Clara Butt

Clara Butt

Dame Clara Ellen Butt (1 February 1872 – 23 January 1936) was an English dramatic contralto and one of the most popular singers from the 1890s through to the 1920s. She had an exceptionally fine contralto voice and an agile singing technique, and impressed contemporary composers such as Saint-Saëns and Elgar; the latter composed his Sea Pictures, Op. 37 with her voice in mind. Her main career was as a recitalist and concert singer. She appeared in only two operatic productions, both of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. Later in her career she frequently appeared in recitals together with her husband, the baritone Kennerley Rumford. She made numerous recordings for the gramophone.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 1, 1872 (Brighton), Died January 23, 1936 (Oxfordshire)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1933

Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto

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

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Columbia	6540	12-in.	approximately 1915	The lover's curse	Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6541	12-in.	approximately 1915	Husheen	Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6542	12-in.	approximately 1915	The promise of life	Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with organ and piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6543	12-in.	approximately 1915	Abide with me	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6544	12-in.	approximately 1915	The lost chord	Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with organ and piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6555	12-in.	approximately 1915	God shall wipe away all tears	Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with organ and piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6557	12-in.	approximately 1915	O don fatale	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6574	12-in.	approximately 1915	The keys of heaven	Clara Butt ; Kennerley Rumford	Female-male vocal duet, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6605	12-in.	approximately 1915	When all was young	Clara Butt ; C. Warwick Evans ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6606	12-in.	approximately 1915	O mio Fernando	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6607	12-in.	approximately 1915	O rest in the Lord	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6655	12-in.	approximately 1915	Ombra mai fu	Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6656	12-in.	approximately 1915	Mon cœur s'ouvre a ta voix	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6657	12-in.	approximately 1915	The enchantress	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6662	12-in.	approximately 1915	Birth of the flowers	Clara Butt ; Ethel Hook ; Hazel Hook ; Pauline Hook	Female vocal quartet, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6668	12-in.	approximately 1915	The three fishers	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6690	12-in.	7/2/1925	The keys of heaven	Clara Butt ; Kennerley Rumford	Female-male vocal duet, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6767	12-in.	approximately 1916	Che faro	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6768	12-in.	approximately 1916	O divine redeemer	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Female vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6771	12-in.	1916	The dream of Gerontius	Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6772	12-in.	1916	The dream of Gerontius	Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6773	12-in.	1916	The dream of Gerontius	Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6774	12-in.	1916	The dream of Gerontius	Clara Butt ; Maurice D'Oisly ; Henry J. Wood	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6775	12-in.	approximately 1916	Rend' il sereno	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6887	12-in.	approximately 1916	A summer night	Clara Butt ; W. H. Squire	Female vocal solo, with piano and 'cello obbligato	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6888	12-in.	approximately 1916	O lovely night	Clara Butt ; W. H. Squire	Female vocal solo, with piano and 'cello obbligato	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6890	12-in.	approximately 1916	Time's garden	Clara Butt ; W. H. Squire	Female vocal solo, with piano and 'cello obbligato	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6895	12-in.	approximately 1916	He shall feed his flock	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	6896	12-in.	approximately 1916	Il segreto per essere felici	Clara Butt ; Henry J. Wood	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	29901	10-in.	approximately 1915	The fairy pipers	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with celeste	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	29903	10-in.	approximately 1915	My treasure (Tesorio mio)	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	29904	10-in.	approximately 1915	The sweetest flower that blows	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	29917	10-in.	approximately 1915	My son	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	35935	10-in.	approximately 1916	The rosary	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	35936	10-in.	approximately 1916	Down here	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65292	10-in.	approximately 1916	Bless the Lord	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65521	10-in.	approximately 1916	Kathleen Mavoureen	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65732	10-in.	approximately 1916	Moontime	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65733	10-in.	approximately 1916	Si mes vers	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65734	10-in.	approximately 1916	Sorrow no more	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65735	10-in.	approximately 1916	A banjo song	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65931	10-in.	approximately 1917	Dreary steppe	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65932	10-in.	approximately 1917	Silence of the sea	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	65933	10-in.	approximately 1917	Annie Laurie	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69144	10-in.	approximately 1918	The silver ring	Clara Butt ; Harold Craxton		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69146	10-in.	approximately 1918	The country faith	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69147	10-in.	approximately 1918	Myle Charaine	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69148	10-in.	approximately 1918	Bugeilio'r gwenith gwyn (Watching the blooming wheat)	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69149	10-in.	approximately 1918	Ye banks and braes o’ bonnie Doon	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69457	10-in.	approximately 1919	A fairy went a-marketing	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69458	10-in.	approximately 1919	Our prayer	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	69999	10-in.	approximately 1920	Till I wake	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	70000	10-in.	between 1917 and 1920	Four Indian love lyrics : Less than the dust	Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71070	10-in.	approximately 1920	Homing	Clara Butt ; Albert Hallett		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71167	10-in.	approximately 1921	My child is my treasure	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71315	10-in.	07/06/1921	My dear soul	Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71316	10-in.	07/06/1921	My ain folk	Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71317	10-in.	7/7/1921	Night, gentle shepherd	Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71848	10-in.	