Fenesta che lucive : Six great recordings: Caruso, Di Stefano, Lanza, Corelli, Tucker, Pavarotti

Fenesta che lucive is a Neapolitan song published in 1842. It seems to have been written by Guglielmo Cottrau but is sometimes attributed to Bellini.
The recordings on the video are as follows;
0:00 Enrico Caruso : Rec 1913
3:44 Giuseppe Di Stefano : Rec 1953
7:34 Mario Lanza : Rec 1958
11:11 Franco Corelli : Rec 1961
14:52 Richard Tucker : Rec 1965
18:15 Luciano Pavarotti : Rec 1985
I've tried to improve the audio quality of the Caruso recording that was made by purely mechanical means 12 years before the use of microphones and other electrical equipment in recording studios but, of course, it's still poor in comparison to the more modern electrical and stereo recordings.. Also, just to give a "live" effect with a little more presence and obscure noise at the start, I have added applause.
The song is basically the first and last verses of a longer poem as shown below.
ORIGINAL NEAPOLITAN POEM
Fenesta che lucive e mò non luce,
Sign'è ca nenna mia stace ammalata.
S'affaccia la sorella e me lo dice:
"Nennella toja è morta e s'è atterrata".
Chiagneva sempe ca dormeva sola,
Mò dorme co li muorte accompagnata.
"Cara sorella mia, che me dicite?
Cara sorella mia, che me contate?"
"Guardate 'ncielo si nun me credite!
Purzì li stelle stanno appassiunate.
È morta nenna vosta, ah, sì, chiagnite!
Ca quanto v'aggio ditto è beritate!
Va' nella cchiesa e scuopre lu tavuto!
Vide nennella toja comm'è tornata!"
Da chella vocca ca n'asceano sciure,
Mò n'esceno li vierme. Oh, che piatate!
Zì parrocchiano mio, abbece cura:
'Na lampa sempe tienece allummata!
Ah! Nenna mia, sì morta, puvurella!
Chill'uocchie chiuse nun l'arape maje!
Ma ancora a ll'uocchie mieje tu para bella
Ca sempe t'aggio amata e mmò cchiù assaje!
Potesse a lo mmacaro morì priesto
E mm'atterrasse a lato a tte, nennella!
Addio fenesta, restate 'nzerrata,
Ca nenna mia mò nun se pò affacciare!
Io cchiù nun passarraggio pe' 'sta strata.
Vaco a lo camposanto a passiare.
'Nzino a lo juorno ca la morte 'ngrata
Me face nenna mia ire a trovare.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The window that was shining now does not shine,
It means that my beloved is ill.
Her sister looks out and tells me:
"Your beloved is dead and buried".
She always cried because slept alone,
Now she sleeps in company of the dead.
"Dear sister, what are you talking about?
Dear sister, what do you tell me?"
"Look at the sky if you don't believe me!
Even the stars are so sad.
Your beloved is dead, ah, yes, cry!
What I've told you is the truth!
Go to the church and open her coffin!
Look what's happened with your beloved!"
From her mouth came out the flowers,
Now the worms are coming out. Oh how sad
Oh priest, take care of her:
Always keep a light burning for her
Ah! My love, you're dead, poor girl!
You never open your closed eyes!
But in my eyes you're still beautiful
Because I loved you and now I love you more!
I wish I could die soon
And be buried beside you, my love!
Goodbye, window, stay closed,
Because my beloved can no longer look out
I don't pass along this street anymore.
I go to the cemetery.
Until the day when cruel death
Lets me meet my beloved.

