Notes and Editorial Reviews
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On Dec. 24, 1907, a group of bewhiskered men gathered in the bowels of the Paris Opera to begin a project that by definition they could never see to fruition. First, 24 carefully wrapped wax records were placed inside two lead and iron containers. These were then sealed and locked in a small storage room with instructions that they should remain undisturbed for 100 years... Now the 100 years are up, and after lengthy examination, cleaning and digitizing of the records, EMI, the heir to the Gramophone Company, is reissuing them on three CDs...
The Gramophone Company’s international reach enabled it to feature the top singers of the day. The great tenor Enrico Caruso can be heard in three excerpts
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from Verdi and one each from Donizetti and Puccini, and the Australian soprano Nellie Melba sings a solo from Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and Cherubino’s “Voi che sapete” from “Le Nozze di Figaro.”
The legendary Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin could hardly be omitted, although he sings only a Russian ballad. In contrast, the Italian tenor Francesco Tamagno, who created the title role in Verdi’s “Otello” in 1887, offers a dramatic reprise of the Moor’s dying aria, “Niun mi tema,” to piano accompaniment.
Other singers in the time capsule may be known only to opera buffs, but some earned footnotes in opera history. Hector Dufranne, for instance, created the baritone role of Golaud in Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande,” and Ernestine Schumann-Heink created the role of Clytemnestra in Strauss’s “Elektra.”
-- The New York Times [2/16/2009]
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Works on This Recording
1.
Ariane: La fine grâce by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Marguerite Mérentié (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 27 Secs.
2.
Ariane: Ah, le cruel by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Marguerite Mérentié (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 4 Secs.
3.
La procession, M 88: Dieu s'avance à travers les champs by César Franck
Performer:
Berthe Auguez de Montalant (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1888; France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 35 Secs.
4.
La procession, M 88: Aux cantiques de l’homme by César Franck
Performer:
Berthe Auguez de Montalant (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1888; France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 47 Secs.
5.
Roméo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans le rêve "Waltz Song" by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Julia Lindsay (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 3 Minutes 7 Secs.
6.
Il trovatore: Deserto sulla terra by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Agustarello Affre (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1853; Italy
Date of Recording: 1904
Length: 1 Minutes 50 Secs.
Language: French
7.
Hamlet: Comme une pâle fleur by Ambroise Thomas
Performer:
Maurice Renaud (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1868; France
Date of Recording: 1901
Length: 3 Minutes 5 Secs.
8.
La Favorita: A tanto amor, Leonora by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Jean Noté (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840; Italy
Date of Recording: 1906
Length: 2 Minutes 57 Secs.
9.
La Favorita: Giardini d'Alcazar by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Jean Noté (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: Italy
Date of Recording: 1906
Length: 3 Minutes 19 Secs.
Language: French
10.
Si j'étais roi: J'ignore son nom, sa naissance by Adolphe Adam
Performer:
Léon Beyle (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: ?1852; France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 45 Secs.
11.
Si j'étais roi: Un regard de ses yeux by Adolphe Adam
Performer:
Léon Beyle (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: ?1852; France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 24 Secs.
12.
Le chalet: Vallons de l'Helvétie by Adolphe Adam
Performer:
Hector Dufranne (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 1905
Length: 3 Minutes 20 Secs.
13.
Sérénade à la lune by Raoul Pugno
Performer:
Raoul Pugno (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 1903
Length: 2 Minutes 32 Secs.
14.
Christmas Oratorio, Op. 12: Tecum principium by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Henry Debruyne (Violin),
Cornelis Liegeois (Cello),
August Delacroix (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: France
Date of Recording: 1906
Length: 3 Minutes 10 Secs.
15.
Villanelle by Eva Dell' Acqua
Performer:
Selma Kurz (Soprano)
Date of Recording: 1906
Length: 3 Minutes 4 Secs.
16.
