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some predictably archaic terms, such as “sallow sands” sun has finally set, “night drinks all.” One of the poem’s in the opening line, along with “and mark yon meeting” final images may also give some difficulty, as we are ADD in the second line, each of which may be explained as asked to see the waves around “else unlighted sands,” THE McCORMACK EDITION • 6 “yellow sands” and “note the meeting there,” sands that, aside from the light on the waves, are 8.111316 respectively. The stanza that follows presents even otherwise (“else”) “unlighted” or dark. more challenging constructions. The “sea’s red vintage” in which the sun “melts” is the poet’s vision of a John Scarry dramatically coloured sunset over water, and that description helps us understand the restatement of the The author wishes to thank Mr Paul Worth for his John image in the next line, where “Egypt’s pearl” also melts material help in the preparation of these notes. in the “rosy wine” of the sun-reddened water. When the McCORMACK 1915-16 Acoustic Recordings

TOSTI BALFE HADLEY KREISLER MOSZKOWSKI

The McCormack Edition: Volume 6 of Morning, we can hear the opening section bear impeccable,” and then adds: “This record is witness to the tenor’s obvious talent for recitative, impeccable.” 1915-16 recordings made by The Victor Talking Machine Company, Camden, NJ while the remainder of the piece fully demonstrates his In a very real sense, all of McCormack’s recordings mastery of the aria form as he would sing it in oratorio. are impeccable. They show the brilliance of his DIX: ROOT: No review of McCormack’s artistic output would versatility and his unfailing respect for whatever music 1 The Trumpeter 3:41 8 The Vacant Chair 3:06 be complete without some attention to his own musical he chose to give his public. Good in opera and supreme with Emil Keneke (?), trumpet with male chorus (Harry Macdonough, tenor, heritage. We think, rightly, of McCormack as an Irish in song, he stands before us as an artist who did not 30th March 1915; C-15845-1 (Victor 74432) Reinald Werrenrath, baritone and tenor, but a few selections here remind us that his leave a successor, but whose masterful recordings have background was both Irish and Scottish. Turn Ye To Me left us models for all time. William F. Hooley, bass) is a well known Scottish melody, while The Kerry BALFE: 31st March 1915; B-15417-3 (Victor 64499) Dance is immediately identifiable by tune and title as John Scarry 2 Come Into the Garden, Maud 4:00 belonging to the Emerald Isle. The other Celtic selection reflects a rather long-distance view of that Notes on the Song Texts 30th March 1915; C-15846-1 (Victor 74434) SCHNEIDER: culture: A Little Bit of Heaven, was closely associated 9 When the Dew is Falling 2:35 with the popular Irish-American tenor Chauncey John McCormack’s legendary diction is apparent in HADLEY: 31st March 1915; B-15850-2 (Victor 64497) Olcott, a songster whose melodies McCormack every recording he made, but some of the antiquated 3 Evening Song, Op. 53, No. 3 2:42 frequently used. This song gives us a fanciful text while and obsolete words in many of the songs and ballads he it caters to the fantasies of its intended audience, the recorded are not clear to the modern listener. 30th March 1915; B-15838-3 (Victor 64496) MOSZKOWSKI: Irish immigrants who would always carry with them an Tennyson’s poem Come Into the Garden, Maud, for 0 Serenata, Op. 15, No. 1 2:43 idealized vision of their native land. They would also example, contains the word “blown” which we SPEAKS: with Fritz Kreisler, violin respond to a heartfelt expression of that vision, and this understand to mean “blossomed.” In the famous Oley 4 McCormack delivered to them, as no other artist could. Speaks song Morning, the light falls “on cot and clod”, Morning 2:21 10th June 1915; B-16090-1 (Victor 87230) In the opinion of many musicians and collectors, and it takes a little effort to understand that “cot” refers 30th March 1915; B-15847-1 (Victor 64498) our final selection stands as the most significant to “cottage” or house, while “clod” alludes to a lump of TRADITIONAL, arr. DeCurtis recording of McCormack’s career. This is the Il mio earth; the morning light falls on houses and the land. OLD SCOTTISH AIR: ! Carmé 3:19 tesoro from Don Giovanni, a legendary performance We notice also that in the same song McCormack gives that could hardly be closer to a definitive Mozart an older pronunciation to the word “winds” (he 5 Turn Ye to Me 3:48 with Fritz Kreisler, violin interpretation; since its release in 1916, it has set the pronounces this word the same way in Venetian Song 30th March 1915; C-15848-1 (Victor 74435) 10th June 1915; B-16091-2 (Victor 87231) standard for all singers of that composer’s work. One and in Turn Ye to Me.) British critic who reviewed every available recording of It is almost inevitable that song texts dating from the aria noted that, no matter how