Mr Peter Dawson 'The Floral Dance' 1915 78 rpm

'The Floral Dance' describes the Furry Dance in Helston, Cornwall.
On the 8th May every year the Feast of St. Michael is celebrated as Flora Day.
Kate "Katie" Moss (no not that one) attended the celebrations one year and wrote 'The Floral Dance' on the train home , the Furry Dance tune is played by the piano in the chorus.
Peter Dawson a celebrated Bass singer and prolific early recording artist recorded the first version in 1912 on Zonophone, in 1915 he recorded this version released by HMV on a 12" record. A much more laid back recording with piano compared to the sometimes frantic 1912 piano and orchestra version on a 10" record.
Peter Dawson was born in Australia in 1882, he sang in the church choir, at 19 he won best bass solo in Ballarat and started taking concert engagements. In 1903 he was sent to England to study under Sir Charles Santley. Peter married in 1905 and appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1909. He was on a second tour of Australia when war broke out, he returned to England, performing for troops and for wartime charities. As the war drew on he felt he should do more and returned to Australia to enlist. The Armistice in November 1918 saved him seeing frontline service.
He resumed his concert, recording and touring career travelling the world. He was again in Australia at the outbreak of WW2 , he broadcast, recorded and entertained troops for the duration.
He made his final performance for ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) in January 1961 and died from heart failure in the September aged 79. It is thought he recorded between 1500 and 3500 pieces between 1904 and 1955 spanning acoustic cylinders to his final recordings for stereo albums.
A rough copy but the recording is again superb.
Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band had a #2 hit in 1977 with the tune followed by that famous 1978 vocal version by Sir Terry Wogan which reached #21    • Terry Wogan 'The Floral Dance' 45 rpm