17 Facts About Alfred Deller

Alfred Deller is sometimes referred to as the "godfather of the countertenor".

Alfred Deller founded the Stour Music Festival in 1962, one of the first and most important early music festivals in the world.

Alfred Deller was born in Margate, a seaside resort in Kent.

Alfred Deller was initially employed as a lay clerk at Canterbury Cathedral from 1940 to 1947, before joining the choir of St Paul's Cathedral.

From this choral tradition, Alfred Deller emerged as a soloist, largely as a result of the admiration of the composer Michael Tippett, who heard him while at Canterbury and recognised the unique beauty of his voice.

Alfred Deller became better known with a radio broadcast of Henry Purcell's Come Ye Sons of Art on the BBC Third Programme when this station was launched in 1946.

Alfred Deller concentrated on popularising and recording the music of English Baroque and Renaissance music by composers such as John Dowland and Purcell.

In 1948, Alfred Deller formed the Alfred Deller Consort, a group dedicated to historically informed performance.

In 1972, the Alfred Deller Consort performed for the Peabody Mason Concert series in Boston.

In 1960, Alfred Deller sang the role of Oberon in the first production of Benjamin Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Alfred Deller did record the opera, with the composer conducting in 1967.

Alfred Deller's recordings include the lute songs of Dowland, operas by Handel, Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, songs and semioperas by Purcell, traditional English folk songs, works by Thomas Tallis, and the Bach alto repertoire.

Alfred Deller recorded for HMV, Vanguard Classics, and Harmonia Mundi.

Alfred Deller sang John Blow and Henry Purcell Odes like "Sound the trumpet" from Come Ye Sons of Art with the other great counter-tenor of the day, John Whitworth, who is favoured by critic Richard Lawrence for his magnificent voice.

On 16 July 1979, Alfred Deller died after a heart attack suffered whilst working in Bologna in Italy.

Alfred Deller was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1970 New Year Honours.

Alfred Deller made at least 136 recordings from 1949 to his death in 1979.