Peter Dawson (1881-1961)
Last updated: 22.04.25
According to the Internet source given below, Peter Smith Dawson was an Australian bass-baritone and songwriter born in Adelaide, South Australia. He was taught by C.J. Stevens in Australia before being sent to England to study with Sir Charles Santley, a virtuoso English baritone of the Victorian era. He gained global fame through song recitals and many best-selling recordings of operatic arias, oratorio solos and rousing ballads. In 1984, the Guinness Book of Recorded Sound named him as one of the top 10 singers on disc of all time, listed alongside such luminaries as Elvis Presley and the great operatic tenor Enrico Caruso.His 1931 recording of the song Along the Road to Gundagai was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry.
He died in Sydney, New South Wales.
| Websites: | |||
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Peter Dawson (bass-baritone) | Biography by wikipedia.org. |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
|---|
 |
The Foundering of the Troopship (1907) | P. Dawson | National Vaudeville Company P. Dawson |
Edison Gold Moulded Record: 13699 |
| as Performer | ||||
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Excelsior (1910) | M. Balfe | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Edison Amberol: 12074 |
|
The Moon Has Raised Her Lamp Above (1913) | J. Benedict | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Edison Blue Amberol: 23072 |
|
Hearts of Oak (1914-1915) | W. Boyce | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23333 |
|
Queen of My Heart (1911) | A. Cellier | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23194 |
|
Come Back to Erin (1913) | Claribel | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Edison Blue Amberol: 23175 |
|
The Foundering of the Troopship (1907) | P. Dawson | National Vaudeville Company P. Dawson |
Edison Gold Moulded Record: 13699 |
|
You Can't Do Without a Girl (1907) | P. Edgar | P. Dawson | Edison Bell Record: 10452 |
|
The Miner's Dream of Home (1913) | W. Godwin | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23044 |
|
Nazareth (1909) | C. Gounod | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23147 |
|
Ever of Thee (1909) | H.F. Hall | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Edison Amberol: 12037 |
|
⇑Simon the Cellarer (1910) | J.L. Hatton | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12207 |
|
Out on the Deep (1910) | F.N. Löhr | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12225 |
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The Midshipmite (1909) | M. Maybrick | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12084 |
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Thora (1910) | M. Maybrick | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12219 |
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Thora (1910) | M. Maybrick | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23002 |
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The Singer Was Irish (1910) | C.W. Murphy | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23014 |
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Ora Pro Nobis (1910) | M. Piccolomini | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12023 |
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Queen of the Earth (1909) | C. Pinsuti | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23127 |
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The Old Rustic Bridge by the Mill (1908) | J.P. Skelly | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Edison Blue Amberol: 23052 |
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The Volunteer Organist (1913) | G.L. Spaulding | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23026 |
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The Bandolero (1910) | L. Stuart | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23084 |
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Sweet Christmas Bells (1906) | Traditional | P. Dawson Walter Hyde |
Cylindres Edison Moulés Sur Or: 13530 |
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⇑Sweet Christmas Bells (1909) | Traditional | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Edison Blue Amberol: 23143 |
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The Admiral's Broom (1914-1915) | F.E. Weatherly | P. Dawson | Edison Blue Amberol: 23338 |
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The Admiral's Broom (1912) | F.E. Weatherly | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12481 |
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The Village Blacksmith (1909) | W.H. Weiss | P. Dawson | Edison Amberol: 12106 |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
|---|
| as Performer | ||||
 |
The Menin Gate (1930) | L. Bowen | P. Dawson | HMV B3691 |
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Old Father Thames (1933) | B. O'Hogan | P. Dawson | HMV B4374 |
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The Admiral's Yarn (1928) | P.A. Rubens | P. Dawson | HMV B2661 |
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Drake Goes West (1929) | W. Sanderson | P. Dawson | HMV B3111 |
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The Lost Chord(1922) | A. Sullivan | P. Dawson | HMV 1474 |
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The Lost Chord (1907) | A. Sullivan | P. Dawson Ernest Pike |
Zonophone 526 |
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King Charles (1921) | M. White | P. Dawson | HMV B1242 |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
|---|
| as Performer | ||||
 |
Old Folks at Home (1905) | S. Foster | P. Dawson Nellie Melba Ernest Pike Gwladys Roberts |
Gramophone: 7203b |
|
Good Night (1905) | A. Scott-Gatty | P. Dawson Nellie Melba Ernest Pike Gwladys Roberts |
Gramophone: 7204b |
|
Onward Christian Soldiers (1909) | A. Sullivan | P. Dawson Stewart Gardner Eleanor Jones-Hudson Ernest Pike Harold Wilde |
Gramophone: 10418e |
This list is derived from information provided by Monologues.co.uk which went down sometime in 2023.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
| Title | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Lost Chord, The | Arthur Sullivan (music) Adelaide Anne Procter (words) Antoinette Sterling (perf.) John McCormack (perf.) Louise Kirkby Lunn (perf.) Alma Gluck (perf.) Peter Dawson (perf.) Belle Cole (perf.) Clara Butt (perf.) |