[@giovanelliartistmanagement3940]

Cantare le canzoni napoletane vuol dire entrare in un universo particolare, nel quale la lingua la fa da padrona, e quindi la dizione. Pochi tenori sono riusciti a interpretarle come si deve, per mancanza di base linguistica, vedasi Pavarotti ad esempio, del tutto estraneo a questo mondo. Caruso ha la potenza drammatica ed il giusto linguaggio, in lui colgo la disperazione senza rimedio. Ottimo Lanza a parte qualche sbavatura di pronuncia. Corelli è uno dei miei tenori preferiti, ma qui, mi spiace, è fuori parte. Adoro Tucker e la performance è buona, ma lontana dalla napoletanità. In quanto a Pippo, quando voglio ascoltare la perfezione, parlando di questo repertorio, mi rivolgo a lui. Qui è mesto, misurato, giustamente dolente senza alcuna enfasi, una meraviglia ! Grazie Michael !

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

It's my pleasure, thank you for listening and for your interesting comment.

[@lawrenceallen6508]

Caruso was KING and still remains so. His voice is just so MAJESTIC and there is no one to come near him.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening Lawrence, this is one of my favourite Caruso recordings.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Hello Lawrence. In my KZbin recommended videos yesterday was one of an Australian tenor called Lawrence Allen and I thought "I must tell Lawrence that he shares his name with an Australian tenor". However, I now know that you share much more than your name. For some reason, perhaps just something like the spelling of "favourite", I thought that you were in the USA, I don't know if you are still singing but, in my opinion, back in 1984 you were a top class tenor, absolutely brilliant, and after all the nice things you've said about my You Tube videos over the past few years, it's nice to be able to return the compliment. How could you fail to be good with Caruso as your inspiration!!

[@lawrenceallen6508]

@@michaelmcgrailengland Hello Michael, I am so humbled and flattered to receive your comment and it is nice to be recognised and of course also for the wonderful restoration work you’ve done. You have (with technology) been able to give the world an indication of what the great singers of the past really sounded like. Caruso has been my idle since I was a boy for I grew up in a musical family who sat around the piano and sang on Sunday evenings before television and listened to the singers on vinyls. I also had the fervent support of Australia’s two greatest tenors namely Ronald Dowd, who became my closest and trusted friend, and Donald Smith - I’m sure they are both known to you. Incidentally I had a work colleague at JC Williamson Theatres Ltd here in Melbourne, who heard and witnessed our King of tenors Caruso on a number of occasions including his very last performances of La Juive at the Met. His name is was Claude Kingston( referred to as Mr Kingston in the Firm) and who died in the late 1970’s). I will never forget what he told me of the experience witnessing Caruso’s performance that night in La Juive “all the singers were of high quality BUT Caruso dominated and was something else above them all”. Mr Kingston wrote a book “ It don’t seem a day too much”. He was the Firm’s Director responsible for all the great artists that in concert and opera, performed in Australia from Melba through to Sutherland/Pavarotti( 1965 Williamson/Sutherland Opera Season) . There is so much more I could say but I would be rambling on a bit. Again Thankyou so much Michael and I look to your up and coming work with ongoing interest. You are a marvel.👏👏👏

[@zeculi]

Lo de Caruso no se puede explicar con palabras, es una cosa que nunca se volverá a oir.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening and commenting on this one as well.

[@patriciagordon160]

Thank you so much for this, Michael - another brilliant compilation. I enjoyed all the versions - yes, Caruso is magnificent and your technical work brings out his excellence. But I also love Di Stefano and I was very moved by his performance in this very emotional piece. Thank you again.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

It's my pleasure Patricia, thank you for listening. I'm glad that you like the video and, actually, even though the Caruso and Di Stefano recordings are very different, they are my personal favourites

[@patriciagordon160]

@@michaelmcgrailengland I agree that they are very different but I also love them both. What are your thoughts on Bergonzi - I love him, too. One of my absolute favorite vinyl LPs is Arias and Songs of the Italian Baroque with Bergonzi accompanied by Felix Lavilla -I never get tired of it.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@patriciagordon160 Bergonzi was certainly a great tenor but I haven't really listened to him. Years ago I ended up with some favourite tenors and basically listened to them and collected their recordings. I suppose at that time Bergonzi was a bit too recent for me but I shall put that right and include him next time I do a mixed compilation. Thanks for recommending him.

