Clara Butt
Dame Clara Ellen Butt (1 February 1872 – 23 January 1936) was an English dramatic contralto and one of the most popular singers from the 1890s through to the 1920s. She had an exceptionally fine contralto voice and an agile singing technique, and impressed contemporary composers such as Saint-Saëns and Elgar; the latter composed his Sea Pictures, Op. 37 with her voice in mind. Her main career was as a recitalist and concert singer. She appeared in only two operatic productions, both of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. Later in her career she frequently appeared in recitals together with her husband, the baritone Kennerley Rumford. She made numerous recordings for the gramophone. |
Birth and Death Data: Born February 1, 1872 (Brighton), Died January 23, 1936 (Oxfordshire)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1933
Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto
= 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 | 6540 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | The lover's curse | Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6541 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | Husheen | Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6542 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | The promise of life | Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with organ and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6543 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | Abide with me | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6544 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | The lost chord | Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with organ and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6555 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | God shall wipe away all tears | Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with organ and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6557 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | O don fatale | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6574 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | The keys of heaven | Clara Butt ; Kennerley Rumford | Female-male vocal duet, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6605 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | When all was young | Clara Butt ; C. Warwick Evans ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6606 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | O mio Fernando | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6607 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | O rest in the Lord | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6655 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | Ombra mai fu | Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6656 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | Mon cœur s'ouvre a ta voix | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6657 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | The enchantress | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6662 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | Birth of the flowers | Clara Butt ; Ethel Hook ; Hazel Hook ; Pauline Hook | Female vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6668 | 12-in. | approximately 1915 | The three fishers | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6690 | 12-in. | 7/2/1925 | The keys of heaven | Clara Butt ; Kennerley Rumford | Female-male vocal duet, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6767 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Che faro | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6768 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | O divine redeemer | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6771 | 12-in. | 1916 | The dream of Gerontius | Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6772 | 12-in. | 1916 | The dream of Gerontius | Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6773 | 12-in. | 1916 | The dream of Gerontius | Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6774 | 12-in. | 1916 | The dream of Gerontius | Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6775 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Rend' il sereno | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6887 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | A summer night | Clara Butt ; W. H. Squire | Female vocal solo, with piano and 'cello obbligato | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6888 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | O lovely night | Clara Butt ; W. H. Squire | Female vocal solo, with piano and 'cello obbligato | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6890 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Time's garden | Clara Butt ; W. H. Squire | Female vocal solo, with piano and 'cello obbligato | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6895 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | He shall feed his flock | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 6896 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Il segreto per essere felici | Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 29901 | 10-in. | approximately 1915 | The fairy pipers | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with celeste | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 29903 | 10-in. | approximately 1915 | My treasure (Tesorio mio) | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 29904 | 10-in. | approximately 1915 | The sweetest flower that blows | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 29917 | 10-in. | approximately 1915 | My son | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 35935 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | The rosary | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 35936 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | Down here | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65292 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | Bless the Lord | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65521 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | Kathleen Mavoureen | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65732 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | Moontime | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65733 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | Si mes vers | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65734 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | Sorrow no more | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65735 | 10-in. | approximately 1916 | A banjo song | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65931 | 10-in. | approximately 1917 | Dreary steppe | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65932 | 10-in. | approximately 1917 | Silence of the sea | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 65933 | 10-in. | approximately 1917 | Annie Laurie | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69144 | 10-in. | approximately 1918 | The silver ring | Clara Butt ; Harold Craxton | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69146 | 10-in. | approximately 1918 | The country faith | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69147 | 10-in. | approximately 1918 | Myle Charaine | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69148 | 10-in. | approximately 1918 | Bugeilio'r gwenith gwyn (Watching the blooming wheat) | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69149 | 10-in. | approximately 1918 | Ye banks and braes o’ bonnie Doon | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 69457 | 10-in. | approximately 1919 | A fairy went a-marketing | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69458 | 10-in. | approximately 1919 | Our prayer | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 69999 | 10-in. | approximately 1920 | Till I wake | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 70000 | 10-in. | between 1917 and 1920 | Four Indian love lyrics : Less than the dust | Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71070 | 10-in. | approximately 1920 | Homing | Clara Butt ; Albert Hallett | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71167 | 10-in. | approximately 1921 | My child is my treasure | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71315 | 10-in. | 07/06/1921 | My dear soul | Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71316 | 10-in. | 07/06/1921 | My ain folk | Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71317 | 10-in. | 7/7/1921 | Night, gentle shepherd | Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71848 | 10-in. | August 1922 | The first Nowell | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71849 | 10-in. | August 1922 | The rose shall bloom again | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71850 | 10-in. | August 1922 | Eileen Alannah | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 71851 | 10-in. | August 1922 | Barbara Allen | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 74156 | 12-in. | approximately 9/16/1920 | Kashmiri song | Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 74157 | 12-in. | approximately 9/16/1920 | Where corals lie | Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 74251 | 12-in. | 2/6/1921 | My laddie o'er the sea | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 74252 | 12-in. | approximately 2/6/1921 | Yonder | Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 74276 | 12-in. | 3/23/1921 | The better land | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 74277 | 12-in. | 3/23/1921 | Genevieve | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 74312 | 12-in. | 7/6/1921 | My dear soul | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 74313 | 12-in. | 7/6/1921 | Homecoming of the unknown soldier | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 75163 | 12-in. | 8/29/1921 | Garden of sleep | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 75164 | 12-in. | 8/29/1922 | Creation's hymn | Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75165 | 12-in. | 8/30/1922 | In questa tomba oscura | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75168 | 12-in. | 8/31/1921 | Land of might have been | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 75169 | 12-in. | approximately 1922 | Land of hope and glory | Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty | Female vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75170 | 12-in. | 8/31/1922 | Abide with me | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75309 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Land of hope and glory | Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; Clara Butt ; Lt. A. Williams | Female vocal solo, with chorus and band | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75310 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | The holy city | Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; Clara Butt ; Lt. A. Williams | Female vocal solo, with chorus and band | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75311 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | The palms | Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; Clara Butt ; Lt. A. Williams | Female vocal solo, with band and chorus | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75312 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | God save the King | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 75414 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | Have you news of my boy Jack? | Thomas Beecham ; Clara Butt | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75415 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | [Unknown title(s)] | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 75929 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | Land of hope and glory | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra and male chorus | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 75931 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | The lost chord | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 75932 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | The promise of life | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 76016 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | The enchantress | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76017 | 12-in. | approximately 8/29/1919 | Entreat me not to leave thee | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76020 | 12-in. | approximately 8/7/1919 | God save the King | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76021 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | Love's old sweet song | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76022 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | Old folks at home | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76025 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | A hymn for aviators | Clara Butt ; Harold Craxton | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76026 | 12-in. | approximately 1917 | Daddy | Clara Butt ; Harold Craxton | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76330 | 12-in. | 12/31/1918 | A perfect day | Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76331 | 12-in. | approximately 12/31/1918 | A fairy went a'marketing | Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76610 | 12-in. | approximately 9/20/1919 | Dream faces | Clara Butt ; Andrew Harris | Female vocal solo, with band and chorus | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76611 | 12-in. | approximately 9/30/1919 | My prayer | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with piano and organ | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76612 | 12-in. | September 1919 | Kathleen Mavoureen | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 76614 | 12-in. | September 1919 | Love has come to stay | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 76615 | 12-in. | September 1919 | The world's thanksgiving | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 76955 | 12-in. | 4/25/1933 | Friendship | Clara Butt ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Kennerley Rumford | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76956 | 12-in. | 4/25/1923 | In the chimney corner | Clara Butt ; Albert W. Ketelbey | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Columbia | 76957 | 12-in. | 4/26/1923 | There is a green hill | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 76958 | 12-in. | approximately 1923 | Beautiful land of Nod | Clara Butt | vocalist, contralto | ||
| Columbia | 76960 | 12-in. | 4/26/1923 | There's a land | Clara Butt ; Albert W. Ketelbey | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Gramophone | 4084f | 12-in. | 2/7/1910 | He shall feed his flock | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Gramophone | 4085f | 12-in. | 2/7/1910 | Elijah | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
| Gramophone | 4088f | 12-in. | 2/7/1910 | Abide with me | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with organ and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Gramophone | 4558f | 12-in. | 10/29/1910 | Three fishers | Clara Butt | Soprano vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
| Gramophone | 4563f | 12-in. | 10/29/1910 | A summer night | Clara Butt | Contralto vocal solo, with piano and cello | vocalist, contralto |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Butt, Clara," accessed May 7, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103657.
Butt, Clara. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103657.
"Butt, Clara." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Clara Butt
Discogs: Clara Butt
Grove: Clara Butt
IMSLP: Clara Butt
Britannica: Clara Butt
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Butt, Clara, Dame, 1872-1936 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82075457
Wikidata: Clara Butt - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q461921
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/27262985
MusicBrainz: Clara Butt - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3bb546ca-6c58-4c16-be68-7fd311ce2923
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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