. They had no children.
He was incredibly popular as a recording artist. He could have enjoyed more success on the stage as an opera singer had he made a stronger effort with opera companies. In 1909, he appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as the Night Watchman in Richard Wagner's Mastersingers of Nuremberg--one time he did appear in opera.
But he realized a career in opera would not have been nearly as lucrative as the one he chose--as a concert and oratorio singer. Making records fit perfectly with this choice. Had he been born in an earlier generation, this career of concert singer balanced with recording work would not have been available. He was born at the right time, taking advantage of recording opportunities that came his way, his voice "right" for the recording technology evolving in the years Dawson was in peak form (his voice never really declined until the 1950s).
In 1904 he made a test record for the Edison Bell Phonograph Co., and later that year began a long career (five decades) for HMV--that is, His Master's Voice.
During World War II until 1947, Dawson lived in Sydney. During the war he sang for the troops and on recruiting drives in Australia and elsewhere.
He wanted to retire after the war but the income from singing (and recording) continued to prove alluring. He continued to give his time and talent to recording studios long after others might have retired.
Dawson died on September 27, 1961, in Sydney.
Author: Tim Gracyk
Tags:
source
0 comments:
Post a Comment