Notes and Editorial Reviews
Mezzo-soprano Conchita Supervia's recordings were all made within a five-year span--1927-32. Fortunately, she was at the height of her career at the time (she died at 41 in 1936). Marston plans a four-volume series comprising Supervia's complete recordings, of which this 2-disc set is Volume 1. Her claim to greatness is grounded not only on a beautiful voice, a range that went from coloratura heights to low notes a baritone could wish for, and a dramatic identification with the music she sang, but also on that rare, undefinable gift of communicating with her audiences. She sang from the heart to the heart, a quality that, to paraphrase a Supreme Court Justice's definition of pornography, "you'll know it when you hear it." Not only
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was the voice imbued with emotion, but her articulation of the text was extraordinary, though never at the expense of the musical line, no manneristic stress on words, or, as with so many of our contemporary singers, isolated syllables. And she colored the text vocally with a mastery that makes its every emotion palpable.
Perfection, of course, is elusive, and Supervia did have one trait that's hard for some listeners to accept: her famous (or infamous) rapidly beating vibrato, which she applied judiciously. Sometimes it's barely obvious. At other times though, it becomes a fast flutter akin to the sound of a record on a turntable with an unstable motor. It may shock a first-time listener, but by the second or third time around it's easily overlooked in the context of her glorious singing and emotional generosity.
This set includes much familiar material, all of it recorded in 1927 and 1928. It features often-reissued arias from Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri, Cenerentola, and Barber of Seville, Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier (incredibly, she sang Octavian in Rome in 1911, aged 16!), and of course, her irresistible Carmen. There's also a sprinkling of zarzuela arias and a hefty helping of songs, including a spectacular performance of three from Falla's Popular Spanish Songs. When completed, the four volumes will include rare items of recordings made in Spain and Argentina, unavailable since their local 78 rpm releases 70 years ago. Needless to say, transfers are excellent, given the obvious limitations of some of the original material. Ward Marston has become a legend whose transfers of historical material are available on numerous labels. His own label, Marston Records, was once generally available. Now it's online at www.marstonrecords.com. [1/25/2005]
--Dan Davis, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
La Cenerentola: Nacqui all' affano...Non più mesta by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1817; Italy
Date of Recording: October 15, 1927
Venue: Milan, Italy
2.
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa...Io sono dolcile by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1816; Italy
Date of Recording: October 15, 1927
Venue: Milan, Italy
3.
Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Printemps, qui commence by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1877; France
Date of Recording: October 17, 1927
Venue: Milan, Italy
4.
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle "Habañera" by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1873-1874; France
Date of Recording: October 17, 1927
Venue: Milan, Italy
5.
Carmen: Près des ramparts de Seville "Seguidilla" by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1873-1874; France
Date of Recording: October 17, 1927
Venue: Milan, Italy
6.
Carmen: Nous avons en tête une affaire by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Aristide Baracchi (Baritone),
Ida Mannarini (Mezzo Soprano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
Anita Appoloni (Soprano),
Giuseppe Nessi (Tenor)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1873-1874; France
Date of Recording: October 18, 1927
Venue: Milan, Italy
7.
L'italiana in Algeri: Ai capricci della sorte by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
Vincenzo Bettoni (Bass)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1813; Italy
Date of Recording: February 11, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
8.
L'italiana in Algeri: O che muso! by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Vincenzo Bettoni (Bass),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1813; Italy
Date of Recording: February 11, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
9.
L'italiana in Algeri: Per lui che adoro by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Nino Ederle (Tenor),
Vincenzo Bettoni (Bass),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
Carlo Scattola (Bass)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1813; Italy
Date of Recording: February 13, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
10.
L'Italiana in Algeri: Amici, in ogni evento by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: February 12-13, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
11.
Lo frare by Juan Manén
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Emilio Acevedo
Date of Recording: February 11, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
12.
Lo diví estel by Juan Manén
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Emilio Acevedo
Date of Recording: February 11, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
13.
