Italian 18 Set 2019

Various Artists - Nineteenth Century Italian Tenors (2016) {3CD Set Marston 53018-2}
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© 2016 Marston | 53018-2
Classical / Vocals / Historical / Tenor

Fiorello Giraud (1868 - 1928) had a highly successful career throughout Italy and parts of South America and was well-respected both in Wagnerian and verismo roles. He will be remembered for creating the role of Canio (Pagliacci). His strong, vibrant voice was first captured on eight very rare G&T records. In 1916 and 1917, he recorded an additional 12 sides for Italian HMV, all song titles. This compilation will include all 20 of his published sides. Giovanni Batista de Negri (1850 - 1923) was particularly associated with the role of Otello, toured throughout Italy, and had a career that was cut short (1896) due to a series of operations for an unmentioned “malady.”

Rosa Ponselle - On The Air, Volume 1, 1934-1936 {2CD Set Marston 52012-2 rel 1999}
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© 1934-36, 1999 Marston | 52012-2
Classical / Vocal / Historical

Rosa Ponselle was arguably this century's greatest soprano. Artists such as Callas and Caruso acknowledged her vocal supremacy. Ponselle's voice had volume, beauty, emotion, sure intonation and remarkable flexibility. Before Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981), there had been no leading American singer who had not first made his or her mark abroad. This two-CD set marks the first volume of her on the air recordings. By Ponselle's own account, her broadcasts captured her true voice and she preferred these performances to her numerous commercial recordings. This set chronicles the Chesterfield broadcasts from 1934-1936 which demonstrate Ponselle at her best.

Rosa Ponselle - On The Air, Volume 2, 1936-1937 {2CD Set Marston 52032-2 rel 1999}
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© 1936-37, 2000 Marston | 52032-2
Classical / Vocal / Historical

Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) was arguably this century's greatest soprano. Artists such as Callas and Caruso acknowledged her vocal supremacy. Ponselle's voice had volume, beauty, emotion, sure intonation and remarkable flexibility. This two-CD set chronicles the second volume of her on the air recordings from 1936-1937. By Ponselle's own account, her broadcasts captured her true voice and she preferred these performances to her numerous commercial recordings. This set has been produced in association with the Rosa Ponselle Foundation and a portion of the sales will go to the Rosa Ponselle Scholarship Fund.

This disc pairs together the soundtracks for the Italian erotic comedies L'Amica Di Mia Madre and Lingua D'Argento, both of which were composed by Italian composer Alberto Baldan Bembo. Although the films these scores were penned for have a comedic bent, the music itself is no laughing matter: Bembo skillfully mixes jazz and soul elements with the smooth melodicism of easy listening to create an entrancing lounge delight. Good examples of this approach include "Tema Di Barbara," which layers soothing strings and a jazzy trumpet over a gently funky bossa nova rhythm, and "Pedro Come," which builds from a single acoustic guitar line into a full-blooded slice of cocktail jazz that pits rollicking piano riffs against a dreamy string arrangement…

Handel's Italian cantatas date from early in his career, with few exceptions (none on display here). As a group they are less well-known than his operas, but they're equally virtuosic, and performances of the cantatas whole, as with the three here, are a bit more satisfying than with the operas. The cantatas were composed for parties among powerful Roman cardinals, and they catch the young Handel at the peak of his first success, as Roman audiences hailed him as "il caro Sassone" (the dear Saxon).

Originally two separate albums recorded in the late days of stereo LPs, this two-disc set of Bach's works for harpsichord was released together for less than the price of a single LP. But even at twice the price of the original LPs, these performances would be worth purchasing for two reasons. First, the harpsichordist is Gustav Leonhardt, and while there are surely more virtuosic harpsichordists in the world, there are few finer musicians and fewer still finer souls.

PFM aggiunge un nuovo entusiasmante capitolo alla sua discografia: i concerti filologici. Denominatore comune del progetto è la rilettura dei primi cinque dischi in un percorso musicale di ricerca e di riscoperta delle radici della band con un'esecuzione accurata, fedele e ricca di energia espressiva come PFM sa garantire nei suoi concerti. Le registrazioni sono avvenute il 30 e 31 maggio di quest'anno in due location di prestigio quali Dome City Hall e Shibuya Duo Music Excange, nel cuore di Tokyo. Il successo di pubblico ha confermato lo straordinario contenuto artistico delle performance.