||
| Volunteer Organist | H. Lamb (music) William B. Gray (words) Peter Dawson (perf.) |
| Title | Attribution | Instruments | Source | Remarks |
|---|
 |
Boots (1928) | P. Dawson (music) Rudyard Kipling (words) P. Dawson (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | IMSLP |  |
| As performer | |||||
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Village Blacksmith (1855), The | W.H. Weiss (music) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (words) P. Dawson (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | IMSLP | |
The peformer is featured on 45 sheet music/recording covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m)
ER
| Title | Composer | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
 |
Excelsior (n.d.) | Michael William Balfe | Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) Frederick J. Wheeler as James F. Harrison (perf.) John Young as Harry Anthony (perf.) |
|
|
Moon Has Raised Her Lamp Above (186-), The | Julius Benedict | Peter Dawson (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) |
|
|
Menin Gate (1930), The | Lori Bowen | Eric Haydon (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Hearts of Oak (1914) | William Boyce | David Garrick (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Queen of My Heart (1910) | Alfred Cellier | B.C. Stephenson (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Come Back to Erin (1850) | Claribel | Peter Dawson (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) |
|
|
⇑You Can't Do Without a Girl (1907) | Percy Edgar | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Old Folks at Home (1851) | Stephen Collins Foster(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) Nellie Melba (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) Gwladys Roberts (perf.) |
|
|
Fleet's Not in Port Very Long (1937), The | Noel Gay(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) | |
|
Miner's Dream of Home (1891), The | Will Godwin | Leo Dryden (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Nazareth (1909) | Charles Gounod | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Ever of Thee (1909) | Henry Foley Hall | Peter Dawson (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) |
|
|
Simon the Cellarer (189-) | John Liptrot Hatton | W.H. Bellamy (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Volunteer Organist (1893) | H. Lamb | William B. Gray (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Friendships (?) | Hermann Löhr | Peter Dawson (perf.) | |
|
Out on the Deep (1910) | Frederic N. Löhr | Samuel K Cowan (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Midshipmite (188-), The | Michael Maybrick | Fred. E. Weatherly (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
⇑Thora (1905) | Michael Maybrick | Fred E. Weatherly (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Kerry Dance (1860), The | James L. Molloy(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
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Singer Was Irish (1910), The | C.W. Murphy | Harry Castling (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Old Father Thames (1933) | Betsy O'Hogan | Raymond Wallace (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Asleep in the Deep (1897) | Henry W. Petrie | Arthur J. Lamb (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Ora Pro Nobis (189-) | M. Piccolomini | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Queen of the Earth (1857) | Ciro Pinsuti | H L D'Arcy Jaxone (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
We Are Three Friars of Orders Grey (n.d) | William Reeve(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) | |
|
Admiral's Yarn (1928), The | Paul Alfred Rubens(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Drake Goes West (1910) | Wilfred Sanderson | Patrick Joseph O'Reilly (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Good Night (1905) | Alfred Scott-Gatty | Peter Dawson (perf.) Nellie Melba (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) Gwladys Roberts (perf.) |
|
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⇑Old Rustic Bridge by the Mill (1881), The | J.P. Skelly(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) |
|
|
Volunteer Organist (1893), The | George L. Spaulding | Wm. B. Gray (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Bandolero (1899), The | Leslie Stuart(w&m) | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Lost Chord (1877), The | Arthur Sullivan | Adelaide Anne Procter (words)
Clara Butt (perf.) Belle Cole (perf.) Peter Dawson (perf.) Alma Gluck (perf.) Louise Kirkby Lunn (perf.) John McCormack (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) Antoinette Sterling (perf.) |
|
|
Onward Christian Soldiers (1874) | Arthur Sullivan | Sabine BaringGould (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) Stewart Gardner (perf.) Eleanor Jones-Hudson (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) Harold Wilde (perf.) |
|
|
Sweet Christmas Bells (?) | Traditional | Peter Dawson (perf.) Walter Hyde (perf.) Ernest Pike (perf.) |
|
|
My Old Shako (1907) | Henry Trotère | J Francis Barron (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Admiral's Broom (1912), The | Frederic Edward Weatherly | Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
Village Blacksmith (1855), The | W.H. Weiss | Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
|
King Charles (1898) | Maud Valerie White | Robert Browning (words)
Peter Dawson (perf.) |
|
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 7 works by Peter Dawson (1881-1961).
It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys:
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Composer | Title | Performer |
|---|
 |
Along The Road To Gundagai (2:51) | P. Dawson | |
|
The Kerry Dance (4:10) | P. Dawson | |
|
Waltzing Matilda (4:05) | P. Dawson | |
|
P. Dawson | Foundering of the Troopship (1907) (2:16) | P. Dawson |
|
P. Dawson | Boots (1929) (2:55) | P. Dawson |
|
W. Godwin | Miners Dream of Home (3:19) | P. Dawson |
|
J.L. Molloy | The Kerry Dance (4:10) | P. Dawson |
|
H.W. Petrie | Asleep in the Deep (1930) (6:13) | P. Dawson |