Customer Reviews

The Glory (????) of the Human Voice

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I discovered the original LP of this in the West Charlotte High School (NC) library with a friend in the tenth grade in 1980. We could not stop rolling around on the listening room floor until finally the librarian made us leave. I have been looking for this ever since. This CD is the ultimate in vocal experiences. Florence Foster Jenkins decided to become an opera singer when her wealthy husband died. People realized at once that she was absolutely wretched, yet she attracted bigger and bigger crowds. Finally she sold out Carnegie Hall accompanied by pianist Cosme McMoon (who hid behind a screen, allegedly) and by the wonderful Thomas Burns, a baritone who sounds to my ear exactly like Elmer Fudd. My favorite line from Burns, which still makes me laugh out loud is "My heart is overcome with terror..." It doesn't SOUND like it would be that funny, but you simply must hear it to understand.

Bravo! Mme. Jenkins is one of the all time greats! Buy this CD and put it randomly in your CD changer at your next party between the Dire Straits and Toby Keith. Watch your friends reaction. That moment alone will make the purchase price well worth it.

So, you love Miles Davis and Karajan, but you haven't had the experience of music that gives you goosebumps for quite a while ... then this CD is for you! Or you are a tough nut who munches popcorn while watching The Silence of the Lambs ... then this CD will really give you the creeps!
Now seriously (or not so seriously): Florence Foster-Jenkins was a woman with no talent but lots of passion for music. Which leads us to the question: shall we only do what we are good at? What if we have fun doing something but no talent at all? Shall we only do things that will give us the approval of others? Florence Foster-Jenkins has made her choice to follow her passion - she is my hero!!! :-)

A short bio of Madame Jenkins appears in a wonderful book called "American Eccentrics" by Carl Sifakis. It explains the history (or is it hysteria?) of this most maligned and misunderstood of American coloraturas. The most telling of anecdotes regarding M. Jenkins is that she was riding in a New York taxi that crashed. She was going to sue the taxi company until she discovered that she could sing ". . .a higher F than ever before...". Need I say more? Apparently, she sent the cabbie a box of expensive cigars as a thank-you.

The staff of a classical section of a large CD store in New York City regularly puts on this recording about 15 minutes to closing. They inevitably get several "what the hell is that" questions, a sale or two, and clear out the rest of the patrons in short order - most of them shaking their heads in disbelief.

The "Queen of the Night" aria from Mozart's Magic Flute is, well, magical (sort of). One is never quite sure to cringe or duck as she squawks her way to the high note at the end.

A great party CD - but make sure the guests have had at least one stiff drink first.

Unfortunately, I heard Madame Jenkins' rendition of both the "Queen of the Night" aria and "Adele's Laughing Song" long before I had heard these pieces done "straight". I nearly died when I heard them done "seriously".

ahem... singers. All I had previously said about FFJ's singing is just as true now as it ever was, but a little research has paid off. Florence Foster Jenkins, it seems, had a heart as big as a mountain and a generosity of spirit to match. Yes, she did take her art seriously, but it seems she could not hear how bad she was. Audience flack meant nothing to her, because she believed in her powers... and that is refreshing. Here, in all its splendor, is one of the worst singers ever to grace the stage- and she generated respect and affection, along with gales of laughter.

It was said the the great Enrico Caruso respected Florence, and, if he saw something worthwhile in her, then I believe there must have been something there. She was not trying to destroy this music, but believed whole heartedly that she was bringing something new to this great art form... and that she did, though not what she would have wanted. Was she insane and living in a different world? Did she truly hear the voice of a nightingale instead of a rooster getting killed? It seems she did. However; if she worked half as hard for the benefit of other singers, as I have read, then she deserves a row of medals to have put on her bosom. Wherever she is now, in that great opera house in the sky, I wish her the best voice ever...

Honestly! This should not be considered first as an example of operatic/vocal or whatever, as Florence Foster Jenkins was a "true, sincere artist" in her own mind! In a way, it's sad to have so much fun listening to this wealthy matron squeek her way through Lehar and Mozart. But, doggonit! She had always wanted a singing career. When her wealthy husband died, FFJ decided SHE would being this career. For this recital, she rented Carnegie Hall, made her own costumes, and even threw flowers back to her audience. She happily chirps on in part of this album with her accompanist Cosme McMoon (for real?) assisting. It's a hoot! But laugh with the dear girl! She was happy and really oblivious to her success.(When she first put her concert tickets up for grabs, she had few takers, but soon her concert became THE place to be!) The "flip" side of the disc isn't nearly as "campy", but several unknowns making porridge out of "Faust"....Madge Bruner Hazen

Perfect wakeup for narcoleptics, removing unwanted guests, irritating neighbors with barking dogs, getting even with teenagers who play their rap too loud, and the perfect gift for those relatives who hate you but always want to exchange names at Christmas time. It may even help clean clogged drains!

Ms. Jenkins' music is proof that if you give it your all and do what you love, the money will follow, or in this case, the notoriety. It also shows that you cannot pursue any artistic effort half-heartedly. I cannot think of any time during Adele's Laughing Song that I've heard any other vocalist take a running leap in order to hit the final note. But Ms. Jenkins does so, and in so doing, shows her audience that she does indeed inject beauty and artistry in her performance, despite the fact that her voice quite doesn't follow suit. This recording shows that practice practice practice may be the way to get to Carnegie Hall, but hopefully today's young performers won't learn from her example. There's no room for mediocrity here; only the utmost will do! Good Lord......!

