Merle Alcock

Merle Alcock (February 6, 1884 - March 1, 1975) was an American contralto who sang with the Metropolitan Opera in 236 performances from 1919 to 1929, officially signing in with them in 1924.

Alcock's concert debut was in London in 1914. She also sang with the Boston and New York Symphony Orchestras. She found a patron in Mrs. Charles Schwab in 1916. Mrs. Schwab was herself a singer as a young woman. Alcock first sang at the Met in a performance of Verdi’s Requiem Mass on Dec. 14, 1919. Her opera debut was on Nov. 15, 1923, when she sang the role of the fiddler Beppe in L’amico Fritz. Alcock trained other singers in her retirement such as Eileen Farrell.

Alcock was born Merle Tillotson in Andover, Missouri, to Zula and the Reverend Elijah Tillotson. She graduated from Drake University’s Conservatory of Music in 1906. She married Bechtel Alcock, a tenor, in 1914. The two would often perform together. She died on March 1, 1975, and is buried in Wooster Cemetery in Wooster, Ohio.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1890 (Andover, Missouri), Died January 3, 1975 (Phoenix)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1909 - 1928

Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto

Notes: Born Merle Tillotson; wife of tenor Bechtel Alcock. Victor ledgers give her address as 42 West 12th Street, New York City.

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

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 87 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 3046 10-in. May 1914 Sing, smile, slumber Merle Alcock ; Mary Carson ; Elizabeth Spencer Female vocal trio, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 3055 10-in. May 1914 Come to me Merle Alcock Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 3057 10-in. May 1914 or later Abide with me Merle Alcock Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 3063 10-in. May-June 1914 Angel's serenade Merle Alcock ; Clementine de Vere Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 3064 10-in. May-June 1914 Little Daisy's evening prayer Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 3242 10-in. between 8/22/1914 and 8/31/1914 A summer night Merle Tillotson Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 3816 10-in. 5/24/1915 Little Daisy's evening prayer Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4140 10-in. 9/23/1915 O sing to God Anita Rio ; Merle Tillotson Female vocal duet and mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4361 10-in. 12/22/1915 I love to tell the story Metropolitan Quartet Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4371 10-in. 12/28/1915 I will sing of my Redeemer Metropolitan Quartet Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4407 10-in. 1/10/1916 Songs we used to sing in Dixie land Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4537 10-in. 2/28/1916 Bela figlia del'amore Vocal Quartette [Edison] Vocal quartet (soprano, contralto, tenor, and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4549 10-in. 3/2/1916 Wake up, America! Arthur Fields Male vocal solo and mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4555 10-in. 3/3/1916 When it's orange blossom time in Loveland George Wilton Ballard Male vocal solo and mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4561 10-in. 3/7/1916 Ora pro nobis Frederick J. Wheeler Male vocal solo and mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4584 10-in. 3/15/1916 Sing me to sleep Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4598 10-in. 3/21/1916 Down where the Swanee River flows George Wilton Ballard Male vocal solo and mixed vocal trio, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4642 10-in. 4/7/1916 [Unknown titles(s)] Merle Alcock ; Donald Chalmers ; Wallace ; John Young Mixed vocal quartet vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4643 10-in. 4/7/1916 [Unknown title(s)] Merle Alcock ; Donald Chalmers ; Wallace ; John Young Mixed vocal quartet vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4649 10-in. 4/11/1916 Turn ye to me Merle Alcock Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4708 10-in. 5/5/1916 Time's garden Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4716 10-in. 5/10/1916 An Irish folk song Merle Alcock Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4718 10-in. 5/10/1916 His lullaby Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4740 10-in. 5/23/1916 Asthore Merle Alcock Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Edison 4755 10-in. 5/31/1916 Two roses Merle Alcock Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
(Results 51-75 of 87 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Alcock, Merle," accessed April 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113828.

Alcock, Merle. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113828.

"Alcock, Merle." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113828

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