a soprano with the company near the end of Gordon's career, wrote this description in her memoir: He worshipped Gilbert and this was reflected in his own productions. Although a stickler for tradition, he believed first and foremost in building up an intelligent performance. Short and slight, James Gordon kept a small step ladder [to see over the heads of the chorus] near the prompt corner so he could stand on it, peer through his pince-nez spectacles at us and not miss a single movement. He knew the exact spot where we should stand and no one dared be half an inch out of place. From the stage we could see his luminous pen jotting down notes which he later handed to us. Some of these I still have: "You took three steps too close to Strephon during the duet." "Keep your arms steady during song and sing with more feeling" and so on. Notes, references and sources Notes References Sources External links Recollections of Harry Norris Photograph of Gordon and D'Oyly Carte colleagues with the huge recording horn used in the acoustic recording process 1857 births 1944 deaths People associated with Gilbert and Sullivan People from Aberdeenshire 19th-century Scottish male singers Scottish male stage actors Scottish directors