Honor Sheppard

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Honor Sheppard
Honor Sheppard (1931-2021).png
Sheppard from a 1959 newspaper article
Born
Elizabeth Honor Sheppard

(1931-12-23) 23 December 1931 (age 92)
Leeds, United Kingdom
DiedMay 29, 2021(2021-05-29) (aged 89)
Cheshire, United Kingdom
Education Royal Manchester College of Music
OccupationsClassical soprano in
Spouses
John Lawrenson
(m. 1959)
Robert Elliott
(m. 1965)
Children2

Honor Sheppard (23 December 1931 - 29 May 2021) was a classical soprano best known for singing oratorios and the Baroque repertoire. She was the longest serving soprano of the Deller Consort. She took part in the first professional performance of Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall in 1966. [1]

Contents

Personal life and education

Elizabeth Honor Sheppard was born in Leeds to George Sheppard, organist at St Stephen's Church, Kirkstall and Winifred May Tonkin, an accompanist. She had one sibling. She began studying music at the age of six and attended Leeds Girls' High School. [2]

In 1952, while singing Bach's Christmas Oratorio at a church in Leeds, she was 'discovered' by Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra's conductor Maurice Miles. [3] He encouraged her to apply to the Royal Manchester College of Music (RMCM), where she studied singing with Elsie Thurston, full time for five years and subsequently part time. [4]

She married singer John Lawrenson in 1959. After their marriage ended, she married fellow RMCM student and harpsichordist Robert Elliott in 1965. They had two children and lived at The Firs, Altrincham (which had previously been owned by conductor Hans Richter). [5] She earned both teaching and performing diplomas from RMCM [6] in her third year, and in her fourth year (1956) she won the Curtis Gold Medal for Singing. [7]

Teaching

By 1959, Sheppard was on the staff at RMCM. [8] Among others, she taught Tessa Bonner, Lynne Dawson and Sasha Johnson Manning. [9]

Performing

In March 1953, she sang the role of 'off-stage voice' in a live BBC radio broadcast of Ralph Vaughan Williams's new work Sinfonia Antarctica at Huddersfield Town Hall, which had been premiered in January. This was Sheppard's first broadcast. [10]

She sang with The Hallé, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, Aldeburgh Festival and Leeds Festival. [11] She would also perform recitals as a "celebrity couple" with her first husband John Lawrenson. [12]

She joined the Deller Consort in 1961, eventually becoming its longest serving soprano. [13] Of her career with the group she said, "There was a period when I could have established myself as a concert singer. The fact that I stayed to work constantly with Alfred speaks for itself. I am very much drawn to the music we [she and Alfred Deller] both loved." [14]

In 1967 she appeared as the soloist in a world premiere of Havergal Brian's Symphony No. 4 "Das Siegeslied" (1932–33). It was broadcast by the BBC and included the Halifax Choral Society, the Leeds Philharmonic Choir, the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, all conducted by Maurice Handford. [15] She gave the first performance of Alexander Goehr's Psalm IV Op. 38a in July 1976 at the City of London Festival. [16]

Recordings

A selection of recordings include:

YearAlbumEnsembleConductor
1956Il ballo delle ingrate: Lamento d'AriannaLondon Chamber PlayersAlfred Deller
1964Handel: Alexander's FeastOriana Concert Choir and OrchestraAlfred Deller
1966Havergal Brian: Symphony No. 1in D MinorBBC Symphony OrchestraAdrian Boult
1970William Croft Vocal and Instrumental Chamber MusicMarjorie Lavers, Robert Elliott
1971Purcell and his Contemporarieswith Robert Elliott, harpsichord
1972Handel from HalifaxHalifax Choral SocietyDonald Hunt
1974Thomas Arne: Songs and Sonataswith Robert Elliott, harpsichord
Airs baroques, airs anglaisAlfred Deller
1975Songs and SonatasRoyal Northern College of Music
1977Havergal Brian's Gothic SymphonyBBC Symphony OrchestraAdrian Boult
1979Ode for the birthday of Queen AnneOriana Concert Orchestra and ChoirAlfred Deller

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References

  1. John Turner (Summer 2021). "An appreciation of Honor Sheppard". British Music Society News. London, UK: British Music Society. p. 4.
  2. "Television stars for Arbroath concerts". Arbroath Herald. Arbroath, UK. 1962-01-26. p. 8.
  3. Michael Colbert (1953-01-29). ""Echo" voice becomes a "discovery"". Bradford Observer. Bradford, UK. p. 6.
  4. "Television stars for Arbroath concerts". Arbroath Herald. Arbroath, UK. 1962-01-26. p. 8.
  5. John Turner (Summer 2021). "An appreciation of Honor Sheppard". British Music Society News. London, UK: British Music Society. p. 4.
  6. "Tuesday's concerts". Todmorden and District News. Todmorden, UK. 1957-01-18. p. 4.
  7. "Television stars for Arbroath concerts". Arbroath Herald. Halifax, UK. 1962-01-26. p. 8.
  8. "Soloists in Bach choral work at Halifax". Halifax Evening Courier. Arbroath, UK. 1959-03-12. p. 8.
  9. John Turner (Summer 2021). "An appreciation of Honor Sheppard". British Music Society News. London, UK: British Music Society. p. 4.
  10. "Leeds girl soloist in new work". Bradford Observer. Bradford, UK. 1953-02-03. p. 6.
  11. "Television stars for Arbroath concerts". Arbroath Herald. Arbroath, UK. 1962-01-26. p. 8.
  12. "Together in song". Manchester Evening News. Manchester, UK. 1959-11-24. p. 8.
  13. John Turner (Summer 2021). "An appreciation of Honor Sheppard". British Music Society News. London, UK: British Music Society. p. 4.
  14. Hardwick, Michael (1980). Alfred Deller – a singularity of voice. London: Proteus. p. 128. ISBN   0906071631.
  15. Malcolm MacDonald (1992). "About this recording". naxos.com. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  16. Northcott, Bayan (1980). The music of Alexander Goehr: interviews and articles. London: Schott. p. 115. ISBN   090193805X.