Customer Reviews

John Charles Thomas: An American Classic

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this voice after first encounter with this Thomas CD. His voice has a great quality of depth, uniqueness, smoothiness and of course strength. I only find 3 cd available, what a shame. I would probably buy all the rest. In conclusion, you get a heart-felt sweetness from listening to Thomas (Try sample 1 & 3). I hope I will find more of his singing record.

Across the years, I have fallen in love with this voice and this man. Whether he sings an operatic aria, a hymn, a folk song, or a popular tune, his rendition becomes definitive. Surely no other singer has ever made "Home on the Range" sound so splendid. And he was also one of the greatest Verdi singers, if these old recordings, with all their limitations, do not lie.

John Charles Thomas had a wonderful voice. His memory would be better served with a digital restoration of this classic album.

I loved this voice after first encounter with this Thomas CD. His voice has a great quality of depth, uniqueness, smoothiness and of course strength. I only find 3 cd available, what a shame. I would probably buy all the rest. In conclusion, you get a heart-felt sweetness from listening to Thomas (Try sample 1 & 3). I hope I will find more of his singing record.

I grew up listening to recordings of Mr. Thomas, and continue to do so. In my view he is simply the best and most versatile baritone ever. A full, rich tone, and precise diction were his tradmarks. Years ago, Toronto music critic Clyde Gilmore said he had "a pipe organ of a voice," and I concur. Frank Chapman of Opera News listed him, with Caruso, Pinza, and Ponselle, as one of "the four greatest voices I've heard."

Crossover musicians are a common thing today, but he was one of the first. Not only was he at home at the Metropolitan Opera, but on the concert stage and on radio. Though the classical music fraternity looked down their collective noses at him for doing it, Thomas sang and recorded hymns, popular ballads, show tunes, and novelty songs, with equal ease. It is a little known fact that he was also the vocal coach of a (then) up-and-coming gospel singer named George Beverly Shea.

If his work is new to you, the Prima Voce collection will give you a great introduction to John Charles Thomas. I highly recommend it.

I bought this great Nimbus Prima Voce label CD two years ago.When I was a young boy,my dad used to play this old 78 RPM RCA Victor recording of Thomas' "Green Eyed Dragon". The flip side was the absolutely fantastic renditon of the old Scottish folksong "Lord Randall". They are both on this CD and that alone make buying this a real bargain. There is also his superb version of Gilbert+Sullivan's "When I Was a Lad' from HMS Pinafore. Thomas was a wonderful actor,singer and performer. Buy this CD,I guarantee you'll love it !

I love this CD. I grew up listening to John Charles Thomas' music as my father played it and sang it. The songs are beautiful, fun, always entertaining. It's a pleasure to listen to these great songs again. They are timeless.

I purchased this CD for my Dad and he loves it

Many thanks

Kym Stephen

I became acquainted with the voice of JCT through two RCA Red-seal records my parents possessed. I particularly remember "Sailormen",
in which childish braveries as sea-goers drifts off into sleepiness, and "The Green-eyed Dragon", which I NOW recognize as a metaphor for jealousy, but whose substance scared the bej_s out of me at age 4 and older.

The remastering seems ideal. The content of the CD reflects what was popular on the recital stage in the '30s and '40s.

My wife has nearly worn out the CD (not possible of course, but a telling metaphor) in the three weeks we have owned it.