Percy B. Kahn

Percival (Percy) Benedict Kahn (9 December 1880 – 2 May 1966) was an English composer and pianist. His most noted composition was the song Ave Maria with accompaniment by piano, and violin obbligato.

Kahn was born in London in 1880. He was a boy soprano, and at the age of 15 won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied for four years under the organist and composer Walter Parratt. He also studied piano with Marmaduke Barton, and theory with Charles Wood and Walford Davies.

Kahn accompanied some of the great musicians of the day, including violinists Mischa Elman and Fritz Kreisler; sopranos Dame Nellie Melba, Luisa Tetrazzini, Florence Austral and Oda Slobodskaya, tenors Enrico Caruso, John McCormack, Richard Tauber, Vladimir Rosing, Joseph Hislop and Beniamino Gigli; and baritones Titta Ruffo and John Brownlee. Of all these artists, he was most closely associated with Richard Tauber, whom he accompanied regularly for 14 years, from 1933 up until Tauber's death.

Tauber recorded four of his songs for Parlophone, and sang others in broadcasts.

His Ave Maria was recorded in 1913 by Enrico Caruso and Mischa Elman, with the composer at the piano.

Percy Kahn was married to the contralto Olive Kavann, with whom he also recorded. He died in Margate, Kent in 1966.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 9, 1880, Died May 12, 1966

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1906 - 1927

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 47 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor C-8798 12-in. 4/6/1910 Serenade Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8799 12-in. 4/6/1910 Humoresque, op. 101, no. 7 Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8800 12-in. 4/6/1910 Nur, wer die Sehnsucht kennt Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8801 12-in. 4/6/1910 Caprice Basque Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-8802 10-in. 4/6/1910 Minuet in G, no. 2 Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-8803 10-in. 4/16/1910 Gavotte Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8803 12-in. 4/6/1910 Gavotte Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8810 12-in. 4/6/1910 Preislied Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8811 12-in. 4/7/1910 Introduction and rondo capriccioso Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8812 12-in. 4/7/1910 Mélodie Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8813 12-in. 4/9/1910 Nocturne in E flat Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8814 12-in. 4/7/1910 Souvenir de Moscow Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-8820 12-in. 4/9/1910 German dance (Deutscher tanz) Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-8821 10-in. 4/9/1910 Serenade Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-8822 10-in. 4/9/1910 Les farfadets Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-8823 10-in. 4/9/1910 Menuett (in F major) Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-8824 10-in. 4/9/1910 Fantasie from garden scene Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-9871 12-in. 1/31/1911 Air for G string Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-9950 10-in. 2/12/1911 Capricietto Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-9951 12-in. 2/12/1911 Sicilienne und Rigaudon Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-9952 10-in. 2/12/1911 Träumerei Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-10406 10-in. 5/17/1911 Rigaudon Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-10408 10-in. 5/17/1911 Gavotte Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-13004 12-in. 3/20/1913 Ave Maria Enrico Caruso Tenor vocal solo, with violin obbligato and piano instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor C-13005 12-in. 3/20/1913 Elegie Enrico Caruso Tenor vocal solo, with piano and violin obbligato instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 1-25 of 47 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kahn, Percy B.," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107513.

Kahn, Percy B.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107513.

"Kahn, Percy B.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107513

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