many interpretations nearly a century ago would contain words that have left NEVIN: MEYER-HELMUND: he heard, it was to the McCormack version he always the language. In Flirtation we have two examples of 6 The Rosary 2:07 @ Flirtation 2:15 returned. It is not only the masterful control of the this: the “swains” are the men who court the young 30th March 1915; B-11825-3 (Victor 64257) with Fritz Kreisler, violin challenging middle run that gains our attention (other women, while “coquetting” is the eternal act of teasing 10th June 1915; B-16092-1 (Victor 87232) tenors have, with varying difficulty, also overcome this or flirting. With Turn Ye to Me we are dealing with hurdle in a single breath), but it is McCormack’s total echoes of another language, this time Scottish Gaelic. TRADITIONAL, arr. Wade: understanding of the music that allows the aria to ripen The refrain of the song is “Horo, Mhairi dhu,” which 7 Adeste Fideles 4:01 BÖHM: as it does in his hands and win our complete admiration. we may translate as “Oh, Mary, you dark little elf” or with male chorus (Harry Macdonough, tenor, # Still as the Night, Op. 326, No. 27 2:22 Much ink has been spilled to describe the many virtues “Oh, little dark Mary,” in either case an endearing and the immense value of this recording, but the praise address, along with a likely description of the young Reinald Werrenrath, baritone and with Fritz Kreisler, violin of a demanding German critic sums up all the accolades woman’s hair. William F. Hooley, bass) 10th June 1915; B-16093-2 (Victor 87233) this interpretation has received. After a close analysis One final text offers unusual challenges for the 31st March 1915; C-15849-1 (Victor 74436) of the McCormack Il mio tesoro, the critic concludes: listener. This is the Evening Song by the American poet “There are few recordings that can be described as Sidney Lanier (1842-1881). Lanier’s poem contains 8.111316 2 7 8.111316 8.111316 bk McCormack6 EU 16/1/08 13:46 Page 6

the present set are fine examples from that composer. the lyric in a moment of inspiration. The result was a COWLES: STRELEZKI: The first is a textbook example of an Italian canzone living musical memorial, one that continued to touch $ Forgotten (A Love Song of Poland) 3:22 ¡ Dreams 3:09 presented for English taste, the Venetian Song. It is an people everywhere who had suffered grievous loss in English parlour ballad placed in a classic Italian setting more than one war. This recording is noteworthy for an 10th November 1915; B-16760-1 (Victor 64546) 9th May 1916; B-17646-1 (Victor 64603) with all the elements of the genre, from the moon to the additional reason: McCormack’s final note, a D flat lagoon. The second Tosti song, Parted, is another above high C, is the highest note he ever recorded. NUTTING: MOZART: Don Giovanni, K. 527 hybrid of Continental melody and English words, with One of the most successful recording collaborations % Sing, Sing, Birds on the Wing 3:29 ™ Il mio tesoro 4:15 the song anchored even more firmly in the British McCormack enjoyed during his career was with the tradition by the use of the Fred Weatherly text. violinist Fritz Kreisler. Between 1914 and 1924 they 10th November 1915; B-16762-2 (Victor 64532) 9th May 1916; C-17647-1 (Victor 74484) Weatherly was the quintessential Victorian lyricist, with joined in several memorable sessions together; here, his settings still striking the modern ear as flowery to a they give us four selections that have a light and OLD DUTCH AIR, arr. Hoffmann: MOLLOY: fault. unmistakably Continental flavour, taking us on a virtual ^ £ World War I was not quite a year in progress when musical tour of Europe. Their Carmé brings us to sunny God’s Hand 2:20 The Kerry Dance 4:11 McCormack made some of the first recordings in the Italy, while Serenata, Flirtation, and Still as the Night 10th November 1915; B-16763-2 9th May 1916; C-17648-1 (Victor 74485) present set. One of these is The Trumpeter, a piece transport us to the world of light German (and (unpublished; assigned Victor 64548) usually reserved for a lower male voice, but here well Viennese) melody, accompanied by predictably SCHNEIDER: served by the clarion voice of our tenor. Although the romantic lyrics. song is not directly tied to the World War I experience, The ease with which McCormack and Kreisler BALL: ¢ Your Eyes 2:01 its martial tone and military text immediately take us worked together is evident in every measure of these & A Little Bit of Heaven 3:17 9th May 1916; B-17649-2 (Victor 64604) into the reality of that terrible conflict. It may also have engaging little songs, and there is one special moment 10th November 1915; B-16764-1 (Victor 64543) been the presence of the war in everyone’s life that led that shows how totally comfortable the two artists were McCormack to record, for the third time, Ethelbert with each other. It comes at the end of the first verse of NEVIN: Nevin’s The Rosary with its openly emotional Moszkowski’s