110265 bk Gigli4 27/01/2004 11:42am Page 5 PONCHIELLI: PUCCINI: ADD @ La gioconda: Enzo Grimaldo, ^ La bohème: O Mimì, tu più non torni 4:01 Also available in this series: THE GIGLI EDITION • 4 Principe di Santafior! (Act 1) 4:26 (Act 4) 8.110265 Titta Ruffo, baritone Giuseppe De Luca, baritone Recorded 17th December 1926 Recorded 24th February 1927 in Camden, New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey Matrix: CVE-37321-1 Matrix: CVE-37836-3 First issued on HMV AGSB 49 First issued on Victor 8069 Beniamino BOITO: VERDI: # Mefistofele: Dai campi, dai prati (Act 1) 2:41 & La forza del destino: Solenne in quest’ora 4:36 GIGLI Recorded 23rd February 1927 (Act 3) in Camden, New Jersey Giuseppe De Luca, baritone Matrix: BVE-24782-5 Recorded 24th February 1927 First issued on Victor 1239 in Camden, New Jersey Camden and New York Matrix: CVE-37837-2 COTTRAU: First issued on Victor 8069 $ Addio a Napoli 3:10 Recordings 1926-27 Recorded 23rd February 1927 DONAUDY: 8.110262 8.110263 in Camden, New Jersey * O bei nidi d’amore 3:30 Matrix: BVE-37835-1 Recorded 4th October 1927 in New York First issued on Victor 1292 Matrix: BVE-36927-4 First issued on Victor 1292 PUCCINI BOITO: % Mefistofele: Giunto sul passo estremo 3:40 Tracks 1 - 5: (Epilogue) Orchestra conducted by Josef Pasternack VERDI Recorded 23rd February 1927 in Camden, New Jersey Tracks 6 - 9: Matrix: BVE-24783-9 Orchestra conducted by Nathaniel Shilkret First issued on Victor 1239 MASCAGNI Tracks 10 - 18: Orchestra conducted by Rosario Bourdon PONCHIELLI 8.110264 BOITO TOSELLI 8.110265 5 6 8.110265 110265 bk Gigli4 27/01/2004 11:42am Page 2 Beniamino Gigli (1890-1957) Producer’s Note PUCCINI: BUZZI-PECCIA: The Gigli Edition Vol. 4 • Camden and New York Recordings 1926-27 1 Tosca: Recondita armonia (Act 1) 2:50 6 Torna amore 2:46 The present volume is the fourth in a series devoted to Beniamino Gigli’s “singles” - his song and aria recordings Recorded 27th October 1926 Recorded 9th December 1926 in New York With Victor’s introduction of the electric process in (this track will be on Volume 5) with Ruffo’s is to set not issued as part of complete opera sets. The aim of the series is to include every Gigli recording released at the in Camden, New Jersey Matrix: BVE-37117-2 1925, the reproduction of voices and, particularly, of vocal art against bluff. The fine-tuned performances of time, as well as every published alternative take and, wherever available, unpublished takes. The sides here are Matrix: BVE-24919-5 First issued on Victor 1243 orchestral accompaniments improved markedly. As one the Bohème and Forza numbers are testimony to the two presented in the order in which they were recorded, which accounts for separating the two introspective Mefistofele First issued on Victor 1213 would expect, there was an upsurge in record production singers’ frequent collaborations at the Met. arias with a rousing Neapolitan song, here sung in Italian. MASCAGNI: as the new method found an eager public. The new Electric replacements of arias earlier recorded The selections on the current volume were originally issued in 1996 as part of Romophone 82004-2 PUCCINI: 7 Stornelli marini 1:40 system produced both an expansion of repertory and a acoustically were another occupation of Gigli’s during (“Beniamino Gigli - The Complete Victor Recordings, Volume II: 1926-28”). In remastering my original transfers, 2 Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai 2:42 Recorded 9th December 1926 in New York desire to provide new, improved versions of some of the his visits to the studios in these years. He remade the two I have tried to remove some of the clicks and pops that remained (both manually via digital editing and through (Act 1) Matrix: BVE-37118-2 old acoustic best-sellers. Mefistofele arias, managing a smoother, more ardent Dai the use of the CEDAR declicking module) and have made adjustments to the equalization of each track. Recorded 27th October 1926 First issued on Victor 1403 Gigli’s three duets with Titta Ruffo remained campi than the 1921 account; I prefer the older, more in Camden, New Jersey unissued for a number of years. The Caruso-Scotti inward Giunto sul passo estremo, although the newer Matrix: BVE-36741-2 MARIO: performance of Solenne in quest’ora from La forza del one is well sung. He added a new and exhilarating Mark Obert-Thorn First issued on Victor 1213 8 Santa Lucia luntana 4:47 destino had been a popular item in the Victor list ever Recondita armonia, which would be coupled