The English boy soprano, Frederick (John) Firth, was trained by his uncle, and had a remarkable career as a boy soprano. His success followed the huge interest in boys' voices created by Ernest Lough's famous recording. In fact, Lough was still principal soloist at the Temple Church when Freddy made his last record.
Frederick Firth came to prominence through the Morecambe and Blackpool Music Festivals, which were at that time two of the main festivals in the country. It was at Morecambe that he came to the attention of Sir Edward Elgar. One of his first public appearances was at the age of twelve-and-a-half, when he sang the anthem Jesu my Lord by Haddock at S. Barnabas's Church, Morecambe. "The boy with the Golden Voice (of B.B.C. fame)" was the description given to Master Freddy Firth, as he topped the bill at the Baths Assembly Hall, Coventry on Thursday, November 15, 1928. He died in 2000. |