Record of "Mary/My Love is like a Red, Red Rose"

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

52270

Title

Gramophone record of "Mary/My Love is like a Red, Red Rose" performed by Joseph Hislop, c.1930

Description

One gramophone record of 'Mary' and 'My Love is like a Red, Red Rose' sung by Joseph Hislop with piano, cello and violin accompaniment. 78 speed. Catalogue number DA 901.

Accession number

HH5278/3/90

Copyright

The City of Edinburgh Council Museums & Galleries

Joseph Hislop started out his career on a very different trajectory, training to become a photo-process engraver. He apprenticed and later worked with Hislop & Day photo engravers in Edinburgh. He then worked in Glasgow; then London and then finally was sent to Europe to train others in the novel processes of the time.

Hislop always desired a different path, a path that years later was realised during a visit to Sweden. He was in Gothenburg sharing new printing processes and techniques, and singing in a choir in his free time, when he was noticed by a vocal soloist from Stockholm. He then worked with Dr Gill Bratt, a fellow singer and a medical throat specialist, on his vocal abilities. He was accepted into the Stockholm Opera School, rare for a non-native at the time, and by all accounts he did exceptionally well. By 1914, he was performing with the Royal Swedish Opera.

By the age of 30 Hislop had completely abandoned his career in printing to pursue his aspirations in music. He went on to train in Milan and ended up with major roles through-out Italy in opera houses such as La Scala in Milan and Teatro Regio in Turin. As well as his international travels he also performed to audiences back home at the Edinburgh Empire Palace Theatre, the now Festival Theatre on Nicolson Street.

In 1928, Hislop starred in Puccini’s “La Boheme” at the Empire Palace Theatre in 1928. This saw him revisit the role of Rodolfo, for which he had become internationally known through his time at Covent Garden in London. In fact, it is said that Puccini himself, after seeing Hislop in his Covent Gardens “La Boheme” debut claimed that Hislop was his “ideal Rodolfo”.

Hislop also took a brief foray into film. Being cast as Robert Burns in Herbert Wilcox's "The Love of Robert Burns" in 1930. This film was poorly received. Hislop settled in Fife with his wife and family and went into tutoring. He had many students who went on to notable careers.

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