Commercial recording arrived at the ideal time to capture a golden age of British tenor singing. A range of distinctive qualities had developed in the 19th century – firm yet elegant tone, emphasis on text and on clarity of diction – that characterised the British tenor voice. The worlds of opera, operetta, oratorio and popular song nourished the tradition and benefited from the succession of fine voices the country produced.

The recordings presented here capture some of the most important voices of the early 20th century, and demonstrate the range of musical styles in which the British tenor sound could flourish.

Contents:
- Maud Valerie WHITE: To Mary - Ben Davies
- PURCELL: The Knotting Song - John Coates
- QUILTER: Love's Philosophy, O mistress mine - Gerwase Elwes
- WAGNER: Winter storms have waned (Siegmund, Die Walkure) - Walter Hyde
- LEONCAVALLO: On with the motley (I Pagliacci) - Frank Mullings
- SCHUBERT: Who is Sylvia? - John McCormack
- LEHAR: A heart as pure as gold (Frederica) - Joseph Hislop
- MENDELSSOHN: Then shall the righteous (Elijah) - Parry Jones
- WARLOCK: As ever I saw - Parry Jones
- Liza LEHMANN: Ah! Moon of my delight (In a Paradise Garden) - Hubert Eisdell
- COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Onaway! Awake, Beloved! (Hiawatha) - Tudor Davies
- WALLACE: Yes! Let me like a soldier fall! (Maritana) - Walter Widdop
- LEHAR: Patiently smiling (The Land of Smiles) - Derek Oldham
- VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: The Vagabond (Songs of Travel) - Heddle Nash
- VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Song of the Road (Hugh the Drover) - James Johnston
- COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Eleanore, Op.37 No.6 - Henry Wendon
- BIZET: Flower Song (Carmen), Sullivan: Take a pair of sparkling eyes (The Gondoliers) - Webster Booth
- SCHUBERT: Im Fruhling, D882, Auf der Bruck, D853 - Peter Pears
- GERMAN: The English Rose (Merrie England) - David Lloyd
- MASSENET: As I closed my eyes (Manon, Act II) - Walter Midgley
- Trad: The foggy, foggy dew, The briery bush - Richard Lewis