Dan F. Beddoe

Background

Beddoe was born in Aberdare in the Cynon Valley of Wales, the son of Thomas and Gwendolyn Beddoe.

Career

He then went to to the United States for further study in Cleveland with John Underner and Pittsburgh under J. T. Davies. After hearing him in a concert, Walter Damrosch engaged him as the tenor soloist for the Berlioz Requiem which he was conducting at Carnegie Hall in 1903—Beddoe"s official oratorio debut. The following year he toured with Damrosch and the New York Philharmonic singing the title role in concert performances of Parsifal.

He subsequently toured widely in the United States and Britain, and frequently appeared with the Oratorio Society of New New York

His made his debut with the society in 1905 as the tenor soloist in the United States premiere of Richard Strauss"s Taillefer conducted by Damrosch. From 1919 to 1935 Beddoe taught at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, but continued his performance career as well.

In 1933, at the age of 70 he sang as the tenor soloist in Handel"s Messiah with the Oratorio Society of New New York The New York Times critic wrote:

The years have dealt kindly with Mr.

Beddoe"s voice, as time might wear silver coin bright if thin, and the supreme loveliness of his "Comfort ye" was not dimmed.

Beddoe retired in 1935 after he was injured in a car accident in Cincinnati.

Achievements

• At the age of 19 he won the Gold Medal and First Prize in the National Eisteddfod of Wales and for a while taught singing in a school in Llwynypia.