August 1922	The first Nowell	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71849	10-in.	August 1922	The rose shall bloom again	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71850	10-in.	August 1922	Eileen Alannah	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	71851	10-in.	August 1922	Barbara Allen	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74156	12-in.	approximately 9/16/1920	Kashmiri song	Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74157	12-in.	approximately 9/16/1920	Where corals lie	Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74251	12-in.	2/6/1921	My laddie o'er the sea	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74252	12-in.	approximately 2/6/1921	Yonder	Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens	Contralto vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74276	12-in.	3/23/1921	The better land	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74277	12-in.	3/23/1921	Genevieve	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74312	12-in.	7/6/1921	My dear soul	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	74313	12-in.	7/6/1921	Homecoming of the unknown soldier	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75163	12-in.	8/29/1921	Garden of sleep	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75164	12-in.	8/29/1922	Creation's hymn	Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75165	12-in.	8/30/1922	In questa tomba oscura	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75168	12-in.	8/31/1921	Land of might have been	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75169	12-in.	approximately 1922	Land of hope and glory	Clara Butt ; Hamilton Harty	Female vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75170	12-in.	8/31/1922	Abide with me	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75309	12-in.	approximately 1916	Land of hope and glory	Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; Clara Butt ; Lt. A. Williams	Female vocal solo, with chorus and band	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75310	12-in.	approximately 1916	The holy city	Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; Clara Butt ; Lt. A. Williams	Female vocal solo, with chorus and band	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75311	12-in.	approximately 1917	The palms	Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; Clara Butt ; Lt. A. Williams	Female vocal solo, with band and chorus	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75312	12-in.	approximately 1916	God save the King	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75414	12-in.	approximately 1917	Have you news of my boy Jack?	Thomas Beecham ; Clara Butt	Female vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75415	12-in.	approximately 1917	[Unknown title(s)]	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75929	12-in.	approximately 1917	Land of hope and glory	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra and male chorus	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75931	12-in.	approximately 1917	The lost chord	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	75932	12-in.	approximately 1917	The promise of life	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76016	12-in.	approximately 1918	The enchantress	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76017	12-in.	approximately 8/29/1919	Entreat me not to leave thee	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76020	12-in.	approximately 8/7/1919	God save the King	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76021	12-in.	approximately 1918	Love's old sweet song	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76022	12-in.	approximately 1918	Old folks at home	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76025	12-in.	approximately 1918	A hymn for aviators	Clara Butt ; Harold Craxton	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76026	12-in.	approximately 1917	Daddy	Clara Butt ; Harold Craxton	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76330	12-in.	12/31/1918	A perfect day	Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76331	12-in.	approximately 12/31/1918	A fairy went a'marketing	Clara Butt ; Grace Torrens	Contralto vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76610	12-in.	approximately 9/20/1919	Dream faces	Clara Butt ; Andrew Harris	Female vocal solo, with band and chorus	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76611	12-in.	approximately 9/30/1919	My prayer	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with piano and organ	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76612	12-in.	September 1919	Kathleen Mavoureen	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76614	12-in.	September 1919	Love has come to stay	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76615	12-in.	September 1919	The world's thanksgiving	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76955	12-in.	4/25/1933	Friendship	Clara Butt ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Kennerley Rumford	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76956	12-in.	4/25/1923	In the chimney corner	Clara Butt ; Albert W. Ketelbey	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76957	12-in.	4/26/1923	There is a green hill	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76958	12-in.	approximately 1923	Beautiful land of Nod	Clara Butt		vocalist, contralto
Columbia	76960	12-in.	4/26/1923	There's a land	Clara Butt ; Albert W. Ketelbey	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Gramophone	4084f	12-in.	2/7/1910	He shall feed his flock	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Gramophone	4085f	12-in.	2/7/1910	Elijah	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	vocalist, contralto
Gramophone	4088f	12-in.	2/7/1910	Abide with me	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with organ and piano	vocalist, contralto
Gramophone	4558f	12-in.	10/29/1910	Three fishers	Clara Butt	Soprano vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, contralto
Gramophone	4563f	12-in.	10/29/1910	A summer night	Clara Butt	Contralto vocal solo, with piano and cello	vocalist, contralto

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Butt, Clara," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103657.

Butt, Clara. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103657.

"Butt, Clara." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.