La chavala: Cancion de la gitana by Ruperto Chapí (y Lorente)
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Modesto Romero
Period: Romantic
Written: by 1898; Spain
Date of Recording: February 12, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
14.
Flor de España by Pablo Luna y Carné
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Modesto Romero
Date of Recording: February 13, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
15.
El niño judío: De España vengo by Pablo Luna y Carné
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Modesto Romero
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1918; Spain
Date of Recording: February 13, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
16.
Clavelitos by Joaquin Valverde
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: February 17, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
17.
La marchenera: La petenera by Federico Moreno-Torroba
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Modern
Written: 1928
Date of Recording: April 24, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
18.
El saltiró de la cardina by Vincenç Bou
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Emilio Acevedo
Date of Recording: April 24, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
19.
Canticel by Eduardo Toldrá
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Emilio Acevedo
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923; Spain
Date of Recording: April 24, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
20.
Las aranyes by José Sancho Marraco
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
María Gil (Piano)
Date of Recording: May 2, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
21.
Romanç de Santa Llucia by Antonio Toldrá
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
María Gil (Piano)
Date of Recording: May 2, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
22.
Poema en forma de canciones, Op. 19: no 3, Cantares by Joaquin Turina
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
María Gil (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923; Spain
Date of Recording: May 2, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
23.
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Contro un cor... Cara immagine ridente by Gioachino Rossini
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano),
Giovanni Manuritta (Tenor)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Date of Recording: June 19, 1928
24.
Le nozze di Figaro, K 492: Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: June 19, 1928
Venue: Milan, Italy
25.
Le nozze di Figaro, K 492: Voi che sapete che cosa è amor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: June 19, 1928
Venue: Milan, Italy
26.
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59: Mir ist..."Rose Presentation" by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Ines Maria Ferraris (Soprano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1909-1910; Germany
Date of Recording: June 20, 1928
Venue: Milan, Italy
27.
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59: Ist ein Traum by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Ines Maria Ferraris (Soprano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1909-1910; Germany
Date of Recording: June 20, 1928
Venue: Milan, Italy
28.
Hänsel und Gretel: Suse, liebe Suse, was raschelt im Stroh by Engelbert Humperdinck
Performer:
Ines Maria Ferraris (Soprano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Angelo Albergoni
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Germany
Date of Recording: June 20, 1928
Venue: Milan, Italy
29.
Adiós a Mariquiña by José Castro-Chané
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: October 22, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
30.
Meus amores by Jose Baldomir
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Spain
Date of Recording: October 22, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
31.
Tríptico, Op. 45: Farruca by Joaquin Turina
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Date of Recording: October 22, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
32.
Canciones epigramáticas: La presumida by Amadeo Vives
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Modern
Written: 1915
Date of Recording: October 22, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
33.
De la serranía by Romero,
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: October 22, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
34.
Les barraques by Alejandro Mendéz
Performer:
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: October 22, 1928
Venue: Madrid, Spain
35.
Cançó d'un doble amor by Antonio Marqués
Performer:
Antonio Marqués (Piano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: December 24, 1928
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
36.
Rosa by Ramón Pahissa
Performer:
Ramón Pahissa (Piano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: December 24, 1928
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
37.
Cançó de l'amor que passa by Eduardo Toldrá
Performer:
Eduardo Toldrá (Piano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1925; Spain
Date of Recording: December 24, 1928
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
38.
Canciones populares españolas (7): no 1, El paño moruno by Manuel de Falla
Performer:
Frank Marshall (Piano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914-1915; Spain
Date of Recording: December 24, 1928
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
39.
Canciones populares españolas (7): no 2, Seguidilla marciana by Manuel de Falla
Performer:
Frank Marshall (Piano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914-1915; Spain
Date of Recording: December 24, 1928
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
40.
Canciones populares españolas (7): no 6, Canción by Manuel de Falla
Performer:
Frank Marshall (Piano),
Conchita Supervia (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914-1915; Spain
Date of Recording: December 24, 1928
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
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