Ranken Bushby


Ranken Bushby (0000–2013)

Ranken-BushbyRanken Bushby bravely returned to Den Bosch after his second prize in 1957, determined to win. His weapons were An aria by Händel, another one from Borodin's Prince Igor, and Wolf's 'Nun lasst und Frieden schliessen from 'Das Italienische Liederbuch. His voice was chaacterized as a sonorous, true baritone, well equalized, and rich in nuance, even when singing piano. Post his 1958 victory he continued his career mostly in the UK provinces, landing the comprimario part of The Novice's Friend in Britten's revised Billy Bud presentation of November 13, 1960, conducted by the composer. Two years later he appeared in the BBC recording of Delius Fennimore and Gerda, which was released on vinyl. He sang both Sportsman and Counciler Skinnerup. His second Night of the Proms performance followed in 1963, when he performed Brahms's Liebeslieder there, together with his 1958 IVC co-winner Elisabeth Simon. Perhaps best known due to several radio broadcast is his performance as Pompeo in the BBC 1963 broadcast of Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini, arguably the most substantial music available to testify of his voice today. Available on a Reader's Digest CD are his three folksongs from the British Isles, originally released in 1965 on the LP 'Greensleeves And Other Favorite Folk Songs.'

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Chronology/discography

1957, 8 August

Night of the Proms, Royal Albert Hall
Joseph Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten 'No. 3 Recitative 'Vom Widder strahlet jetzt''
Ranken Bushby (bass), London Symphony Orchestra – Basil Cameron


1958, 6 (pre selection), 7, 8, 9 and 10
IVC International Vocal Competiton, Den Bosch (Netherlands)
Ranken Bushby (participant Jos Orelio category)

1958, 13 September
IVC International Vocal Competiton, Den Bosch (Netherlands)
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia 'Largo al factotum'
Ranken Bushby (Il barbiere), Brabant Orchestra – Hein Jordans

1958, 19 November
Peter Crossley-Holland: 'Chansonnier du Puys d'Amors for baritone, violin and strings (with harp)'
Ranken Bushby (bass), Arthur Levins (violin), BBC Orchestra – Rudolph Schwarz
Acetate 10"


1960, 8 November
Britten: Billy Budd (revised Act II version)
Peter Pears (Edward Fairfax Vere), Joseph Ward (Billy Budd), Michael Langdon (John Claggart), John Noble (Mr Redburn), Denis Dowling (Mr Flint), Roger Stalman (Lieut Ratcliffe), Max Worthley (Red Whiskers), Tudor Evans (Donald, Trevor), Alexander Young (The Novice), Andrew Gold (Squeak), George Hancock (Bosun), Ranken Bushby (The Novice's Friend), BBC Men's Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra – Benjamin Britten.


1962
1962-b

Frederick Delius: Fennimore & Gerda
John Cameron (Niels Lyhne), Sybil Michelow (Fennimore), Max Worthley (Erik Refstrup), Norman Lumsden (Consul Claudi), Jean Allister (His Wife), Alfred Hallet (Tenor Voice on the Water), Ranken Bushby (Sportsman/ Counciler Skinnerup), John Frost (Town Counciler), Alfred Hallet (Tutor), Leslie Fyson (A Distiller), Ellen Dales (Ingrid), Ann Dowdall (Lila), Doreen Murray (Marit), Jeanette Sinclair (Gerda), Ambrosian Singers & BBC Symphony Orchestra - Stanford Robinson
BBC-recording, 1962

1962-s

Delius: Fennimore & Gerda 'My dearest children' (Sc. 11)
Ranken Bushby (Counciler Skinnerup), John Cameron (Fieramosca), BBC Symphony Orchestra – Antal Dorati, 1964 (LP recording)


1963, 28 August
Royal Albert Hall, Night of the Proms,
Ranken Bushby (baritone), Johanna Peters (contralto), Elizabeth Simon (soprano), Gerald English (tenor), BBC Symphony Orchestra - Malcolm Sargent Johannes Brahms: 'Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op 52' (version with orchestra)

No. 1 Rede, Mädchen, allzu liebes Proms premiere
No. 2 Am Gesteine rauscht die Flut Proms premiere
No. 4 Wie des Abends schöne Röte Proms premiere
No. 8 Wenn so lind dein Auge mir Proms premiere
No. 9 Am Donaustrande Proms premiere
No. 11 Nein, es ist nicht auszukommen Proms premiere
No. 6 Ein kleiner, hübscher Vogel Proms premiere
No. 5 Die grüne Hopfenranke Proms premiere


1963
1963-b

Berlioz. Beveuto Cellini
Richard Lewis (Cellini), DonGarrard (Balducci), John Cameron (Fieramosca), David Ward (Papa Clemente VII), Ranken Bushby (Pompeo), Joan Calyle (Teresa), John Kentish (Cabaretier), Josephine Veasey (Ascanio), BBC Orchestra – Antal Dorati.

1963-s

Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini 'Eh bien, frère!' (Act I–Scene 9)
Ranken Bushby (Pompeo), John Cameron (Fieramosca), BBC Symphony Orchestra - Antal Dorati, 1964 (private recording).


1965
1965-1-b1965-2-b

LP"Greensleeves" And Other Favorite Folk Songs (LPRCACM 313 / CD Music of the British Isles (5-CD Reader's Digest)
B2 - Keel Row / B3 - Elsie Marley / B4 - Dance Ti' Thy Daddy

1965-1-s
'Keel Row' (sample)


 'Elsie Marley' (sample)
1965-2-s
'Dance Ti' Thy Daddy from the LP Greensleeves" And Other Favorite Folk Songs


1968
William Morris: "Cantata 'The Pilgrims of Hope'"Op.27 1956 (Revised 1968)
Elizabeth Davies, Ranken Bushby, Sudbury Choral Society - Bernard Stevens