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa...Io sono dolcile by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Lucette Korsoff (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1816; Italy
Date of Recording: 1905
Length: 5 Minutes 59 Secs.
Language: French
17.
Otello: Niun mi tema (Death of Otello) by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Francesco Tamagno (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1887; Italy
Date of Recording: 1904
Length: 4 Minutes 9 Secs.
18.
La forza del destino: Solenne in quest' ora by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Antonio Scotti (Baritone),
Enrico Caruso (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1862/1869; Italy
Date of Recording: 1906
Venue: New York, NY
Length: 4 Minutes 17 Secs.
19.
Faust: Vous qui faites l'endormie "Serenade" by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Pol Plançon (Bass)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; France
Date of Recording: 01/23/1906
Length: 3 Minutes 6 Secs.
20.
Ernani: Da quel dì che t'ho veduta by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Mattia Battistini (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1844; Italy
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 4 Minutes 13 Secs.
21.
Les pêcheurs de perles: Ton coeur n'as pas compris by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Fernando de Lucia (Tenor),
Giuseppina Huguet (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1863; France
Date of Recording: 1906
Length: 3 Minutes 57 Secs.
22.
Don Giovanni, K 527: Batti, batti o bel Masetto by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Adelina Patti (Soprano),
Landon Ronald (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Prague, Czech Republ
Date of Recording: 1905
Length: 3 Minutes 7 Secs.
23.
Rigoletto: Caro nome by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Nellie Melba (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1851; Italy
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 3 Minutes 47 Secs.
24.
Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Ernestine Schumann-Heink (Alto)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1877; France
Date of Recording: 1905
Length: 3 Minutes 19 Secs.
Language: German
25.
La forza del destino: Madre, pietosa Vergine by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Celestina Boninsegna (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1862/1869; Italy
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 4 Minutes 0 Secs.
26.
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle "Habañera" by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Emma Calvé (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1873-1874; France
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 2 Minutes 56 Secs.
27.
Le Prophète: Coronation March by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Coldstream Guards
Period: Romantic
Written: 1849; Germany
Date of Recording: 1906
Length: 4 Minutes 0 Secs.
28.
La ronde des lutins, Op. 25 by Antonio Bazzini
Performer:
Jan Kubelik (Violin)
Period: Romantic
Written: by 1847; Italy
Date of Recording: 1904
Venue: London, England
Length: 3 Minutes 24 Secs.
29.
Symphony no 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral": 1st movement, Allegro ma non troppo by Ludwig van Beethoven
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musique de la Garde Républicaine
Period: Classical
Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 3 Minutes 37 Secs.
30.
Spanish Dances (2) for Violin and Piano, Op. 23: no 2, Zapateado by Pablo de Sarasate
Performer:
Jan Kubelik (Violin)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1880
Date of Recording: 07/03/1911
Length: 3 Minutes 23 Secs.
31.
Waltzes (3) for Piano, Op. 34: no 1 in A flat major, B 94 "Valse brillante" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Ignace Jan Paderewski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 4 Minutes 52 Secs.
32.
Aida: Celeste Aida by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Enrico Caruso (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1871; Italy
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 24 Secs.
33.
Otello: Credo in un Dio crudel by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Pasquale Amato (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1887; Italy
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 4 Minutes 19 Secs.
34.
Lohengrin: In fernem Land by Richard Wagner
Performer:
Paul Franz (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846-1847; Germany
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 4 Minutes 2 Secs.
Language: French
35.
When the King went forth to war, Op 7 no 6 by Feodor Koeneman
Performer:
Feodor Chaliapin (Bass)
Period: Romantic
Written: Russia
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 30 Secs.
36.
Rigoletto: Bella figlia dell' amore [Quartet] by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Bessie Abott (Soprano),
Enrico Caruso (Tenor),
Antonio Scotti (Baritone),
Louise Homer (Alto)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1851; Italy
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 3 Minutes 43 Secs.
37.