Florence's voice is something that must be experienced to be believed. I first heard her version of "Mein Herr Marquis," and was taken aback--"who would record this woman?" was my main lament. When I discovered that she was a bit of an eccentric, I came to admire her. No, I don't admire her voice or her technical skill (though I'm amazed by Cosme McMoon, her accompanist!). I admire Florence's strength and ability to go out and do what she loved, even if she wasn't any good at doing it. It's the kind of "take that!" attitude that endears her to me.

The highlights on this recording are: "Der Holle Rache" from Die Zauberflote (Florence must have had quite a range to encompass this coloratura masterpiece); "Mein Herr Marquis" from Die Fledermaus (when Florence "laughs," the whole world laughs--probably the most hilarious thing ever in classical music besides P.D.Q. Bach stuff, and Florence isn't trying to be funny); and "The Jewel Song" from Faust (sounds ridiculous in English, which adds to it's charm).

The baritone (Thomas Burns) on this recording is also quite amusing, though I get the feeling that he was sort of a "plant," not really a true devotee of opera like Florence was. Overall, though, this album is a true gem. If you like classical music, or just want to rip on hoity-toity opera purists, play this album for some raucous laughter--but don't laugh at Florence, laugh with her!

This is not merely a classic; this is a classic on steroids with tiara and angel wings. Florence Foster Jenkins was a force of nature and God's gift to the hungry masses- and He even saw to arranging a subsidy for her. If you suddenly gain a furtune, is that not a sign that you should answer your higher calling, even if you do not know what note it is sounding? Pitch is for baseball, notes are for bank- what counts is the raw passion, the desire to live for art and lots of costumes, even if you should leap to your death afterwards. Or get hit by a car- which is what happened to Florence, incidently, but she claimed that after the accident her high Fs got even higher....
Her music is one of a kind deal: you either get it or not- but even if you roll in the aisles, look beyond the hilarious facade and feel that Hoelle Rache of conviction that is cooking in her bosom. How many musically correct Queens of the Night show that kind of royally deranged force? And what other Adele can make you laugh like that? And the Bell Song, for once sounding like a real bell, swinging here and there and everywhere in between with such wild abandon.
On this CD, the inclusion of Faust Travesty only goes to show that nobody can do the Flo like Florence herself. Mere mortals can imitate her, but she has been bringing joy to the world for over 60 years now, just got a show and a musical made about her life and the glory of her voice will continue to ring off-pitch through the world and sprinkle the notes, like the flowers at her shows, all over the place, for years to come.

I suspect that most of us who don't sing fail to appreciate how hard it is to navigate classical singing. Well, these hilariously bad performances by the redoutable Florence Foster Jenkins (1866-1944) will surely cure that deficiency! The notes that accompany a competing CD release of these monstrosities probably say it best:

"Madame Jenkins was born in 1868 in Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania), as the daughter of a rich banker. She was crazy about music, even in her younger years, but neither her father nor her husband of later years - a businessman who was worth millions - did much to encourage her interest in music and singing. Following her wedding she was appointed chairwoman of a Verdi Club, which she soon supported financially, and she organized a major ball once a year under the title of 'The Ball of the Silver Larks' - staging the event with a great deal of pomp, tulle, and even more kitsch!"

"She soon began performing herself at these annual events, presenting her vocal talents in a number of settings and usually wearing self-designed costumes, which were magnificent but at the same time totally ridiculous. Throughout the years she started staging these performances with an increasing amount of professionalism and even booked the large ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton in New York once a year, presenting her vocal performances in front of an audience she had usually picked herself. Tickets were very much in demand and amazingly these events were always sold out, in spite of the shocking admission fees. Her performances were legendary and not one of Jenkins' vocal recitals came to an end without at least three changes of costume!"

"As a woman of considerable weight her matronly figure seemed to float onto the stage. She then positioned herself - totally convinced of herself and her vocal abilities - in front of the concert grand and started to sing - or started to create the sounds that could almost be described as singing! She normally wore long flowing robes with huge angel's wings sewn onto the back, with a crown of flowers in her hair. On other occasions she was covered in tinsel, sequins and tulle and would throw flowers from a small basket into the audience."

"Following her divorce she took a risk, going all out for major success - she hired the Carnegie Hall! Her performance took place on 25 October 1944 and she was able to present her bizarre show to a major audience - for the Carnegie Hall was completely sold out weeks in advance, in spite of the horrendous ticket prices, and the concert grossed some six thousand dollars!"

"It seems the fuss surrounding this affair was too much for the seventy-six year old, for just one month later - on 26 November 1944 - Florence Foster Jenkins passed away. Unfortunately, there are very few recorded examples of her vocal performances so that future generations of music lovers have to make do with the rare and precious samples of this very individual but equally unique singing star."

"It remains to be said: Florence Foster Jenkins was convinced of herself and her vocal abilities and she truly considered herself to be an artist of great standing. Her audiences, however, considered the whole thing to be more of a huge joke."

About the only thing I can add to that is: "Cosme McMoon," Jenkins' piano accompanist who reportedly played from behind a large screen (such modesty!), is rumored to have been Edwin McArthur (born 1907 in Denver), who made many "legitimate" recordings as both pianist and conductor. Ironically, he was the favorite accompanist of another singer of somewhat greater distinction - the Wagnerian soprano Kirsten Flagstad!

If you can survive without the non-Jenkins items here (which I find considerably less funny), this 28 minute recital is also available by itself in equally good sound on a cheaper Membran CD titled "Florence Foster Jenkins: The Nightingale." That CD was the source of the notes quoted here.

Happy listening!

Jeff Lipscomb