John McCormack: In Opera

Giuseppe Mario Sammarco (Performer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Leo Delibes (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Amilcare Ponchielli (Composer), Arrigo Boito (Composer), Jules Massenet (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Victor Herbert (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Edward Schneider (Performer), Lucrezia Bori (Performer), John McCormack (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Giuseppe Mario Sammarco, Edward Schneider, Lucrezia Bori, John McCormack
• Composer: Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Georges Bizet, Leo Delibes, et al.
• Audio CD (December 2, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nimbus Records
• ASIN: B0000037JL
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,054 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #10 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Baroque (c.1600-1750) > Vocal & Song
  • #40 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Classical (c.1770-1830) > Vocal & Song > General AAS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Singer's Singer, February 19, 2001

By 

L. E. Cantrell (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John McCormack: In Opera (Audio CD)

John McCormack was a living textbook in the art of singing. His technique and vocal production are virtually flawless--and the absolute despair of anyone trying to emulate him. To hear a very simple piece, say Care Selve, sung as he sings it, is an on-going revelation.

Had these recordings been made in the digital age, then six or even ten stars would hardly be accurate.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good sampling of an early 20th century tenor, March 2, 2009

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McCormack In Opera: Prima Voce (Audio CD)

John McCormack became a player among operatic tenors in 1910, when he first appeared with Dame Nellie Melba in Australia and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. His final appearance on stage was in 1923. Thereafter, he did sing concerts and recorded as well.

This CD contains a wide range of works which he sings, from the "Prize Song" (Die Meistersinger) to Handel (arias from Semele and Atalanta) to Donizetti (Lucia di Lammermoor) to Boito (Mefistofele) to Delibes (Lakme) and others as well. Quite a generous repertoire!

To illustrate, let us take a look in modest detail at some of the pieces on this CD.

"De miei bollenti spiriti," from Verdi's "La Traviata" (recorded in 1910). He shows a rich tenor voice. He sings this with passion and avoids vocal affectations. To my untutored ears, an attractive vocal presentation.

"Che gelida manina" from Puccini's "La Boheme" (1910). This is one of the great tenor arias, in my view. At the outset. there is a touching quality to his singing, altogether appropriate for this piece. He sings well the second "qui son" (some shout this out, others "cry"). He hits his notes pretty well, from what I can tell. He may not have the sheer vocal power of a Corelli or a Tucker or a Caruso, but he does sing well. His singing of the phrase "la speranza" and its high note is quite interesting. All in all, a nice version.

"Questa o quella" from Verdi's "Rigoletto." An animated version. McCormack sings this with spirit, although not at the same pace as some other tenors. But it is a fine version. He exhibits nice breath control. An attractive voice that is deployed well here.

"Il mio tesoro," from Mozart's "Don Giovanni." This is a challenging aria, and it is well sung by McCormack. Again, he shows good technique and handles the demands of this work nicely. I really enjoyed his rendering of this work.

So, from my listening here, Jon McCormack exhibits an attractive tenor voice. I'm not sure he should be rated among the all-time greats, but he's pretty doggone good!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A voice that touches the heart, December 13, 2008

By 

Clifford Hall "clifford" (Barbados) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: John McCormack: In Opera (Audio CD)

After hearing this recording, I simply cannot understand the perception, shared even by Gerald Moore, that McCormack was less than comfortable in Grand Opera. Was he then merely a brilliant purveyor of popular Irish songs and ballads? On the evidence here, a profound 'NO'. In any medium, McCormack's voice and artistry strike at the heart with such a keenly spiritual richness. An Irish Gigli? Yes. He is to voice what Kreisler is to violin. It is an unforgettable experience to hear him here, and most especially in the deep night when all is still and the heart knows no boundaries of either time or space but only its own special yearning. I am so glad I bought this.