Relayed from
The Central Hall, Birmingham
MURIEL NORMANSELL
(contralto)
FRANK TITTERTON (tenor)
GEORGE MANTLE-CHILDE
(pianoforte)
THE BOURNVILLE MALE VOICE CHOIR
Conductor, WILLIAM BENNETT
GEORGE PLANT (accompanist) About one hundred years ago Tom
Cooke was a celebrity in his own way, and as such fully entitled to take his place in a programme given over to celebrities such as this. He was born in Dublin in 1782, and before he was thirty he had appeared as a violinist, as an opera singer, as a composer, and a'. the proprietor of a music shop. Coming to London he took leading tenor part at Drury Lane Theatre for nearly twenty years. At the same time he was Director of Music at Drury Lane Theatre and at Covent Garden, and occasionally directed the Orchestra of the Philharmonic Society. His compositions consist mostly of adaptations of successful European operas. In addition, he wrote glees and part-songs, of which this is one, many of which have remained in the repertory to this day.