Opera Scotland

Clarence Raybould Suggest updates

Clarence Robert Raybould.

Born Birmingham, 28 June 1886.

Died Bideford, 27 March 1972.

English conductor.

Clarence Raybould studied music at Birmingham University, graduating in 1912. He taught in Birmingham, and worked with Rutland Boughton at several Glastonbury Festivals. His own composition, an opera The Sumida River, was based on the Japanese Noh drama Sumidagawa (later used by Britten for Curlew River). It was premiered in Birmingham (1916). After the First World War he worked as pianist, coach and conductor for the Beecham company, stayiing on when it was succeeded by BNOC. He also worked in the thirties with other operatic ventures at Covent Garden. He had a notable career as a conductor with a number of British orchestras.

Source: New Grove Dictionary of Opera.