Image Source: Wikipedia

George W. Byng

George Wilford Bulkley Byng (1861 – 29 June 1932) was an English conductor, composer, music arranger and musical director of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is known for composing music for ballet productions staged at the Alhambra Theatre in London during the Edwardian era, for his theatre compositions, and as a conductor for HMV from World War I up to about 1930. Byng was his stage name.

As a child, he received a musical education and at age 11 joined the orchestra at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, and played in orchestras throughout Britain for two decades before beginning a conducting career. By the 1890s, his compositions of incidental music for plays were used in London theatres. From 1898 to 1913, as the musical director of London's Alhambra Theatre, he composed, arranged and conducted the music for approximately 30 ballets and scenas. During this period, he continued to compose new music, including theatre scores, for other companies. For two years thereafter, he was the musical conductor at the Gaiety Theatre, London.

After conducting for Thomas Edison's British recording studio for several years, in 1915 Byng joined HMV full-time, where he conducted a great number of recordings. From 1917 to 1924, he conducted many of the early acoustic sets of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas in cooperation with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. He remained with HMV for at least 15 years.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1861, Died June 29, 1932

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1915 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: conductor, arranger

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 56 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone Cc8025 12-in. 3/4/1926 Soosie McLean Harry Lauder Male vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Cc8029 12-in. 3/4/1926 Loch Lomond Harry Lauder Male vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb8403 10-in. 5/19/1925 Allelujah George W. Byng ; Elisabeth Schumann Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb8504 10-in. 6/7/1926 Vedrai, carino, se sei buonino George W. Byng ; Elisabeth Schumann Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb9454 10-in. 11/18/1926 Chelsea Reach George W. Byng ; Folk Dance Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb9455 10-in. 11/18/1926 Jenny pluck pears Mayfair Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb9456 10-in. 11/18/1926 Confess George W. Byng ; Folk Dance Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb9457 10-in. 11/18/1926 Rufty-tufty Mayfair Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb9458 10-in. 11/18/1926 The black nag Mayfair Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb9459 10-in. 11/18/1926 Newcastle Mayfair Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb9461 10-in. 11/18/1926 Sellinger's round Mayfair Band Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb13899 10-in. 6/30/1928 Oh, could I in song tell my sorrow Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin ; Eugene Goossens Bass vocal solo, with orchestra arranger  
Gramophone Bb13921 10-in. 7/5/1928 La china George W. Byng ; Armand Crabbé Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb13922 10-in. 7/5/1928 Tanguinho brasileiro George W. Byng ; Armand Crabbé Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb13923 10-in. 7/5/1928 Ojos tapatios George W. Byng ; Armand Crabbé Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb13924 10-in. 7/5/1928 C'était en Avril George W. Byng ; Armand Crabbé Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Cc13966 12-in. 7/16/1928 Old Moll's jig George W. Byng ; Military Band [Gramophone Co.; G. W. Byng, conductor] Band conductor  
Gramophone Cc13971 12-in. 7/16/1928 Speed the plough George W. Byng ; Military Band [Gramophone Co.; G. W. Byng, conductor] Band conductor  
Gramophone Bb18814 10-in. 2/3/1930 Maypole dances Black Diamonds Band of London Orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb18815 10-in. 2/3/1930 Maypole dances Black Diamonds Band of London Orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb18816 10-in. 2/3/1930 Maypole dances Black Diamonds Band of London Orchestra conductor  
Gramophone Bb18817 10-in. 2/3/1930 Maypole dances Black Diamonds Band of London Orchestra conductor  
Gramophone 19242e 10-in. 6/29/1915 Inno di Mameli Società Corale "La Patria" Chorus, with band conductor  
Gramophone ak19243e 10-in. 6/29/1915 Inno di Garibaldi Società Corale "La Patria" Vocal chorus, with band conductor  
Gramophone 19244e 10-in. 6/29/1915 La bandiera tricolere Società Corale "La Patria" Chorus, with band conductor  
(Results 26-50 of 56 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Byng, George W.," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107731.

Byng, George W.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107731.

"Byng, George W.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107731

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.