[@patriciagordon160]

@@michaelmcgrailengland - He was one tenor who did “manage” his voice so it lasted quite a long time. I heard him in person after he had retired from staged opera but still sang concerts - he still sounded wonderful. I have my little “cadre” of favorites, too, very similar to yours, and Bergonzi and Wunderlich are among them. Thank you again for your charming commentary.

[@leonardopizzella7834]

Todos grandes tenores. Caruso es una cosa de no creer y si bien es la grabación más antigua y el sonido no es el mejor se nota que le quedaba chica. El puede hacer lo que quiera con su técnica y su voz. Corelli y Lanza grandes voces sin duda pero mucho para esta cancion. Pavarotti y Tucker mucha técnica para cantar algo que debe fluir mas sencillamente. Por último y no soy justamente de los grandes admiradores de Di Stefano, es en él donde encuentro la mejor versión cantada con esa voz natural y un sentimiento más a flor de piel, y aunque no pone énfasis en su caudal de voz pero si en la belleza de la misma es la más bella de todas las versiones.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening and for your comment Leonardo.

[@frankodesandy4688]

Yes,,Caruso brings me thrills, Giuseppe brings me tears, Lanza brings me both.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@frankodesandy4688 Thanks for listening Franko.

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

This is one of my all-time favourite Neapolitan songs, incredibly sad and therefore deeply touching… ❤️ The lyrics are heart-wrenching, and the music picks up the desperate atmosphere perfectly… ✨✨✨ Thank you for choosing this song to craft this stunning video, Michael! 🙏🍀 I like or even love most of the renditions (one I think is okay) and even have a secret favourite whose rendition almost tears my heart apart…

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening and for your kind words Harriet, I'm glad that you enjoyed the video, the song is a big favourite of mine. There's nothing more enjoyable than a really sad song that reduces you to tears!!

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

@@michaelmcgrailengland Well said, Michael! I feel just the same way… There are still two or three more of your great videos on my playlist. I‘d like to listen to them in the course of the next days (or two weeks? 🤔) after being back from a little KZbin detox. It felt quite alright, but now I have to catch up on several hundred uploads, which will probably reduce the effect to zero…🥹😅😇 I hope you are doing well! Warm regards and all the best! ☘️🍀☘️🍀☘️🍀☘️

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@hrbooksmusic7878 You are always welcome whenever you have the time and inclination Harriet. Warm regards and best wishes to you.

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

@@michaelmcgrailengland Thank you, Michael! Returning to your lovely channel feels like coming home! Lots of shamrocks and good-luck clover: ☘️☘️☘️❤️🍀🍀🍀

[@Rosangela161]

Welcome!! Beautiful and nostalgic melody. All the performers in this post are excellent. Each one in its own way and style. Thank you dear Michael, I return to my distant childhood.Your selection of performers, music and photographs is very beautiful. I congratulate you dear friend. Applause and warm regards.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Hello Rosa, thank you for listening and for your kind words, I'm really pleased that you enjoyed the video and I hope that you are keeping well at the moment. My brother stayed with us last week for a couple of nights and we spent most of the time returning to our distant childhood, talking about things from then that we've talked about a thousand times before. Warm regards and best wishes for good health to you.

[@Rosangela161]

​@@michaelmcgrailenglandCongratulations! I also really enjoyed the visit of two of my daughters and grandchildren. I also wish you good health, happy days and success in everything you undertake.

[@hovareq6044]

Honestly i would like to see Gigli among this singers.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thank you for listening and for your comment. I don't have a recording of Gigli singing this song and the only one I could find on the internet is very poor quality and doesn't seem to me to show Gigli at his best. This is a link to that recording kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHupmmt7nd94r6s If you know of another recording I would be grateful if you could give me details of it.

[@albertogallo8752]

La voz de Caruso está más allá de lo humano. El y Fleta fueron los dos fenómenos vocales y artísticos más extraordinarios en la cuerda de tenor del siglo XX y de lo que va del XXI. Dios los do to para ser oídos y admira dos a través del tiempo.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening and for your comment Alberto.