Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson ( ROHB-sən; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for his political stances. In 1915, Robeson won an academic scholarship to Rutgers College, where he was the only African-American student. While at Rutgers, he was twice named a consensus All-American in football and was elected class valedictorian. He earned his LL.B. from Columbia Law School, while playing in the National Football League (NFL). After graduation, he became a figure in the Harlem Renaissance, with performances in Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones and All God's Chillun Got Wings. Robeson performed in Britain in a touring melodrama, Voodoo, in 1922, and in Emperor Jones in 1925. In 1928, he scored a major success in the London premiere of Show Boat. Living in London for several years with his wife Eslanda, Robeson continued to establish himself as a concert artist and starred in a London production of Othello, the first of three productions of the play over the course of his career. He also gained attention in Sanders of the River (1935) and in the film production of Show Boat (1936). Robeson's political activities began with his involvement with unemployed workers and anti-imperialist students in Britain, and it continued with his support for the Republican cause during the Spanish Civil War and his involvement in the Council on African Affairs (CAA). After returning to the United States in 1939, Robeson supported the American and Allied war efforts during World War II. However, his history of supporting civil rights causes and Soviet policies brought scrutiny from the FBI. After the war ended, the CAA was placed on the Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations. Robeson was investigated during the McCarthy era. When he refused to recant his public advocacy of left-wing beliefs, the U.S. State Department denied his passport and his income plummeted. He moved to Harlem and published a periodical called Freedom, which was critical of United States policies, from 1950 to 1955. Robeson's right to travel was eventually restored as a result of the 1958 United States Supreme Court decision Kent v. Dulles. Between 1925 and 1961, Robeson recorded and released some 276 songs. The first of these was the spiritual "Steal Away", backed with "Were You There", in 1925. Robeson's recorded repertoire spanned many styles, including Americana, popular standards, classical music, European folk songs, political songs, poetry and spoken excerpts from plays. |
Birth and Death Data: Born April 9, 1898 (Princeton), Died January 23, 1976 (Philadelphia)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1940
Roles Represented in DAHR: bass vocal
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 51-70 of 70 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gramophone | 0B6295 | 10-in. | 2/15/1933 | Swing low, sweet chariot | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0B6296 | 10-in. | 2/15/1933 | On ma journey | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA6572 | 10-in. | 9/15/1938 | Goin' to ride up in de chariot | Lawrence Brown ; Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA7087 | 10-in. | 11/20/1938 | Trees | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA7089 | 10-in. | 11/20/1938 | Loch Lomond | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA7090 | 10-in. | 11/20/1938 | Drink to me only with thine eyes | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA7694 | 10-in. | 5/9/1939 | Down de Lovers' Lane | Lawrence Brown ; Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA7695 | 10-in. | 5/9/1939 | Lullaby | Lawrence Brown ; Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA7696 | 10-in. | 5/9/1939 | Night | Lawrence Brown ; Paul Robeson | Male vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8104 | 10-in. | 9/28/1939 | Sylvia | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8283 | 10-in. | 9/26/1939 | Dear old Southland | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8284 | 10-in. | 9/26/1939 | Jerusalem | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8285 | 10-in. | 9/26/1939 | The blind ploughman | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8287 | 10-in. | 9/26/1939 | Oh, could I but express in song | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8292 | 10-in. | 9/26/1939 | Nothin' | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8293 | 10-in. | 9/27/1939 | The rosary | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8294 | 10-in. | 9/27/1939 | A perfect day | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8295 | 10-in. | 9/27/1939 | Absent | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8296 | 10-in. | 9/27/1939 | Black eyes | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, bass vocal | |
Gramophone | 0EA8302 | 10-in. | 9/29/1939 | Land of my fathers | Harry Chapman ; Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with male vocal chorus and harp | vocalist, bass vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Robeson, Paul," accessed October 1, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102809.
Robeson, Paul. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 1, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102809.
"Robeson, Paul." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Paul Robeson
Discogs: Paul Robeson
Grove: Paul Robeson
RILM: Paul Robeson
IMDb: Paul Robeson
Britannica: Paul Robeson
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80064276
Wikidata: Paul Robeson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q273233
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/197471
MusicBrainz: Paul Robeson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/bbc5febe-0321-4bb2-adcd-8dafbf8d8841
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