John McCormack: A Career Recorded, 1904-1942 / 1933 Radio Broadcast [Original recording remastered, Import]

John McCormack (Artist), Roeckel (Composer), Michael William Balfe (Composer), Claribel (Composer), Ciro Pinsuti (Composer), Paolo Tosti (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Roeckel, Michael William Balfe, Claribel, Ciro Pinsuti, Paolo Tosti, et al.
• Audio CD (May 26, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: Symposium
• ASIN: B000007N8N
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,548 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Green Isle Of Erin

2. Killarney

3. The Minstrel Boy

4. Come Back To Erin

5. The Dear Little Shamrock

6. Pianto Del Core

7. Voi Dormite, Signora

8. Ideale

9. Les Pecheurs De Perles: Del Tempio Limitar

10. Semele: O Sleep! Why Dost Thou Leave Me

11. Atalanta: Care Selve, Ombre Beate

12. Christus Am Olberge: Jehova Hear Oh Hear Me...Oh My Heart Is Sore

13. Christus Am Olberge: Jehova, Du Mein Vater

14. Tristan Und Isolde: O Konig, Das Kann Ich Dir Nicht Sagen

15. Waiting For You

16. Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms

17. Just For Today

18. An Ireland Beauty

19. That Tumble Down Shack In Athlone

20. The Snowy Breasted Pearl

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars John McCormack - Rare Recordings 1904-1942, February 14, 2003

By 

Phil Stewart (Battle Creek, MI United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: John McCormack: A Career Recorded, 1904-1942 / 1933 Radio Broadcast (Audio CD)

This CD was most welcome to my collection. I have a fair number of McCormack originals, mostly from 1910 - 1927. It is especially interesting to be able to hear the extremes, beginning and end. McCormack was probably THE singer of his age in that he sang well, everything from Sonny Boy to Il Mio Tesoro. One critic wrote that he never stooped to material that was beneath him, but raised it to his level. It was interesting to me that he did not spring from his singing master's loin, fully developed, but spent seven years as a professional singer developing his skills. We see his promising beginning with the 1904 sessions. If I have a complaint about the set, it is with these transfers. Paul Wolf, in his John McCormack Home Page, discusses the debate between playing the G.T.&T. records at 72 or 76.6 rpm. I would guess that this set uses the slower speed. If this is so, Mr. Worth is indeed right. They sound too slow, almost to the point of slurred speach. Unfortunately, these are the only first recordings which I have been able to find on the market. The rest of the collection is fine and includes many rarities, including unissued test pressings from McCormack's personal collection. As he aged, his voice diminished while his skill as a singer increased. Even at the end of his career, he did not make a bad record. Despite my complaint, I would not deny myself this album, nor should anyone who wants to hear the beginning and conclusion of an incredible career.