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Discography of Kathleen Ferrier

For eight decades Kathleen Ferrier’s records have taken pride of place in many music-lovers’ collections in almost every country of the world. The range of her records represents pretty well her repertoire as it developed during the ten fruitful years of her career.

Kathleen’s first recordings were made for EMI at Abbey Road Studios in north London in June 1944; these were simply test records, not intended for public sale, and it was almost 35 years before they were first issued.

Three more recording sessions for EMI followed and included music by Handel, Greene, Purcell and Mendelssohn; by February 1946 she had changed her allegiance to Decca Records, not having enjoyed a good rapport with Walter Legge, in charge of her earlier sessions.

Her only other recording for EMI – Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder – was made in October 1949 with special permission granted by Decca.

Kathleen’s major recording projects for Decca between 1946 and 1952 incl