SIX GREAT RECORDINGS : SIX GREAT SONGS AND ARIAS (6) : 2023 RESTORATIONS : COLOUR PHOTOS

I've created a playlist of the "Great Recordings" videos that I hope to steadily add to and if you wanted to listen to them all the link to the playlist is • Great Recordings
The recordings on this video are as follows;
0:00 Beniamino Gigli/Toti Dal Monte : Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino from Madame Butterfly (Puccini) : Rec 1939
6:41 Luigi Alva ; Il mio tesoro from Don Giovanni (Mozart) Rec 1959
11:16 Maria Callas : Ebben? ne andro lontana from La Wally (Catalani)
Rec 1955
15:58 Joseph Schmidt : Hymne des Stradella from Allesandro Stradella
(Flotow) Rec 1930?
19:05 Giuseppe Di Stefano : Ah! Dispar vision from Manon (Massenet)
Rec 1947
23:40 Leonard Warren : Shenandoah (traditional) Rec 1947
In Vogliatemi bene (Love me, please") Butterfly pleads with Pinkerton to "Love me, please." She asks whether it is true that, in foreign lands, a man will catch a butterfly and pin its wings to a table. Pinkerton admits that it is true but explains, "Do you know why? So that she will not fly away." He embraces her and says, "I have caught you. You are mine." She replies, "Yes, for life."
Unfortunately I haven't found a translation for the Joseph Schmidt recording of Hymne des Stradella.
In the aria Ah! Dispar vision (Depart, fair vision) the singer (Des Grieux) is about to enter a monastery and take the vows. He leaves behind him the sweet visions of the past to henceforth seek consolation in prayer.
"Ah! Vanish sweet memory too dear to my heart;
respect a calm won through much suffering,
and remember that if I have tasted of a bitter cup,
my heart could fill it full with the blood it has shed!
Ah! Vanish, vanish, go far from me!
Life itself and sham glory mean nothing to me.
I want only to expel from the depths of my memory".
Leonard Warren had a wonderful, warm baritone voice that shows very well in this recording. He was born Leonard Warenoff in the USA to Russian Jewish immigrant parents but later in life married an Irish girl and converted to Catholicism. He was a leading artist for many years with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and during a performance there of La forza del destino with Renata Tebaldi he suddenly collapsed and died. His life spanned exactly the same years as Jussi Bjorling as they were both born in 1911 and both died in 1960.
I've tried to improve the audio quality as much as possible and, just for effect, have added applause at the start and end.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

0:00 Beniamino Gigli/Toti Dal Monte : Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino 6:41 Luigi Alva ; Il mio tesoro 11:16 Maria Callas : Ebben? ne andro lontana 15:58 Joseph Schmidt : Hymne des 19:05 Giuseppe Di Stefano : Ah! Dispar vision 23:40 Leonard Warren : Shenandoah

[@MountainwalkwithMusic]

Pinning! Michael!

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@MountainwalkwithMusic Thanks Chang, I did pin it and then edited it and should have re pinned it.

[@shicoff1398]

At your picture #1558 of both Tauber and Schmidt together you get an idea of Schmidt's height of just under five feet tall, with Tauber (who was not tall) about five feet seven , the amazing lyric tenor Schmidt.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@shicoff1398There's also a picture at 16:15 that gives an indication of his height by the position of the door handle and there's another nice picture of him with Richard Tauber at 18:46. Thanks again for listening and for your comments.

[@shicoff1398]

Yes, I've seen many of those pictures,, but I like the ones you posted far more, and in color. Tauber at one time was picked on by the Nazis in the later 1930's for being partly Jewish, (as his father was) but he wisely left Germany and lived his last years happily in London England with his wife, Schmidt had a good chance in 1937 when here in the USA singing at Carnegie hall in NYC. but in fact even the Famous ROXY (Samuel Rothafel) offered him work/ etc. sadly Schmidt didn't take the offer and as he missed Germany he returned in 1937, a bad time for a Jew there, even a famous one, like Tauber and also Kiepura, both got out in time, as famous polish tenor Kiepura was half Jewish himself, you might hear his flower song rec. from Carmen as it is excellent. @@michaelmcgrailengland

[@elenajha4357]

Thank you, dear Michael! Such a wonderful garland of voices. They all are among my favourites, it is such a pleasure to listen to them.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Hello Elena, thank you for listening, I'm glad that you like the selection. I didn't realize, until I did the video, that Leonard Warren had Russian parents.

