Simon Davies (Tenor)

Born: England

The English tenor, Simon Davies, sang as a baritone in the chapel choirs of Trinity and King's College, Cambridge, and on gaining a scholarship to the Royal college of Music, started to sing tenor.

Simon Davies has sung opera roles for various English companies, including W.A. Mozart's Tamino for Surrey Opera, Don Ottavio and Rossini's Count Almaviva for Court Opera, and in the summer of 1996 the title role in Herold's Zampa with Opera Omnibus in Haslemere. In 1995 he sang the role of Sergei in Pimlico Opera's production of Dmitri Shostakovich's Cheryomushki at the Lyric, Hammersmith, and last summer played Sandy in Peter Maxwell Davies's The Lighthouse at the Battersea Arts Centre.

Simon Davies has given a recital of French chanson in the 'Festival Estival' in Paris, and a concert of songs by Benjamin Britten in the Louvre. In 1993 he sang Britten's Serenade in the Melle Festival near Poitiers; the following year he performed it in the Queen s Hall in Edinburgh,and took the tenor part of B. Britten's War Requiem in the Usher Hall with the University Chamber Choir.

Simon Davies has sung as a soloist in works by Purcell, Dumont and Lully in Liege, Brussels and Paris with Philippe Herreweghe and the Chapelle Royale, and in 1995 he performed a programme of drinking songs by Purcell and his French contemporaries in the palace theatre at Versailles. That Autumn he toured Spain with Gustav Leonhardt and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment as tenor soloist in J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata (BWV 211), and in 1997 sang the duet cantata BWV 173a with Gustav Leonhardt and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in Picardy's Festival of Cathedrals. Recent oratorio engagement have included L.v. Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in Norwich, and two performances of Verdi’s Requiem in Southend and Chippenham.

Simon Davies's solo recordings include J.S. Bach's Hunt Cantata (BWV 208) with The Parley of Instruments, and a collection of Madrigals and Solo Cantatas by Antonio Caldara with the Wren Baroque Soloists; also the role of Sergei in D. Shostakovich’s musical, Cheryomushki on the BBC label.

Source: Musicians Gallery Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (August 2001)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

John Eliot Gardiner

Tenor

Member of Monteverdi Choir:
C-5 (1998); BWV 16, BWV 98 , BWV 139
C-10 (1998); BWV 133
BCP Vol. 1: CD-1: BWV 167, BWV 7, BWV 30; CD-2: BWV 75, BWV 39, BWV 20
BCP Vol. 3: CD-1: BWV 24, BWV 185, BWV 177
BCP Vol. 6: CD-1: BWV 69a, BWV 137; CD-2: BWV 77, BWV 164, BWV 33
BCP Vol. 13: CD-1: BWV 61, BWV 62, BWV 36
BCP Vol. 18: CD-1: BWV 63, BWV 191
BCP Vol. 21: CD-2: BWV 182, BWV 1
BCP Vol. 24: CD-1: BWV 12, BWV 103, BWV 146; CD-2: BWV 166, BWV 108, BWV 117
BCP Vol. 25: CD-1: BWV 86, BWV 87, BWV 97
BCP Trinity I: BWV 94, BWV 105, BWV 168

Roy Goodman

Tenor

BWV 208

Peter Phillips

Tenor

Member of The Tallis Scholars:
V-1 (1986): Chorale

Philip Pickett

Tenor

Member of New London Consort:
C-1 (1995): BWV 63, BWV 238, BWV 243a

Trevor Pinnock

Tenor

Member of The English Concert:
C-1 (1993/1994): BWV 110/1

John Rutter

Tenor

Member of Cambridge Singers:
V-1 (1993): BWV 225

Links to other Sites

Simon Davies - UK Tenor Singer (Musicians Gallery)