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Sybil Michelow obituary Sybil Michelow obituary
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The South African-born contralto Sybil Michelow, who has died aged 87, sang a wide range of works, at the core of which was the oratorio repertoire from Handel to Elgar. In 1949, she went to London to study the piano, and became a student of Franz Reizenstein. She also composed, producing scores for two plays by Bertolt Brecht while teaching at Rada (1956-58). However, after singing in the choir at Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, she settled on a vocal career and five years later made her debut in Bach's St John Passion.The South African-born contralto Sybil Michelow, who has died aged 87, sang a wide range of works, at the core of which was the oratorio repertoire from Handel to Elgar. In 1949, she went to London to study the piano, and became a student of Franz Reizenstein. She also composed, producing scores for two plays by Bertolt Brecht while teaching at Rada (1956-58). However, after singing in the choir at Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, she settled on a vocal career and five years later made her debut in Bach's St John Passion.
An international career of performances, broadcasts and recordings followed. She appeared thoughout Europe and in Israel, and in 1963 returned to South Africa in Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors. The conductors she worked with included Ernest Ansermet, István Kertész, Jascha Horenstein, Malcolm Sargent, John Barbirolli, Adrian Boult and Charles Groves. An international career of performances, broadcasts and recordings followed. She appeared throughout Europe and in Israel, and in 1963 returned to South Africa in Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors. The conductors she worked with included Ernest Ansermet, István Kertész, Jascha Horenstein, Malcolm Sargent, John Barbirolli, Adrian Boult and Charles Groves.
At the Edinburgh Festival she sang Verdi's Requiem and Schubert's Mass in E flat under Carlo Maria Giulini; a recording of the latter work was released in the BBC Legends series. In London, she gave BBC Proms first performances of songs from Hindemith's Das Marienleben, and from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn; she also performed the same composer's Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen. At the Edinburgh Festival she sang Verdi's Requiem and Schubert's Mass in E flat under Carlo Maria Giulini; a recording of the latter work was released in the BBC Legends series. In London, she gave BBC Proms first performances of songs from Hindemith's Das Marienleben and from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn; she also performed the same composer's Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen. At the 1968 Last Night she sang Rule Britannia and Wagner's Träume. Four years later she was one of the 16 soloists in Vaughan Williams's Serenade to Music, conducted by Boult, for a concert to mark the 50th anniversary of the BBC.
At the 1968 Last Night she sang Rule Britannia and Wagner's Träume. Four years later she was one of the 16 soloists in Vaughan Williams's Serenade, conducted by Boult, for a concert to mark the 50th anniversary of the BBC. A native of Johannesburg, Sybil was the second of three artistically talented daughters born to parents of Lithuanian-Jewish background. At the age of four, she passed piano exams adjudicated by the composer Granville Bantock: in 1968 she sang in a BBC concert to mark the centenary of his birth. She gained her music diploma at the University of Witwatersrand (1945), and her broadcasts as a pianist and composer for the South African Broadcasting Corporation included a production of her children's theatre score Pop Goes the Queen (1944), choreographed by John Cranko.
A native of Johannesburg, Sybil was the second of three artistically talented daughters born to parents of Lithuanian-Jewish background. At the age of four, she passed piano exams ajudicated by the composer Granville Bantock: in 1968 she sang in a BBC concert to mark the centenary of his birth. She gained her music diploma at the University of Witwatersrand (1945), and her broadcasts as a pianist and composer for the South African Broadcasting Corporation included a production of her children's theatre score Pop Goes the Queen (1944), choreographed by John Cranko. After her arrival in London, in 1950 she married Derek Goldfoot, a GP whom she had known in South Africa. From 1954 to 1961 she studied singing with the contralto Mary Jarred. Notable among the many 20th-century works she performed was Tippett's oratorio A Child of Our Time, recounting the Nazi oppression of Jews against a background of American spirituals. She gave many premieres and was the dedicatee of Wilfred Josephs' Nightmusic (1970), with orchestra, and songs by Ronald Senator and Malcolm Williamson, with whom she formed a duo in 1984. Their recording on the label run by the B'nai B'rith organisation featured Williamson's Jewish works and songs by Israeli composers.
After her arrival in London, in 1950 she married Derek Goldfoot, a GP whom she had known in South Africa. From 1954 to 1961 she studied singing with the contralto Mary Jarred.
Notable among the many 20th-century works she performed was Tippett's oratorio A Child of Our Time, recounting the Nazi oppression of Jews against a background of American spirituals. She gave many premieres and was the dedicatee of Wilfred Josephs' Nightmusic (1970), with orchestra, and songs by Ronald Senator and Malcolm Williamson, with whom she formed a duo in 1984. Their recording on the label run by the B'nai B'rith organisation featured Williamson's Jewish works and songs by Israeli composers.
Michelow recorded Arthur Bliss's Pastoral, with Wyn Morris conducting, and Esperanto songs by Frank Merrick. She was the soloist on the premiere recording of Sicut Umbra by Luigi Dallapiccola, and in 1969 formed the ensemble Musica Intima with the violist Christopher Wellington and pianist Ronald Lumsden, later Benjamin Kaplan, in order to present less familiar works.Michelow recorded Arthur Bliss's Pastoral, with Wyn Morris conducting, and Esperanto songs by Frank Merrick. She was the soloist on the premiere recording of Sicut Umbra by Luigi Dallapiccola, and in 1969 formed the ensemble Musica Intima with the violist Christopher Wellington and pianist Ronald Lumsden, later Benjamin Kaplan, in order to present less familiar works.
The attachment that Michelow had to the highest standards of tone production and diction was reflected in her motto: "Speak when you sing, and sing when you speak." In later years she was active as a teacher, adjudicator and governor of the Royal Society of Musicians. Michelow's high standard of tone production and diction was reflected in her motto: "Speak when you sing, and sing when you speak." In later years she was a teacher and governor of the Royal Society of Musicians.
Derek died in 1985.Derek died in 1985.
• Sybil Michelow, contralto, born 12 August 1925; died 5 January 2013• Sybil Michelow, contralto, born 12 August 1925; died 5 January 2013