John McCormack: 1914 "Little Grey Home in the West" in AI

[@dominiquedelair6843]

Beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you very much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@margaretthomas8899]

Well done again!

[@jimdrake-writer]

If the Victor files for April 6, 1914 weren't accessible online, I would have guessed that this was a test recording to determine how much playing time the actual record would require. The tempo is rather fast, McCormack sings the much of the first half in only two or three breaths for the entire song, and his singing is devoid of mezza-voce high tones. Perhaps the fact that this was one of five Victor recordings he made that day necessitated a faster tempo and more straightforward phrasing. As always, his voice is indescribably beautiful, and "seeing" his portrait come to life through AI is magical.

[@RobertFells]

I have long had a theory about this recording. McC was late for an appointment so he rushed through it. But the "test recording" theory is perhaps the better explanation.

[@jimdrake-writer]

@: It could have been his mood. He was known to be argumentative and cantankerous, so perhaps he wished that the didn't have to make any recordings that day. This was the only one that seemed rushed, at least to my ears.

[@RobertFells]

@@jimdrake-writer I resampled this recording and eked out a few extra seconds, but the timing was still way under anybody else's who sang it. I was hoping to make a "virtual duet" out of it, but McC's phrasing was too rushed to match it up with any other singer.