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Ernest Pike

Ernest George Pike (1871 – 4 March 1936) was an English tenor of the early 20th century who made numerous recordings in the first decades of the 20th century. After studying at the Guildhall School of Music in London, he worked as a bank clerk and sang as a church tenor before making his first recording "Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes" for the Gramophone & Typewriter Company in 1904. He became the house tenor for HMV and made several hundred records in a career that spanned over twenty years.

Pike has been called "England's most recorded tenor", and his "silver voice" became a favourite in thousands of homes – remaining so until well into the 1920s. For a time his popularity was as great as that of the singer Peter Dawson. His repertoire was varied and included grand opera, light opera, oratorio, and ballads and popular songs of the Edwardian era, the First World War and the 1920s. He toured the British Isles giving concerts and was a favourite of royalty. He recorded under a number of pseudonyms – most commonly Herbert Payne.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1871, Died March 4, 1936

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1905 - 1923

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 73048 10-in. approximately 1922 Where is my wandering boy tonight? Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73049 10-in. approximately 1922 A boy's best friend is his mother Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73098 10-in. approximately 1922 In lavender time Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73099 10-in. approximately 1922 Why should I cry over you? Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73135 10-in. approximately 1923 I know of two bright eyes Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73154 10-in. approximately 1923 Absent Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73155 10-in. approximately 1923 Nobody lied Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73158 10-in. approximately 1923 Do I? : Fox trot Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73174 10-in. approximately 1923 Lilac time : The flower Eric Courtland vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73175 10-in. approximately 1923 Lilac time : Dream enthralling Eric Courtland vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73176 10-in. approximately 1923 To Mary Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73211 10-in. approximately 1923 Come sing to me Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73212 10-in. approximately 1923 March winds Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73213 10-in. approximately 1923 When the leaves come tumbling down Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73234 10-in. approximately 1923 Mary, dear, some day we will meet again Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73235 10-in. approximately 1923 One night in June Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73236 10-in. approximately 1923 Miomi, I'm coming soon Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73242 10-in. approximately 1923 Come to my heart Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73243 10-in. approximately 1923 If it takes a thousand years Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73246 10-in. approximately 1923 Sing me to sleep Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73270 10-in. approximately 1923 My wild Irish rose Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73271 10-in. approximately 1923 The irish emigrant Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73274 10-in. approximately 1923 Can you forget? Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73320 10-in. approximately 1923 Two eyes of grey Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73321 10-in. approximately 1923 Sincerity Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73354 10-in. approximately 1923 I was dreaming (Mamie Rosetta) Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73355 10-in. approximately 1923 My sweetheart, when a boy Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73358 10-in. approximately 1923 My pretty Jane : The bloom is on the rye Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73365 10-in. approximately 1923 There is a flower that bloometh Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73366 10-in. approximately 1923 Come into the garden, Maude Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73373 10-in. approximately 1923 Alice, where art thou? Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73374 10-in. approximately 1923 The shores of Minnetonka Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73381 10-in. approximately 1923 You remind me of my mother Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73382 10-in. approximately 1923 Until my luck comes rolling along Herbert Payne vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 73383 10-in. approximately 1923 Tom Bowling Ernest Pike vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 76857 12-in. approximately 1923 My dreams Albert W. Ketelbey ; Ernest Pike Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 76858 12-in. approximately 1923 Parted Albert W. Ketelbey ; Ernest Pike Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 76868 12-in. 1/24/1923 Excelsior Eric Courtland ; Harold Williams Vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 76869 12-in. 1/24/1923 Moon hath raised Eric Courtland ; Harold Williams Vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2769af 12-in. 7/30/1917 The Mikado D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; John Harrison ; Violet Oppenshaw ; Edna Thornton Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2771af 12-in. 7/30/1917 The Mikado D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Violet Essex ; John Harrison ; Edna Thornton Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2773af 12-in. 7/30/1917 The Mikado D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; John Harrison Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2779af 12-in. 8/2/1917 The Mikado D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; John Harrison Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2782af 12-in. 7/30/1917 The Mikado George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Edna Thornton Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2806af 12-in. 8/2/1917 The Mikado George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Edna Thornton Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2814af 12-in. 8/15/1917 The Mikado George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Ernest Pike ; Robert Radford Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone HO2915af 12-in. 10/16/1917 The Mikado D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Bessie Jones ; Ernest Pike ; Robert Radford ; Edna Thornton Operetta : Vocal soloist(s), and/or chorus/orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone 7203b 10-in. 9/4/1905 Old folks at home Nellie Melba Soprano vocal solo, with vocal trio and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone 7204b 10-in. 9/4/1905 Good night Nellie Melba Soprano vocal solo, with vocal trio and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone 10418e 10-in. 7/2/1909 Onward Christian soldiers Westminster Cathedral Choir Mixed vocal chorus, with band vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone ak18271e 10-in. 9/25/1914 The girl I left behind me Cecilian Quartet Male vocal quartet (2 baritones and 2 tenors) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone ak18273e 10-in. 9/25/1914 Hearts of oak Cecilian Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone ak18717e 10-in. 12/19/1914 They sang 'God save the King' Murray Johnson [i.e., Stanley Kirkby] Male vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Gramophone ak18721e 10-in. 12/19/1914 When we've wound up the watch on the Rhine Murray Johnson Male vocal solo, with vocal soloists, vocal chorus, and orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Pike, Ernest," accessed April 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100361.

Pike, Ernest. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100361.

"Pike, Ernest." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100361

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