For my annual celebration of the anniversary of Albert Coates’s birth I’m sharing his pair of recordings of operatic music by Boito, both of which were premiere recordings.

Boito – Nerone – Act IV – Gloria, gloria vittoria a te – Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Coates

His Master’s Voice D 938
Matrix Cc 4831-I (4-0574)
Recorded 2nd July 1924, Room 1, Hayes
Albert Coates conducts Symphony Orchestra with Chorus: Browning Mummery (tenor), Edward Halland (bass), Leonard Hubbard (baritone), William Michael (baritone), Harold Wilde (tenor), J.H. Bullock (baritone) and 5 trumpets.

This is recording was made just 2 months after the work was premiered.

Boito – Mefistofele – Prologue – Salve Regina – Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Coates

His Master’s Voice D 938
Matrices Cc 5177-IV (4-0614)
Recorded 24th October 1924, Room 1, Hayes (Takes 1 and 2 were made on 5th October, 3 and 4 on 24th October)
Albert Coates conducts Symphony Orchestra with Chorus: May Busby (soprano), Miss Rusel Myer, Nellie Walker (contralto), Glady Peel (contralto), Sophie Rowlands (soprano), Louise Trenton (soprano), Edward Halland (bass), Harold Wilde (tenor), Edward Leer (tenor)