A new version of Frans van der Kolff’s 'Songography'  has been posted on the 'Bing'  magazine website.

Go to http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/ and click on 'Songography'  in the left hand panel.

A few words of explanation from me are perhaps appropriate. Some 14 years ago, Frans van der Kolff of the Netherlands published a magnificent work listing all the songs Bing had sung, whether on radio, TV, film, recording, and yes, even in live performance on the concert platform. That is right – for those who have not seen it - the song, when and where performed and with whom. Even the odd snatches of a cappella singing during interviews are covered. So it’s not just a list of records or radio shows.  It covers THE LOT.

The book is out of print but it fully deserves to be preserved and made available.  Some while ago Malcolm MacFarlane asked me if I would be prepared to see if I could format it for 'publication'  on the internet. In going through it I was amazed, again, at the amount of painstaking research to establish the facts and the dedicated patience that was required tabulate it, so I was both diffident and troubled that I was interfering in any way with such a work. I trust that Frans is not offended by my actions.

In the intervening period there have been a few discoveries and research that has thrown up new information. Frans has updated the work and I have also added a few items of which I was aware. But the work remains his and the sheer bulk of it testifies to the depth of his research and dedication to his objective. It’s easy to measure the size - according to my computer it runs to 204,692 words and 902 pages.  It is less easy to measure the quality but, believe me, it is there, and I think Frans deserves a great vote of thanks for producing the work and allowing it to be made available in this way.

I know however that Frans would agree with me that it is pretty well impossible to ever be content that such a work is 'finished'  or totally complete. There are indications in it where information is missing, accompanists unidentified, or only approximate dates are known. There may also be items completely left out. Any information in the possession of others that will correct or expand on anything in the 'Songography'  will be gratefully received.

Last edited by Richard Baker (24/11/2010 11:52 am)