La Bohème: Addio, dolce svegliare (Quartet) by Giacomo Puccini
Performer:
Geraldine Farrar (Soprano),
Gina Viafora (Mezzo Soprano),
Antonio Scotti (Baritone),
Enrico Caruso (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Italy
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 3 Minutes 30 Secs.
38.
Lucia di Lammermoor: Chi mi frena in tal momento? (Sextet) by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Gina Severina (Mezzo Soprano),
Marcella Sembrich (Soprano),
Marcel Journet (Bass),
Enrico Caruso (Tenor),
Antonio Scotti (Baritone),
Francesco Daddi (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Italy
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 58 Secs.
39.
L'Incantatrice by Luigi Arditi
Performer:
Maria Galvany (Soprano)
Conductor:
Carlo Sabajno
Period: Romantic
Written: Italy
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 28 Secs.
40.
Le nozze di Figaro, K 492: Voi che sapete che cosa è amor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Nellie Melba (Soprano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 3 Minutes 11 Secs.
41.
Allegretto in the style of Boccherini by Fritz Kreisler
Performer:
George Falkenstein (Piano),
Fritz Kreisler (Violin)
Period: Romantic
Written: Austria
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 2 Minutes 15 Secs.
42.
Faust: Le veau d'or est toujours debout by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Marcel Journet (Bass)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; France
Date of Recording: 1910
Length: 1 Minutes 56 Secs.
43.
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa...Io sono dolcile by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Luisa Tetrazzini (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1816; Italy
Date of Recording: 1907
Length: 4 Minutes 4 Secs.
44.
Roméo et Juliette: Ah! lève-toi, soleil by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Léon Carmagnola (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; France
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 4 Minutes 20 Secs.
45.
Faust: Salut! demeure chaste et pure by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Léon Carmagnola (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; France
Date of Recording: 1911
Length: 4 Minutes 28 Secs.
46.
Le Roi d'Ys: Vainement, ma bien-aimée [Aubade] by Edouard Lalo
Performer:
Léon Beyle (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1875-1888; France
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 0 Secs.
47.
Werther: J'aurais sur ma poitrine by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Léon Beyle (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; France
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 2 Minutes 58 Secs.
48.
Mélodies (20), Volume 1: Cimetière de campagne by Reynaldo Hahn
Performer:
Reynaldo Hahn (Baritone),
Reynaldo Hahn (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1895; France
Date of Recording: 1909
Length: 2 Minutes 37 Secs.
49.
Mélodies (6): no 4, L'île heureuse by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performer:
Reynaldo Hahn (Baritone),
Reynaldo Hahn (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1890; France
Date of Recording: 1909
Length: 2 Minutes 40 Secs.
50.
Rigoletto: Courtisans, race vile by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
David Vigneau (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 53 Secs.
Language: French
51.
Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Suzanne Brohly (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1877; France
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 36 Secs.
52.
Les saisons: Celle pour qui de ton âme le souvenir by Victor Massé
Performer:
Suzanne Brohly (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1855; France
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 3 Minutes 40 Secs.
53.
La damnation de Faust, Op. 24: D'amour, l'ardente flamme by Hector Berlioz
Performer:
Berthe Auguez de Montalant (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845-1846; France
Date of Recording: 1909
Length: 8 Minutes 10 Secs.
54.
Werther: Vous avez dit vrai by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Suzanne Brohly (Mezzo Soprano),
Léon Beyle (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; France
Date of Recording: 1908
Length: 7 Minutes 42 Secs.
55.
La traviata: Quel trouble en vain je voudrais m'en défendre by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Lucette Korsoff (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1853; Italy
Date of Recording: 11/10/1910
Length: 4 Minutes 33 Secs.
Language: French
56.
La traviata: Follie! by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Lucette Korsoff (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1853; Italy
Date of Recording: 11/10/1910
Length: 3 Minutes 17 Secs.
Language: French
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