[@elenajha4357]

@@michaelmcgrailengland neither did I, until I read it in your description)). But I know, that Joseph Schmidt was born in the village near Chernovtsy, which now is the part of Ukraine. I was born in Ukraine not very far from that place ( though I am neither Ukrainian, nor Jewish 😊).

[@shicoff1398]

Yes, they where Russian Jews, his father was "Solomon Warrenoff" and his mothers Maiden name was "Sara Kantor" there is a wonderful Biography of Warren by the late "Mary Jane Phillips-Matz" (from 2000 ) over 400 pages in great detail and pictures about his life and tragic death on stage at the Met. in 1960 at age 48. He was America's greatest Verdi Baritone (and came after the American baritone Lawrence Tibbett) Warren one of the all time greats, RIP Warren, (1911-1960)@@michaelmcgrailengland

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@shicoff1398 I don't know if you noticed it but there's an interesting photo at 26:45 that has Leonard Warren and Jussi Bjorling on both of whom were born in 1911 and died in 1960.

[@shicoff1398]

Yes I did! Actually Warren born in April 1911, died on March 4th 1960, so he died just weeks before his Birthday and so Warren was only 48 years old. Jussi Born in Feb. 1911 died Sept 9th, 1960 so he was age 49 when he died. RIP. @@michaelmcgrailengland

[@Shoreseeker2]

OMG.......What can one say........The emotion, sense of feeling, heart warming!

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening, glad that you like this selection.

[@lawrenceallen6508]

First rate Mike 👍These are treasured GEMS beyond the realms ❤

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening Lawrence, I'm glad that you like these.

[@lawrenceallen6508]

@@michaelmcgrailengland Your work is fantastic Mike in all respects and you have a profound insight into what a great singer is .

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@lawrenceallen6508 Thanks Lawrence, and it's nice that you seem to agree with me, but could we both be wrong? surely not!!!

[@isaiahjohnston823]

Beautiful voices, from all of these outstanding Tenors and Sopranos. Nice colour. Bravo Michael mcgrail, thanks for this very interesting and nostalgic compilation of exceptional VOICES.👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

It's my pleasure Isaiah, thank you for listening, I'm glad that you like the selection and the colourized photos, they take up quite a bit of time but seem to bring the artists to life.

[@celinejohnston3694]

@@michaelmcgrailengland well you always do a brilliant job putting these nostalgic voices, and colour so perfectly. EXCELLENT.!!! 👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏..

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@celinejohnston3694 Thank you Celine, I'm really pleased that you enjoy the videos.

[@mariantaylor7109]

That was wonderful -l should hate to have to choose just one . After a so-so day that was a gift . Thank you .

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thank you for listening Marion, I'm glad that it brightened up your day.

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

Once more a beautiful potpourri of excellent voices and wonderful music, including several of my favourite singers… ✨✨✨ I‘m glad I don‘t have to choose one recording over the others, but if I were forced to it would probably be Joseph Schmidt‘s rendition of „Wie freundlich strahlt der Tag… Jungfrau Maria“ (Gigli forgive me; you‘ll always be on my list of top ten favourite tenors!!! But so is Joseph Schmidt…) because in addition to his splendid singing he performs with so much reverence and credulity (despite the fact that the Virgin Mary was of no importance to him) 💖 Marvelous recordings… all of them… one highlight followed by the next… ⭐️🌹⭐️ Thank you, Michael, for the great video (music, photos, lyrics) you‘ve crafted! 🙏☘️

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Hello Harriet, thank you for listening, I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. I certainly agree with you about Joseph Schmidt, he's very close to the top in my list of favourite tenors. Best regards ☘☘☘

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

@@michaelmcgrailengland Thank you, Michael, we often (close to always, I think) share an opinion, and that‘s very nice indeed! Enjoy the rest of the weekend and please take take! Warm regards! And lots of Irish and German luck: ☘️🍀☘️🍀☘️🍀☘️🍀☘️

[@basilisvasileiou434]

Μπραβο❤❤❤❤❤

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening to this one as well Basilis, glad that you like it.

