Alfred Deller

Alfred Deller was a famous singer.

He sang in a big church choir. Later, he sang on the radio. He also started a music group. They played music with old instruments.

He helped many people love old music. He even sang in an opera. People thought his voice sounded unearthly. He was a very important singer.

Alfred Deller was a famous English singer. He had a very high male voice. This type of voice is called a countertenor. He helped make this voice popular again. Many people call him the "godfather of the countertenor."

As a boy, he sang in a church choir. Later, he sang at big cathedrals. He also sang on the radio. Deller loved music from the Renaissance and Baroque times. These are old styles of music. He often sang songs with a lute, which is a wooden instrument with strings.

In 1948, he started a group called the Deller Consort. The group played music using old ways. They used instruments from the past. They even played folk songs. Deller also helped start a music festival in 1962. It was one of the first of its kind.

He sang a part in a famous opera. The composer, Benjamin Britten, wrote the part just for him. One person said his singing sounded "unearthly." Deller made many recordings of his music. He died in 1979.

Alfred Deller was a famous English singer from the 20th century. He was known for his special high male voice called a countertenor. Many people call him the "godfather of the countertenor" because he made this voice popular again. He loved music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. These are older styles of music that focus on beautiful melodies. Deller helped people rediscover these old songs through his many radio broadcasts on the BBC.

His singing style was very unique and sometimes even radical. When he sang lute songs, he used a technique called rubato. This means he would change the timing of the notes slightly. He also used extemporised ornamentation, which means he added extra decorative notes while he sang. Some people found these choices controversial at first. However, his way of singing eventually became the normal way for others to perform. He wanted music to sound authentic and full of life.

Alfred Deller was born in Margate, Kent, in 1912. As a young boy, he sang in his local church choir. When his voice changed as he grew up, he kept singing in a high register. He worked as a lay clerk at Canterbury Cathedral from 1940 to 1947. Later, he joined the choir at St Paul's Cathedral. The composer Michael Tippett heard him at Canterbury and helped him become a solo singer. Tippett was the one who introduced him to the public as a countertenor.

In 1948, Deller started a musical group called the Deller Consort. This group focused on historically informed performance. This means they tried to play music using the same styles and instruments used in the past. They recorded music from as early as the 13th century. The group also played works by famous composers like Bach, Handel, and Purcell. Some members of the group included singers like April Cantelo and Honor Sheppard. Even Deller's son, Mark, joined the group in 1964.

Many people remember Deller for his work in opera and festivals. In 1960, he sang the role of Oberon in Benjamin Britten's opera, *A Midsummer Night's Dream*. Britten actually wrote that role specifically for Deller's voice. Deller also helped start the Stour Music Festival in 1962. This was one of the first important early music festivals in the world. He made at least 136 recordings during his long career. Deller died in Italy in 1979 and is buried in Kent.

Alfred Deller was a highly influential English singer of the 20th century. He is often called the "godfather of the countertenor" by music historians. A countertenor is a male singer who uses a high vocal register. Deller was a central figure in the renaissance of early music. This movement focused on performing music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. He helped bring this specialized style to the general public. His work changed how people understood and performed historical music.

Deller developed a unique and sometimes radical singing style. When performing lute songs, he made extensive use of rubato. Rubato is a technique where a performer slightly alters the tempo for expression. He also utilized extemporised ornamentation during his performances. This means he added decorative musical notes as he sang. While these methods were controversial in his own time, they are now considered the standard. His approach helped make old music feel alive and authentic.

His musical career began through the tradition of church music. Deller was born in Margate, Kent, in 1912. He sang in a local church choir as a young boy. After his voice broke, he continued to sing in a high register. He served as a lay clerk at Canterbury Cathedral from 1940 to 1947. Later, he joined the choir of St Paul's Cathedral from 1947 to 1962. The composer Michael Tippett heard him at Canterbury and recognized his talent. Tippett was the person who introduced him to the public as a countertenor.

In 1948, Deller founded a musical group known as the Deller Consort. The group was dedicated to historically informed performance. This practice involves playing music using the styles and instruments of the original era. The Consort recorded music dating as far back as the 13th century. They performed works by major composers like Bach, Handel, Purcell, and Dowland. The group included various singers such as April Cantelo and Honor Sheppard. Even his son, Mark Deller, became a member in 1964.

Deller's impact extended into the world of opera and large festivals. In 1960, he sang the role of Oberon in Benjamin Britten's opera, *A Midsummer Night's Dream*. Britten wrote this specific role with Deller's unique voice in mind. Deller also founded the Stour Music Festival in 1962. This was one of the first and most significant early music festivals globally. He was a pioneer of "original instrument performance." This meant using the actual types of instruments used by composers in the past.

Throughout his career, Deller was a very prolific recording artist. He made at least 136 recordings between 1949 and 1979. His early work was released through His Master's Voice. He later spent 13 years working with Vanguard Records. After meeting Bernard Coutaz in 1967, he spent his final years with the French label Harmonia Mundi. He recorded a wide range of music, from traditional English folk songs to the works of Thomas Tallis. His recordings helped expand the popular reach of the Baroque repertoire.

Deller's life and legacy are honored in several ways. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1970 New Year Honours. A commemorative tablet exists in Canterbury Cathedral to honor his work. In 2012, a concert was held to celebrate his 100th birthday. During this event, the countertenor James Bowman planted a tree in the churchyard at Boughton Aluph. This is the location where Deller is buried. He died in Italy in 1979 after suffering a heart attack while working in Bologna.