Customer Reviews

Prima Voce: Caruso

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

 

 

Thank you Nimbus Records for getting this CD out. I have owned this CD since 1998 and have listened to it numerous times.

Enrico Caruso is one of my most favorite singers. Truly, after listening to Caruso sing you will agree that his talent was just enormous. In number after number the VOICE will engulf you, and move you to new heights. Listen to track thirteen, "Ah! Fuyez Douce Image". You will not find a better rendition ANYWHERE.

If you like classical singing and if you wish to hear a true great ply his art, this CD is for you. Five stars do not do justice.

When one hears the richness of Caruso's voice, and the depth of the emotion he expresses, it's hard to fathom that some of these recordings date back 100 years. The tracks are in chronological order, from February 1904 to September 1920.
The first three selections from 1904 are exquisite, and have only a solo piano accompaniment. The "Una Furtiva Lagrima" (track # 3) has a grace and luminosity that is breathtaking.
There are many arias that have remarkable aspects to them, like "Magiche note" from Goldmark's "La Regina di Saba", where he does a series of pianissimos, and of course, his most famous role was as Canio, in Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci", and this CD has both "Vesti la giubba" from 1907, and "No ! Pagliacco non son" from 1910. The latter is phenomenal, and has a deep, dark quality, sounding more like a baritone than a tenor.

There are some rarely heard pieces here, like the Goldmark aria, and "Deserto in terra solo" from Donizetti's "Don Sebastiano", and only occasionally heard is the beautiful "Rachel, quand du Seigneur" from Halevy's "La Juive", and no one can equal Caruso's interpretation of it.
What stands out most about his singing aside from the glorious sound is his phrasing, which is dramatic as well as supremely musical...one of the many reasons the name Caruso has become synonymous with "Italian operatic tenor".

The booklet insert has liner notes on Caruso's career, and a brief synopses for each aria.
The sound considering the age is a marvel, re-mastered from 78 RPM recordings, and states "A breakthrough in archive sound reproduction, Nimbus Natural Ambisonic Transfer technology preserves the immediacy and fidelity of the original performance". Thank goodness Caruso's emergence as a singer and the gramophone came into existence at the same time, so that recordings like this can still be heard.
Total playing time is 74'58.

The best transfer of Caruso I can lay my hand on so far. There is no surface noise and the beauty of his voice is not at all compromised, it sounds as though it is recorded in the 50s !

Caruso eclipses the great tenors of all other ages with ease. However be reminded that to some audience, his singing is dated at least so in term of taste. Others may wish to add more songs or arias to show the best of his voice etc.

The fact is, this CD runs 69.31 minutes which is more than sufficicinet to give the audience a good profile of the greatest voice of the century.

I love this CD. In particular, the way Nimbus was able to take recordings that were done nearly 100 years ago and make them sound as if they were done only 100 hours ago. With CD's such as this the great Caruso will live on forever!

What a great recording! Basically, a digital version of recordings made on the first analog recording technology. The beauty of Caruso's singing, his anachronistic melodramatic style and the bumps and scratchings of the orgininal recording blend together for a total effect that is quite persuasive and effective. Love it.

Caruso has no better in the male sphere of singing in terms of his range and the beauty of his voice. This recording verifies the case completely. He truly puts the so called 3 tenors of 2000 immediately into the background of mediocrity.

My feeling with regard to Caruso is that he sang songs that he really didn't always convince me about. When you hear this CD, which I must say buy, buy, buy, you will understand. It is possible to float the most beautiful male vox over nonchalance; it certainly is done quite regularly. I think if Caruso had created his own songs on a regular basis, I would be even more convinced of him being the greatest male singer of all time. There is no better...

Matthew Hahn...