Flora Woodman (1896 – 1981) was a Scottish soprano singer popular for her London concert performances in the first decades of the twentieth century. She extensively performed in oratorios such as The Messiah and Elijah.
Flora Woodman | |
|---|---|
 Flora Woodman, from a 1919 advertisement. | |
| Born | 1896 |
| Died | 1981 |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Singer |
Career
editWoodman sang at the Hallé in 1915.[1] In 1920 she was featured soloist for the Hamilton Choral Society,[2] and "challenged criticism" at a Queen's Hall concert.[3] In 1923 she arranged "The Vesper Hymn" by Thomas Moore, for her own performances.[4]
Woodman sang The Messiah at the Three Choirs Festival in 1925,[5] and with the Scottish Orchestra in 1927, but it was her performance of the Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor that brought her favorable reviews.[6] She was a soloist at the Norfolk and Norwich Triennial Music Festivals of 1927 and 1930.[7] She toured the United States and Canada in 1929 and 1930,[8][9] and sang with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra during that tour.[10]
She recorded for The Gramophone Company.[11] She was reviewed as having a "light" voice, a "beaming smile" and "passably in tune" but having a limited range.[12][13] "She has also a very unfortunate habit of beginning to sing a note before quite deciding on its pitch," according to a Boston Globe reviewer.[14]
Her career was stalled in 1931, when complications following an appendectomy forced her to cancel engagements.[15]
References
edit- ^ Kennedy, Michael (1960). The Hallé Tradition: A Century of Music. Manchester University Press ND. p. 190. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ JSTOR (1920). The Musical times and singing-class circular, Volume 61. Novello. p. 131. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ JSTOR (1920). The Musical times and singing-class circular, Volume 61. Novello. p. 391. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ Moore, Thomas; Woodman, Flora, eds. (1923). The Vesper hymn. London; Sydney: Boosey & Hawkes.
- ^ "The Three Choirs Festival". The Guardian. 12 September 1925. p. 10. Retrieved 9 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ ""Messiah" Choral and Orchestral Union". The Glasgow Herald. 3 January 1927. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ Fifield, Christopher (2005). Ibbs and Tillett: The Rise and Fall of a Musical Empire. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 132–133. ISBN 9781840142907. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ "FLORA WOODMAN'S RECITAL; English Soprano Receives Welcome as She Begins Tour Here". New York Times. 15 November 1929. p. 33.
- ^ "Woodman, Flora, 1896-1981". Reid Concerts. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ "Flora Woodman to Appear as Soloist at Today's 'Pop'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1 December 1929. p. 63. Retrieved 9 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Flora Woodman on 'His Master's Voice' (advertisement)". The Times. 28 January 1919. p. 28. Retrieved 9 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ The Athenaeum, Issues 4679-4704. British Periodicals Ltd. 1920.
- ^ ""Messiah" Choral and Orchestral Union". The Glasgow Herald. 2 January 1927. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ "Flora Woodman in Song Recital". The Boston Globe. 28 November 1929. p. 12. Retrieved 9 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Miss Flora Woodman". The Guardian. 30 November 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 9 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.