Olive Kline, Elsie Baker "Whispering Hope" (1914)

"Whispering Hope"
Words and Music by Alice Hawthorne
Sung by Olive Kline and Elsie Baker
Soprano and Contralto with Orchestra
Recorded December 7, 1914
Victor 17782-A

Olive Kline (soprano) and Elsie Baker (contralto) recorded numerous duets for Victor between 1914 and 1923, making a total of about 40 recordings together.

"Whispering Hope" was written by Septimus Winner in 1868 using the pseudonym Alice Hawthorne. A self-taught musician who also ran a music store, gave lessons on various instruments, and played in both the Philadelphia Brass Band and the Cecilian Musical Society, he became a poet and violinist. A prolific songwriter of the later nineteenth century, he edited over 200 volumes of music for more than twenty instruments and produced 2,000 arrangements for piano and violin. But those who knew him said that Winner did not intend it to be a religious song. In fact, it is claimed that Winner was somewhat amazed and amused that its great popularity was achieved as a hymn. Whatever his intentions were, the song did gain instant access among churches and has been published continuously in hymnbooks ever since.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Whispering Hope
• Septimus Winner
• Olive Kline
• Elsie Baker
• Hymn
• Sacred
• Inspirational
• gospel
• Alice Hawthorne
• Soprano
• Contralto
• duet
• 1914
• Nostalgic
• sentimental
• acoustic
• Victor

[hotsickle]

talk about a couple of babes !

[bsgs98]

@hotsickle Not exactly 'flappers' but superb vocalists.

[skylilly1]

Oh my gosh! This is outstanding!!!!!!

[dkw12002]

This background gives a hint of the brass band oompah sound the original score intended.