with Recorded 9th December 1926 in New York since it first came out in 1906, so this was a prime Donna non vidi mai from Manon Lescaut; here he DRIGO: Matrix: CVE-25017-2 opportunity for a new electric version. Ruffo had a great captures the sense of a rather serious young man reduced 3 I milioni d’Arlecchino: Notturno d’amore 4:11 First issued on Victor 6925 name, but at 49 he was in regrettable shape after a long to a heap by a pretty girl. (Act 1) and glorious career, winning fame through a profligate As had been his practice since he began recording Recorded 27th October 1926 DE CRESCENZO: expenditure of his vocal capital. As Carlo, he is inexact; for Victor, Gigli turned again to the more popular Italian in Camden, New Jersey 9 Rondine al nido 3:17 as Marcello, gruff, and as Barnaba, properly menacing if songs. The electric version of Drigo’s Serenade is more Matrix: CVE-26061-6 Recorded 9th December 1926 in New York not too steady and incapable of spinning out a line. On spacious than in its earlier manifestation; here the linked First issued on Victor 6610 Matrix: BVE-36928-3 the other hand, Gigli is admirable in all three. He shapes phrases that lead into the refrain are irresistible, and the First issued on Victor 1243 the arch of Or muoio tranquillo in the Forza duet with little coda reveals how well integrated was this voice. De TOSELLI: real finesse; the vulnerability of the wounded Alvaro is Crescenzo’s Rondine al nido was practically a staple of 4 Serenata 4:27 VERDI: convincingly suggested. His wry badinage at the Gigli’s concert programmes. This poignant song he sings Recorded 27th October 1926 0 La forza del destino: Solenne in quest’ora 4:34 beginning of the Bohème duet is full of character, and his with controlled feeling, and the closing Tu sei fuggita, e in Camden, New Jersey (Act 3) use of rubato in the O Mimì, tu più non torni section non torni più is moving indeed. Torna, amore begins Matrix: CVE-26795-2 Titta Ruffo, baritone almost makes one purr with pleasure. In the Gioconda quietly and builds up to quite a climax with Gigli’s Unpublished on 78 rpm Recorded 17th December 1926 confrontation with Ruffo, he sounds a bit out of sorts secure top much in evidence. in Camden, New Jersey until he can get his teeth into the juicy melody near the In closing, I find it fitting to quote Max de TOSELLI: Matrix: CVE-37319-2 end. Schauensee’s estimate of Gigli, written in 1965: ‘Some 5 Serenata 4:21 First issued on HMV AGSB 49 The following year these three duets were remade, of the more fastidious critics correctly cited stylistic Recorded 27th October 1926 this time with the tenor partnered by De Luca. An Italian lapses and emotional excesses ... But nobody ever made in Camden, New Jersey PUCCINI: version of the Act 1 Pearl Fishers duet was also sung by the mistake of questioning the unrivaled beauty of Matrix: CVE-26795-3 ! La bohème: O Mimì, tu più non torni 4:25 the pair to fill two double-sided 78s. Although a year Gigli’s voice, which ultimately swept everything before First issued on Victor 6610 (Act 4) older than Ruffo, De Luca had a keen sense of vocal it. Gigli died in Rome, after a brief illness, on 30th The Naxos historical label aims to make available the greatest recordings in the history of recorded music, in the best Titta Ruffo, baritone proportion, unlike his injudicious predecessor in these November 1957. One is on safe ground when stating that and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of Recorded 17th December 1926 numbers; indeed De Luca could still sing creditably into he has not been replaced.’ respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in Camden, New Jersey his seventh decade. To contrast his singing of the phrases in the field of historical recordings. Matrix: CVE-37320-2 beginning Amasti un dì una vergine in the Gioconda duet Adapted from notes by William Ashbrook First issued on HMV AGSB 56 8.110265 2 3 8.110265 4 8.110265 110265 bk Gigli4 27/01/2004 11:42am Page 2 Beniamino Gigli (1890-1957) Producer’s Note PUCCINI: BUZZI-PECCIA: The Gigli Edition Vol. 4 • Camden and New York Recordings 1926-27 1 Tosca: Recondita armonia (Act 1) 2:50 6 Torna amore 2:46 The present volume is the fourth in a series devoted to Beniamino Gigli’s “singles” - his song and aria recordings Recorded 27th October 1926 Recorded 9th December 1926 in New York With Victor’s introduction of the electric process in (this track will be on Volume 5) with Ruffo’s is to set not issued as part of complete opera sets.