[78-L] Paul Robeson label copy - bass or baritone?

[Chris Zwarg]

At 20:35 05.12.2008, you wrote:
>Just noticed a Columbia Robeson listing which credits him as (Bass),
>I have a notation that another label on the same record 71367 lists him as
>Baritone.
>Anyone know reason for discrepancy, or perhaps I have incorrect data -
>unfortunately I didn't scan the
>label.

Never seen Robeson listed as anything but "bass" (and he certainly wasn't a baritone - the way he produces the top notes of the basso range does not lead me to believe he could have sung an A-natural at full voice, as occasionally required in baritone arias). But then, Columbia felt obliged to call Billy Murray a "tenor" and Ada Jones variously a "soprano" and a "contralto" some years earlier, so anything is possible I guess....

Chris