[@josephdeery4931]

Hi Michael loved this particularly Shenandoah loved the pizzicato and the key change just wonderful I have sung the il mio tesoro not an easy sing always so interesting to listen to how singers tackle this!!! Thank you very much Michael Joe

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Hi Joe thank you for listening, I'm glad that you like this selection. I agree with you about Shenandoah, it's a wonderful recording. Yes, I can imagine Il mio tesoro would be a challenge. My favourite recording of it is that of the great John McCormack but when I tried to upload a compilation a while ago with about ten different singers somebody claimed copyright on John McCormack's recording. They wouldn't release the claim and the video was blocked. All the best, Michael.

[@barbaraprest783]

So enjoyable, thank you

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

It's my pleasure Barbara, thank you for listening.

[@meisterwue]

For all admirers ....on channel "maestroredal" Il Musichiere Roma 1958 with dal Monte , Olivero, Lauri-Volpi.....Host was Mario Riva ( died tragically 1960 in Verona after a fall into the stage set)......and here once again 6 opera-parts in 6 excellent performances.....listen to di Stefano : a real des Grieux both in Massenet and Pucchini

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening and for your comment. That's a nice video that you recommended.

[@helenakeane2449]

Another nice selection Michael, but to me no-one has ever sung Il Mio Tesoro better than our John Mc, his phrasing and breath control have never been equalled. I'm not a fan of Maria Callas. The only aria I really enjoy her singing is Casta Diva, a superb rendition.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening Helena. I certainly agree with what you say about John McCormack's Il mio tesoro but I'm trying to include a variety of singers rather than just my own favourites so that, hopefully, everybody who listens will find something they like.

[@helenakeane2449]

@@michaelmcgrailengland I understand that Michael but if I keep pointing out what a wonderful operatic voice (and career)John had maybe it will make some people here wake up and realise that he didn't just sing 'oul come all yehs' as we call old ballads and parlour songs here!X

[@MountainwalkwithMusic]

Michael! Looking at the number of views, it seems that the time to upload the video is important. The number of views that upload videos during the day seems to be much higher than at night. I think it would be good to post it during the day like this video.

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Hello Chang, thanks for listening and you are probably right. I started uploading this one last night and abandoned it because I needed more information and was too tired to continue so I finished it today. I was surprised at how many views it has had.

[@MountainwalkwithMusic]

@@michaelmcgrailengland Probably your subscribers like day time and activities. I hope view numbers of your videos increase. And sa soon as 5000 subscribers will be. Tomorrow would be Typhoon's day. Now just clouds. Good night Michael!!

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@MountainwalkwithMusicGood night Chang, and good luck with the Typhoon!!

[@shicoff1398]

Excellent post of some different recordings, interesting how Italian soprano Dal Monte, especially at the start of the Butterfly duet sings her Japanese character, with correct style in the role. Gigli of course, the beautifull Italian Lyric tenor whose voice was described by the great American tenor Richard Tucker, as "Sweet as Honey" @@michaelmcgrailengland

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

@@shicoff1398 Thanks for listening, I'm glad that you like this selection.

[@marie-jeannevallecalle9991]

Très belle voix je découvre cette soprano qui est elle 👍🤔

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Maria Callas was a very famous soprano, born in America to Greek parents. She sang with Jussi Bjorling in Opera just once. The opera was supposed to be recorded but, unfortunately, the equipment was set wrongly and the recording was not made.

[@marie-jeannevallecalle9991]

Le ténor n'est pas bgiorling sûrement gigli j'aimerais l'écouter par bgiorling 💖😊👍

[@michaelmcgrailengland]

Thanks for listening Marie-Jeanne, this is a link to a video of Jussi Bjorling singing the Madame Butterfly Love Duet. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXTNaZibl6ymd8U