Hugh S. Roberton
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh S. Roberton was a Scottish
composer and Britain`s leading choral-master.
Roberton was born in Glasgow
, where, in 1906, he founded the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. For five years before that it was the Toynbee Musical Association. A perfectionist, he expected the highest standards of performance from its members. Its voice was a choir voice, its individual voices not tolerated. He set new standards in choral technique and interpretation. For almost fifty years until it disbanded in 1951, on the retiral of its founder, the Glasgow Orpheus Choir had no equal in Britain and toured widely enjoying world acclaim. Their repertoire included many Scottish folk songs arranged for choral performance, and Paraphrases, as well as Italian madrigals, English motets and the music of the Russian Orthodox Church. The choir also performed the works of Bach, Handel, Mandelssohn, Cornelius, Brahms and others.
He wrote the choral work All in the April Evening, the popular song Westering Home
, and Mhàiri's Wedding.
He was a pacifist and member of the Peace Pledge Union
. For this reason both he and the Glasgow Orpheus Choir were banned by the BBC
from broadcasting during the Second World War.
Australia
n politician
Hugh Roberton
was his son.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
composer and Britain`s leading choral-master.
Roberton was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, where, in 1906, he founded the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. For five years before that it was the Toynbee Musical Association. A perfectionist, he expected the highest standards of performance from its members. Its voice was a choir voice, its individual voices not tolerated. He set new standards in choral technique and interpretation. For almost fifty years until it disbanded in 1951, on the retiral of its founder, the Glasgow Orpheus Choir had no equal in Britain and toured widely enjoying world acclaim. Their repertoire included many Scottish folk songs arranged for choral performance, and Paraphrases, as well as Italian madrigals, English motets and the music of the Russian Orthodox Church. The choir also performed the works of Bach, Handel, Mandelssohn, Cornelius, Brahms and others.
He wrote the choral work All in the April Evening, the popular song Westering Home
Westering Home
Westering Home is a 20th century Scottish song was written by Hugh S. Roberton. It may be derived from the Irish Gaelic song Trasna na dTonnta...
, and Mhàiri's Wedding.
He was a pacifist and member of the Peace Pledge Union
Peace Pledge Union
The Peace Pledge Union is a British pacifist non-governmental organization. It is open to everyone who can sign the PPU pledge: "I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war...
. For this reason both he and the Glasgow Orpheus Choir were banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
from broadcasting during the Second World War.
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
Hugh Roberton
Hugh Roberton
Hugh Stevenson Roberton was an Australian politician.Roberton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, son of Sir Hugh Roberton, a Scottish composer and founder of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. He was educated at the West of Scotland Agricultural College and Glasgow University and emigrated to Australia in...
was his son.
Sources
- University of Glasgow
- Orpheus with his Lute - A Glasgow Orpheus Choir Anthology published in 1963