WALTERS, THOMAS GLYN (WALTER GLYNNE; 1890 - 1970), tenor

Name: Thomas Glyn Walters
Pseudonym: Walter Glynne
Date of birth: 1890
Date of death: 1970
Spouse: Lena Walters (née Evans)
Parent: Elizabeth Walters (née Jones)
Parent: David Walters
Gender: Male
Occupation: tenor
Area of activity: Music; Performing Arts
Author: Rhidian Griffiths

Born 4 January 1890 son of David and Elizabeth (née Jones) Walters, Cefngorwydd, Gowerton, Glamorganshire, and was educated at Gowerton Grammar School. He was a bank clerk until he decided to take up a musical career, and won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London in 1910. He served in the Welsh Guards during World War I. In 1921, on the recommendation of Sir Landon Ronald, HMV's music advisor, he secured a recording contract with the company. He was one of the first singers in Britain to broadcast, and because his voice suited the microphone he had a successful career in that medium. He sang in the lyric concerts held by the companies of Boosey, Chappell and Cramer in London, and also with the Carl Rosa and D'Oyly Carte opera companies. He made very many recordings, excelling as a lyrical singer; he was known in particular for his rendering of ballads, but he was also a good tenor in oratorios, and in 1935 he recorded arias from Handel's Messiah. Among his Welsh records there are parts from Blodwen by Joseph Parry and ballads, some of which are to the vocal accompaniment of the Welsh Miners' Quartet from the Llanelli area. He took part in complete recordings of The Yeomen of the Guard by Gilbert and Sullivan and Coleridge-Taylor's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast. His disciplined singing, his pure tone, and his pleasant personality made him a very popular performer. In 1947 he retired and moved to Gower. He married in 1921 Lena Evans, Pontarddulais, and they had children. He died at home in Port Einon, Glamorganshire, 29 July 1970.

Author

Published date: 2001

Article Copyright: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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