To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s birth, Deutsche Grammophon has released a 7-CD set, “Grandioso! Great Verdi Recordings from Caruso to Pavarotti.” This is a treat for serious collectors rather than for casual listeners.
While musicians disagree about what famous compositions sounded like before the inception of recordings, this set showcases the first Otello, performing two arias from the opera. Francesco Tamagno sang the role at the premiere in 1887.
In 1903, when Tamagno was 53 years old and suffering from a heart condition, which caused his death two years later, he made a number of recordings at his holiday retreat. On the set are two arias: Otello’s dramatic entrance, “Esultate! L’orgoglio musulmano sepolto è in mar” (“Rejoice! The Mussulman’s pride is buried in the sea”)” and “Ora e per sempre addio sante memorie (“Now and forever farewell, holy memories”), both with piano accompaniment. They show the tenor still in powerful voice.
The most famous of the early recording stars is Enrico Caruso, here knocking out the high notes in “De quella pira” from “Il Trovatore” in 1906.
The set is organized by opera. This means that a recording from 1903 can be followed by a recording from 1960, so that the sound quality varies widely from one number to the next. After Tamagno is Giuseppe di Stefano’s 1962-version of two arias from “Otello.”
The liner notes by Richard Osborne observe that Di Stefano “had the wherewithal to sing Otello.” Actually, it was heavy roles like this that probably ruined the lyric tenor’s beautiful voice. A much more appropriate Otello for the set would have been Mario del Monaco, represented here by a stentorian performance of Macduff’s aria from “Macbeth.” Di Stefano is in fine form on the “Luisa Miller” aria.
European Artists
The erudite liner notes are especially helpful because many of the singers are not well known to contemporary listeners, especially on this side of the Atlantic.
There are a number of German singers; in fact, the last CD is made up of Verdi arias sung in German, some of which are sung by artists from other countries. For example, among the German language pieces is the great Russian bass Alexander Kipnis singing a stunning version of King Philip’s soliloquy from “Don Carlo.”
Although the African-American soprano Gloria Davy sings a duet from “Aida” with Hans Hotter, American singers are barely included in the set. The only other one is Grace Bumbry, in glorious voice in arias from “Don Carlo” and “Un Ballo in Maschera.”
A number of the major stars are included in the set, such as Renata Tebaldi, Joan Sutherland, Carlo Bergonzi, Ebe Stignani, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Ettore Bastianini.
Important Stars of the Past
The set will also introduce listeners to important artists of the past. Heinrich Schlusnus was the leading Verdi baritone in Germany for almost 30 years. Also represented are Maria Cebotari and Joseph Schwartz.
Antonietta Stella, who was overshadowed by Maria Callas, and Elena Souliotis, who was hailed as a “second Callas” but who couldn’t maintain the early momentum of her career are included. Sandor Konya is represented by a clarion “Celeste Aida.”
There are charming entries by the husband and wife team of Leopold Simoneau and Pierrette Alarie, as well as by the sublime Rita Streich.
Ljjuba Welitsch may be best known for Strauss’s “Salome” but she is outstanding in Amelia’s arias from “Un Ballo in Maschera.”
Lauritz Melchior was the leading Wagnerian tenor of his time (or perhaps all time) but he was also potent in Verdi. He performs a scene from “Aida” with Margarethe Arndt-Ober.
Verdi’s Religious Music
One CD contains Verdi’s religious music: his “Requiem” and “Four Sacred Pieces,” both conducted by Ferenc Fricsay. Those unfamiliar with this conductor’s recordings of these works may be surprised at the force of these performances, by opera singers who are not that well known, except perhaps for Maria Stader.
The latest recording in the set is of the young Luciano Pavarotti’s 1964-rendition of “Parmi veder le lagrime” from “Rigoletto.”
Even those with large collections will undoubtedly not have some of these recordings and will not have heard of some of these stars of the past. It is one of the more ambitious tributes to Verdi in his bicentennial year.
