| Robert Easton (Sunderland, June 8th 1898 – 26th May 1987) was a British bass of the mid–twentieth century. As a boy, he sang in his local church choir. He joined the BEF in 1915, and was severely wounded while on service in Flanders. He had a long convalescence, and had a leg amputated. After that he wore an artificial leg. He claimed to have drifted into singing, eventually studying in London with Bozelli, Norman Notly, Harry Plunket Greene and Dinh Gilly.In 1922 he sang in several concerts with the National Sunday League. He made his Prom debut in 1926, where one of the items he sung was “I am a roamer” from Mendelssohn’s “Son and Stranger” – this was to become a regular feature of his concert programmes. His range enabled him to cope with ease in the wide two-octave leaps and even at a rapid speed his impeccable enunciation made the words clear. In 1929 he replaced Harold Williams in the annual Crystal Palace performance (under Beecham) of “Messiah”. Between 1933 and 1939 he sang at Covent Garden, appearing as Sparafucile, Titurel, the King in Aida, the Father in “Louise”, Colline and Fafner. In 1938 he was chosen as one of the 16 soloists in Vaughan Williams’s “Serenade to Music.”
Easton was a versatile singer, equally successful in opera, oratorio, recitals and as a concert artist. He was a true basso profondo, with a highly individual, instantly recognisable, dark timbre and rapid flickering vibrato. His range was from F# above middle C, down to a low Bb below bottom C. He was one of Columbia’s exceptional trio of ‘profondos’ in the inter-war years, along with Norman Allin and Malcolm McEachern. He recorded for Vocalion between 1923 and 1925 and then for Broadcast and Regal Zonophone. For these labels he had to use pseudonyms, so he also appears as Robert Merlyn, Robert Raymond and Graham Stewart. In 1930 he was chosen by Beecham to sing Mephistopheles in the English language recording of Gounod’s “Faust” with Licette and Nash. He also sang in Stanford Robinson’s complete recording of Stainer’s “Crucifixion.” In 1938 he was involved in the famous “Lisa Perli” deception, and featured as Colline in Beecham’s recording of Act 4 of La Boheme. After 1940 Easton confined himself to broadcasts, concerts and oratorios and during the 2nd World War made concert tours with ENSA and CEMA, appearing in France, Belgium and Germany, as well as in Britain. A 1969 broadcast showed him to have lost no vocal quality over the years and he continued to make occasional concert appearances as late as 1985, mainly for the Council of Music in Hospitals. He was a frequent festival adjudicator, on one occasion according a prize to Janet Baker. He spent his later years at his home in Haslemere, Surrey with his wife of 60 years, and his daughter Margaret.
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| Mendelssohn – Son and Stranger – I am a roamer Gounod – Philemon and Baucis – Vulcan’s song Orchestra, A W Leggett Robert Easton, bass Download – Mendelssohn – Son and Stranger – I am a roamer – Robert Easton Download – Gounod – Philemon and Baucis – Vulcan’s Song – Robert Easton (mp3 files – right click the link, then select “Save as”) |
Columbia 9210 Matrices WAX 2330-1, 2331-1 (7116/7) Recorded 7th April 1927 Available from September 1927 to January 1946The Mendelssohn plays in C major at 80rpm, the Gounod in A minor (a semitone below score pitch).This recording was reviewed in The Gramophone, September 1927:
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| Moss – The Floral Dance Allitsen – The Lute Player Robert Easton, bass (credited as Graham Stewart) with harp, piano and violin accompaniment Mediafire link for Floral Dance and Lute Player recordings (These are zip files – left click the link, download the files, then unzip when downloaded) |
Broadcast Twelve 5032 Matrices LO116X, LO117 Recorded September 1928, 78rpm in Bb major and B minor respectively |
| Vaughan Williams – Serenade to Music BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Henry J. Wood Isobel Baillie, soprano Lilian Stiles Allen, soprano Elsie Suddaby, soprano Eva Turner, soprano Margaret Balfour, contralto Muriel Brunskill, contralto Astra Desmond, contralto Mary Jarred, contralto Parry Jones, tenor Heddle Nash, tenor Frank Titterton, tenor Walter Widdop, tenor Norman Allin, bass Robert Easton, bass Roy Henderson, baritone Harold Williams, baritone Download – Vaughan Williams – Serenade to Music – Henry Wood (mp3 file – right click the link, then select “Save as”) |
Columbia LX757-8 Matrices CAX 8367-2A, 8368-2A, 8369-1, 8370-1 Recorded 15th October 1938 |
