inits successful delineation of the artist's vocal and interpretive qualities. After devoting two-thirds of his book to the various "golden ages" of singing, pop- ulated with such scintillating figures as Ma- ria Malibran, Henriette Sontag, Pauline Vi- ardot,LuigiLablache,GiovanniRubini, Louis -Gilbert Duprez, and Jenny Lind, Mr. Pleasants turns to the era for which he can supply his personal evaluations based on his knowledge of early recordings. By and large his assessments arelaudably fair-minded, his observations mature and well -reasoned. He deals in depth with an array of great singers from Victor Maurel (1848-1923) to (1895-1962) in commen- taries of varying length, not always in direct proportion to the artist's significance. I find his chapters on Nellie Melba and Geraldine Farrarparticularlyilluminating,thaton John McCormack refreshingly candid in its far from idolatrous assessment, and that on Titta Ruffo somewhat sketchy. Mr. Pleasants gives very high praise to Lawrence Tibbett: "No other has ever sounded like Tibbett. And, short of an improbable duplication, none ever will."I agree, but I would have welcomed a more detailed study of what made Tibbett unique. Ialso concur with the author's admiring view of Richard Tauber, though I know that thisunsurpassably ingratiating vocalist by nomeansenjoysunanimousacceptance among vocal "purists." With the exception of Tauber, the singers Mr. Pleasants has chosen for detailed study have all been prominent on the American scene. Mattia Battistini and Antonio Coto- gni (revered in Italy as a singer and teacher) are barely mentioned, and the same goes for Giulia Grisi (1811-1869) and Luigi Lablache (1794-1858) in Bellini's I Puritani some of the stars of the dur- ing its most brilliant period, the first decade BOOK REVIEW of this century. In the earlier period, the figure of Teresa Stolz appears to call for more documentation, particularly in view of her close relationship with Verdi. Finally, "THE GREAT SINGERS" Wagnerians may also have a grievance or two: Flagstad is given her sovereign due, Reviewed by George Jellinek but , , and Friedrich Schorr are relegated to supporting ALTHOUGH the shelves are heavy with and other more or less accessible authors, roles. books of operatic history and biogra- supplementing their comments with no less Mr. Pleasants is a bel canto man, a fact phies of individual singers, studies of oper- authoritative but considerably more elusive he makes eminently clear in his epilogue. atic singing in historical perspective have al- source materials. The scholarship alone, as He hails the Bellini-Rossini-Donizettire- ways been inshort supply. This perhaps evidencedbythe extensivebibliography, vivals brought about by the beneficial ac- explains the persistent impression, common commands admiration. tivities of Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. in those musical circles that regard opera It is safe to predict that the chapters deal- He admires singers of their creative fiber with little more than bemused tolerance, that ing with the carnal, undisputed rulers of not only for their technical skill but also for singers have hindered rather than aided the the operatic stage for some hundred and their artistic imagination. "Conductors," he development of this fascinatingly absurd mu- fifty years of singing history, will be a rev- asserts, "must learn to encourage and sup- sical form. Filling the obvious void very elation to most readers. [Regular readers of port the singer's imaginative flight, which neatly, Henry Pleasants' new book The Great HIFI/STEREO REVIEW will remember the will not be easy for this increasingly literal- Singers will dispel such improper notions. adaptation of this material which appeared minded breed, nor congenial to their auto- The author covers a time span of more in our July 1966 issue under the title "The cratic disposition." Fighting words, these, than three centuries "from the dawn of opera Castrati."]From ourhistoricalvantage but justified in view of the current prolifera- to our own time." He begins with literate, point we can now regard the indelicate sub- tion of insensitive operatic maestros. on -the -scene observations by Vincenzo Gius- ject with detachment, particularly in the light The few omissions cited above must be tiniani, a cultivated Roman patron of arts in of Mr. Pleasants' candid but discriminating regardedasunavoidableconsideringthe the early seventeenth century; by the remark- treatment. It is a fascinating story. vastness of the subject and the conciseness able singing master PierFrancesco Tosi Through the years singers have incessant- of Mr. Pleasants' treatment. Obviously, he (1650-1730) ; and by other similarly privi- ly indulged in self -glorification, but this did could have written a longer, more detailed, leged and informed chroniclers of opera's not preclude their creative and,in many more fact -filled volume. He chose, instead, crucial formative decades. For the succeeding cases, essential contributions to the develop- to stress directness and lucidity, without sur- periods, he explores the pertinent writing ment of opera. The author explores the com- rendering to the excesses of scholarly trivia. of Francois Joseph Fetis, Charles Burney, poser -performer relationship between Han- The book is well organized, and itis pro- Henry F. Chorley, Stendhal, Hector Berlioz, del and Senesino, Bellini and Pasta, Rossini vided not only with excellent illustrations and Nourrit, Verdi and Maurel, Wagner and and an index, but also with musical ex- The GreatSingers,by Henry Pleasants Schroder-Devrient, always inilluminating amples of bel canto fioriture. It is a useful (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1966) detail.His documentation on Wilhelmine and thoroughly enjoyable study, a mirror of $7.50. Schroder-Devrientisparticularlystriking the author's enthusiasm for the subject. 40 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

AmericanRadioHistory.Com