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Ivor Novello

Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century.

He was born into a musical family, and his first successes were as a songwriter. His first big hit was "Keep the Home Fires Burning" (1914), which was enormously popular during the First World War. His 1917 show, Theodore & Co, was a wartime hit. After the war, Novello contributed numbers to several successful musical comedies and was eventually commissioned to write the scores of complete shows. He wrote his musicals in the style of operetta and often composed his music to the libretti of Christopher Hassall.

In the 1920s he turned to acting, first in British films and then on stage, with considerable success in both. He starred in two silent films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, The Lodger and Downhill (both 1927). On stage, he played the title character in the first London production of Liliom (1926). Novello briefly went to Hollywood but soon returned to Britain, where he had more successes, especially on stage, appearing in his own lavish West End productions of musicals. The best-known of these were Glamorous Night (1935) and The Dancing Years (1939).

From the 1930s he often performed with Zena Dare, writing parts for her in his works. He continued to write for film, but in his later career his biggest successes were with stage musicals: Perchance to Dream (1945), King's Rhapsody (1949) and Gay's the Word (1951).

The Ivor Novello Awards were named after him in 1955.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 15, 1893 (Cardiff), Died March 6, 1951 (London)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1915 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist, piano

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 79 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 77873 10-in. 6/4/1918 Keep the home fires burning Howard Kopp Bells solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 77894 10-in. 6/18/1918 The radiance in your eyes Vernon Stiles Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Columbia 78204 10-in. 12/14/1918 The radiance in your eyes Wheeler Wadsworth Saxophone solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 48820 12-in. 6/14/1916 Keep the home fires burning Maggie Teyte Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 49297 12-in. 1/5/1918 War song medley one step Prince's Band Band composer  
Columbia 49300 12-in. 1/23/1918 Keep the home fires burning Columbia Stellar Quartette ; Oscar Seagle Baritone vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 49585 12-in. 1/31/1919 Keep the home fires burning (till the boys come home) Columbia Stellar Quartette ; Rosa Ponselle Soprano vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 35720 10-in. approximately 1915 Till the boys come home Geo. F. Murray Male vocal solo and vocal chorus, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 74127 12-in. approximately 7/3/1920 I want the sun and the moon José Collins ; Daly's Theatre Orchestra ; Claude Flemming ; Merlin Morgan Vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 75050 12-in. 1/31/1922 The golden moth, selection, part 1 Herman Finck ; Herman Finck's Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 75051 12-in. 1/31/1922 The golden moth, selection, part 2 Herman Finck ; Herman Finck's Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 75262 12-in. approximately 1916 Theodore & Co., selection, pt. 1 London Repertoire Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 75263 12-in. approximately 1916 Theodore & Co., selection, pt. 2 London Repertoire Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 76079 12-in. approximately 1918 Arlette, selection, part 1 Albert W. Ketelbey ; London Revue Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 76094 12-in. approximately 1918 Arlette, selection, part 2 Albert W. Ketelbey ; London Revue Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 76106 12-in. approximately 1918 Arlette, vocal gems, part 1 Columbia Vocal Gem Comapny Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 76107 12-in. approximately 1918 Arlette, vocal gems, part 2 Columbia Vocal Gem Comapny Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 76159 12-in. approximately 1918 Tabs, selection, part 1 Albert W. Ketelbey ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 76160 12-in. approximately 1918 Tabs, selection, part 2 Albert W. Ketelbey ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 76161 12-in. approximately June 1918 Something doing over the way Ethel Baird ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 76163 12-in. approximately June 1918 Goblin gollywog trees Margaret Campbell ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with vocal quartet and orchestra composer  
Columbia 76164 12-in. approximately June 1918 I hate to give trouble Margaret Campbell ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Beatrice Lillie ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 76165 12-in. approximately June 1918 My river girl Alfred Austin ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Beatrice Lillie ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 76167 12-in. approximately June 1918 I said goodbye Albert W. Ketelbey ; Beatrice Lillie ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with vocal trio and orchestra composer  
Columbia 76168 12-in. approximately June 1918 Mr. Pau Puk Kiwis Harry Glenn ; Albert W. Ketelbey ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra Male vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra composer  
(Results 26-50 of 79 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Novello, Ivor," accessed May 7, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103013.

Novello, Ivor. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103013.

"Novello, Ivor." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103013

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