Serenata, where McCormack sings the TOSTI: – Little Boy Blue 2:50 evocation of suffering and loss. That same composer’s violin obbligato as a brief solo for himself. It is the * Venetian Song 3:27 with Emil Keneke, trumpet Little Boy Blue conveys an even deeper experience of ultimate example of what the tenor once reported when 10th November 1915; B-16765-2 (Victor 64549) 9th May 1916; B-17650-2 (Victor 64605) grief, that of the loss of a child. The present recording he listened to a duet he had made with Kreisler: “Ah! I documents McCormack’s first approach to this song, got a tone just like Fritz there!” Here in the Serenata, we one that he would return to throughout his career, listen to his own flexible instrument as it briefly and KREISLER: perhaps most memorably in his 1930 Hollywood film, brilliantly takes over from his violinist friend. ( The Old Refrain 3:24 All with orchestra conducted by Walter B. Rogers Song O’My Heart. One other selection from these The present set of recordings not only shows us recording sessions fits well into the mood of that era. McCormack’s versatility, it also demonstrates that here 14th January 1916; B-17008-2 (Victor 64559) except tracks 12 & 13, which are accompanied by This is God’s Hand, a prayerful attempt to find meaning was a singer who was always investigating new Ludwig Schwab, piano in a dark time; inexplicably, it remained unpublished for material. In addition to the war-related pieces of the TOSTI: many years and its inclusion in the present set day, the popular ballads by Tosti, and the Continental ) Parted 3:32 All tracks are sung in English except track 7 in represents its first availability to the general public. pieces with their Viennese flavor, we notice that There is no mistaking the war-related purpose for Forgotten is a love song of Poland, while the American 14th January 1916; B-17010-1 (Victor 64578) Latin, tracks 11 and 22 in Italian McCormack’s record of The Vacant Chair. This poet Sidney Lanier supplied the challenging text for The internationally famous song dates from the American Evening Song. One other American song of the time, the Civil War and commemorates the death of a young immensely popular Morning of Oley Speaks, has value Union Army lieutenant, one William Grout, who was for us beyond McCormack’s impressively full-voiced remembered for his extraordinary valor in combat. His interpretation. Collectors and specialists have always friend Henry Washburn, realizing how sorrowful the lamented that the singer did not give us more than a Grout family would be during their first Thanksgiving sampling of the brilliant oratorio style of his vocal holiday after the death of the young man in battle, wrote prime. However, if we listen carefully to this recording 8.111316 6 3 8.111316 8.111316 bk McCormack6 EU 16/1/08 13:46 Page 4

John McCormack (1884-1945) Hammerstein was soon bought out by his Hollywood’s earliest sound films, Song O’My Heart. competition, the Metropolitan Opera, and McCormack The young Maureen O’Sullivan, then on the threshold The McCormack Edition Vol. 6 found himself singing for other houses, among them the of her long cinema career, was one of his co-stars. “Presumably,” Robert Tuggle writes in The Golden Exposition were his first performances in the United Philadelphia and Chicago companies. Well received Nearly a decade of concert tours in England and Age of Opera, “there were Irish tenors before John States. though he was in the opera house, McCormack was America followed, and in November 1938 the singer McCormack … just as there have been pale imitations More foreign experience came to him in 1905, such an instant phenomenon in the recital hall he soon made his farewell to the public at London’s Albert Hall. ever since.” The writer’s comment defines McCormack when he went to Milan for serious vocal studies under found himself making a complete change in the When World War II broke out, McCormack made as the very embodiment of the term “Irish tenor,” Maestro Vincenzo Sabatini. (The maestro’s son, Rafael, direction of his career. After his first seasons in the fund-raising tours and BBC broadcasts in support of although as a vocal artist the singer stands utterly apart became famous as the author of Scaramouche and other United States, his operatic work diminished sharply, the war effort; he would also continue to record for from any single category. Originally trained for opera, romance novels.) The young Irishman was an apt pupil, while his concert tours became, along with his recorded HMV until l942. The next year, the singer retired to his decision to turn to the concert platform led him to a and his hard work was rewarded when, on 13 January output, nearly his entire professional life. The present his native Ireland, where on 16th September 1945 he level of success that remains legendary to this day. 1906, he made his début in Mascagni’s L’Amico Fritz at set reports on this shift in his priorities: of the 