Frank Oldfield
Frank Oldfield (c. 1882 –December 19, 1956) was an English-born Canadian baritone.[1]
Biography
[edit]The son of Joseph and Agnes Oldfield, Frank was born in Ulverston, Lancashire, England. He immigrated to Canada in 1911.[2]
One of the earliest recording artists from the city of Toronto,[1] Oldfield was under contract with Pathé Records (PR) by 1919.[3] PR did not make these recordings in Canada, but instead used studios in New York City and London.[4] Some of the songs he recorded for PR included "I Love You Canada", "O Canada, Our Fathers Land of Old", "Be British", "Sussex by the Sea", "There’s a Land", "Bedouin Love Song", "The Farmer’s Pride", "The Floral Dance", "The Palms, and "Nearer My God to Thee".[5]
Oldfield also made recordings for His Master's Voice,[6] and Berliner Gramophone.[7] Some of the songs he recorded for HMV included "Billy Jones", "Down Texas Way", "Give Me the Open Road", and "On the Road to Mandalay".[5] In addition to his work as a recording artist, he performed as a concert baritone throughout Canada. He appeared in oratorios; such as a soloist in Handel's Messiah.[1] He was the bass soloist in Handel's Judas Maccabaeus with the Eaton Choral Society in 1930.[8] He was also employed as a church vocalist at Parkdale United Church in Toronto for many years.[1]
Oldfield died at Toronto Western Hospital on December 19, 1956.[9]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Frank Oldfield, 74. Funeral on Friday". The Toronto Star. December 20, 1956. p. 50.
- ↑ A Zimmerman, Arthur E.; Pratt, Betty Minaker. "FRANK OLDFIELD, the McCormack of Baritones (1882 - 1956)". Antique Phonograph News. Canadian Antique Phonograph Society.
- ↑ Moogk 1975, p. 56.
- ↑ Moogk, Edward B. (December 16, 2013). "Pathé Frères". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
- 1 2 Moogk 1975, p. 251.
- ↑ Moogk 1975, pp. 69–70.
- ↑ Moogk 1975, p. 86.
- ↑ "Eaton Chorister's Annual". The Toronto Telegram. March 5, 1930. p. 28.
- ↑ "Oldfield, Frank". The Toronto Star. December 21, 1956. p. 32.
Bibliography
[edit]- Moogk, Edward B. (1975). Roll Back the Years: History of Canadian Recorded Sound and Its Legacy, Genesis to 1930. National Library of Canada. ISBN 9780660013824.