25 died at his home, just outside of Dublin. Again, Robert Tuggle helps us realize the unique Savona’s Teatro Chiabrera. The twenty year old selections in this volume, only one, Il mio tesoro, is an Strictly speaking, the Victorian Age ended with the position this singer holds in performance history when McCormack was supposed to impersonate a character operatic aria. Significantly, it is the last published death of Britain’s Queen in 1901, but many of the tastes he notes that, in the concert hall, McCormack was “a twice his age, but, always the reluctant actor, he did not recording we have from his operatic repertoire. and mores of the nineteenth century would endure until master unsurpassed in the history of song,” and tells us remotely succeed. Vocally he was also immature, but an McCormack’s change of career was richly the World War I era. Some of the McCormack that the tenor’s audiences always acted “as though they opera début in Italy had taken place and the local critics rewarded, not only with an earned income of a million recordings from this period document that taste, with would never have another chance to hear him.” The had been kind. La Scala was another story, however, dollars a year, but also with a popularity that, even by the present set containing some prime examples of the present volume of recordings gives us ample and when more than one audition did not open that today’s standards, is impressive indeed. What other Victorian parlor ballads so dear to the hearts of opportunity to experience McCormack’s mastery of door, McCormack realized he had to look elsewhere. concert singer could fill the largest halls in New York English-speaking audiences on both sides of the song, while we also listen to his supreme moment in The new land of opportunity was London, where and Boston ten times in a single season? After only a Atlantic. First among these is Michael Balfe’s Come opera, a virtually definitive performance of one of McCormack took part in many concerts and tried very few years in the United States, McCormack had Into the Garden, Maud with its poem by Tennyson. Mozart’s most demanding arias. without success for an engagement at Covent Garden. become the greatest concert attraction the country had McCormack’s unique clarity of diction, along with his John McCormack was born on 14th June 1884 in Only the direct intervention of an influential patron of ever known. peerless phrasing and beauty of tone, make this an the provincial Irish town of Athlone. After primary the arts, Sir John Murray Scott, led to McCormack’s The tenor and his family remained in America outstanding example of what is often called “Victorian school there, he graduated from Summerhill College in 13th October 1907 début as Turridu in Cavalleria throughout the war, and as that conflict was ending he singing.” The florid demands of this now vanished County Sligo; by 1902 he was in Dublin, supposedly to Rusticana. At 23, the Irishman was the youngest and his wife decided to formalize their feelings for their vocal style are fully exemplified by McCormack’s prepare for a civil service examination. The young principal tenor ever to sing in that opera house. London adopted country: they became American citizens. It was superlative vocalism, and even while we recognize the man’s ideas were more musical, however, and he soon critics were muted in their praise, but the ambitious a decision that caused the singer immense difficulty, as antique quality of the music and the verse, we are struck joined the Palestrina Choir of Dublin’s Roman Catholic young singer had taken his place in London’s musical people throughout the British Empire viewed this by the utterly modern musical approach of this singer. cathedral, where he gained the attention of Vincent circles. From that first season until the outbreak of war change of allegiance to be an act of supreme disloyalty. We can only wish for such a tenor on today’s concert O’Brien, the director of that choir and a leading in 1914, he sang every year at Covent Garden, taking McCormack was forced to cancel a 1920 concert tour of stage. musician in the Irish capital. It was O’Brien who part in such operas as Lakmé, Lucia di Lammermoor, Australia, and it would not be until 1924 that he dared Other Victorian items call for a similar vocal style. prepared the nineteen year old McCormack for Dublin’s Rigoletto, La sonnambula, and, for his final London sing in London again. Finding a much better reception Some of them cross both cultural and linguistic lines, in important music festival, the Feis Ceoil, where his opera appearances, Boito’s Mefistofele. on the Continent, McCormack gave a series of many cases reflecting the long standing British young tenor won the gold medal in May, 1903. When Oscar Hammerstein I came to Europe in memorable recitals in Paris, Berlin, and Prague, and fascination with Italian settings and themes. No other Winning this coveted prize not only turned 1909 to engage singers for his Manhattan Opera House during this same period he also made his farewell to composer better satisfied this taste for Italianate song McCormack into an overnight household name in in New York, McCormack became part of that group of opera. These final appearances took place on the stage than Paolo Tosti. In 1909, McCormack had recorded a Dublin, it also gave the fledging tenor a powerful artists, making his American opera début in November at Monte Carlo, the most important production being a series of Tosti songs, all in Italian; these were done in feeling of confidence in his abilities. Now, for the first 1909, as Alfredo in La traviata. His vocalism was well newly edited La Foire de Sorotchinzi of Mussorgsky the full flood of the tenor’s desire for a second chance at time, he could see that a career in music was a real received, but we sense his continuing discomfort on given in 1923; McCormack sang the role of Gritzo. establishing an opera career in Italy. That attempt was possibility. It was for this reason that he seized the stage as we read the reviews, one critic commenting that Three years after that Monte Carlo premiere, not a success, but now he was an international concert opportunity to sing in America the following year; his the tenor’s acting was so ineffective he made the McCormack went on a concert tour of the Far East, and celebrity, at least in the English-speaking world; these appearances in the Irish Village at the St. Louis abominable Alfredo “almost likeable.” in 1930 appeared in the starring rôle of one of Tosti songs would be recorded in English. Both items in 8.111316 4 5 8.111316 8.111316 bk McCormack6 EU 16/1/08 13:46 Page 4

TOSTI BALFE HADLEY KREISLER MOSZKOWSKI

The Naxos historical label aims to make available the greatest recordings in the history of recorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of With Fritz Kreisler, violin respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings. New restorations by Ward Marston 8.111316 8 NAXOS Historical McCORMACK EDITION • 6: Victor Talking Machine Company 8.111316 The Vacant Time Il mio tesoro 78:17 , is a supreme Playing Playing which commemorates the Don Giovanni Chair Army death of a young Union American lieutenant during the as well as ending on a D War, Civil note flat above high C, the highest McCormack everThe recorded. one operatic item, from performance of one of Mozart’s the last most demanding arias and from published recording operatic repertoire. McCormack’s Originally trained forOriginally opera, John eventually turned to McCormack achieving a the concert platform, that remains level of success This sixth this day. legendary to Naxos McCormack volume in the us ample opportunity Edition gives McCormack’s to experience and extraordinary mastery of song tracks include The versatility. ballads, Italianate songs Victorian (a hybrid English parlour ballad setting placed in a classic Italian genre, with all the elements of the the moon to the lagoon), from songs Celtic songs, Continental and flavour, Viennese with a American songs such as 4:11 2:15 3:24 2:42 3:41 4:00 2:21 2:07 3:06 2:35 2:43 3:19 2:22 3:22 3:29 2:20 3:17 3:27 3:32 3:09 4:15 3:48 4:01 2:01 2:50 ** ) bass , tenor God’s Hand God’s John McCormack John Carmé*** and William F. Hooley, Hooley, F. William and The McCormack Edition, Vol. 6 Vol. Edition, The McCormack Adeste Fideles** Adeste Fideles** The Acoustic Recordings (1915-16) Recordings Acoustic The Il mio tesoro Turn Ye to Me Ye Turn Flirtation*** baritone violin*** trumpet* Serenata*** When the Dew is Falling When the Dew Dreams Your Eyes The Old Refrain Sing, Sing, Birds on the Wing Sing, Sing, Birds on the The Kerry Dance Forgotten (A Love Song of Poland) Evening Song Morning Come Into the Garden, Maud Come Into the The Rosary Still as the Night*** Venetian Song Venetian Parted Little Boy Blue* The Vacant Chair** The Vacant A Little Bit of Heaven The Trumpeter* ADD 8.111316 Reinald Werrenrath, Reinald Werrenrath, with Fritz Kreisler, with Fritz Kreisler, with male chorus (Harry Macdonough, with male chorus (Harry with Emil Keneke, TOSTI: TOSTI: STRELEZKI: Don Giovanni: MOZART: MOLLOY: SCHNEIDER: NEVIN: SCHNEIDER: MOSZKOWSKI: DeCurtis: TRADITIONAL, arr. MEYER-HELMUND: BÖHM: COWLES: NUTTING: Hoffmann: AIR, arr. OLD DUTCH BALL: TOSTI: KREISLER: DIX: BALFE: HADLEY: SPEAKS: AIR: OLD SCOTTISH NEVIN: Wade: arr. TRADITIONAL, ROOT: www.naxos.com ) ¡ ™ £ ¢ – 9 0 ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Producer and Audio Restoration: Ward Marston Restoration: Ward Audio Producer and Holdridge and Jeffrey Miller Special thanks to John R. Bolig, Lawrence F. A on pages 2 and 3 of the booklet complete track list can be found Cover image: John McCormack, 1917 (The John Scarry Collection)

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8.111316 NAXOS Historical NAXOS McCORMACK EDITION • 6: Victor Talking Machine Company Machine Talking Victor 6: • EDITION McCORMACK