Customer Reviews

Prima Voce: Legendary Voices

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Instead of being known only to its passionate cult followers,"Nimbus records" should be celebrated around the world for wonderful work they do.Lovingly restoring old 78 rpm discs on CD format,they are bringing in the light some poignant and moving musical moments previously forgotten in museum's dusty corners and at the same time preserving memory on opera's big stars of the past,distant relatives (ancestors?) of todays singers.Sure its all mono - recorded between 1911 and 1942 - and therefore even more precious,this is the closest we can get to a ride in time machine.Most of us have heard of Caruso but this collection serves as introduction to other names as well:Luisa Tetrazzini (who sounds like drunken canary bird),Rosa Ponselle,Tito Schipa,Vienna's favourite Alfred Piccaver,"South Pacific" star Elio Pinza,majestic Alexander Kipnis,almost unreal,delirious Kirstin Flagstad and Fritz Wunderlich who sounds as he goes somewhere inside-out of himself,bursting with emotions or perhaps premonition of his early death.This CD and the book by same title (written by Nigel Douglas) are my highest reccomendation and together with volume two makes sensational introduction to "Nimbus records" and its "Prima Voce" catalogue of forgotten masterpieces.Great present for friends as well.

Not all of this was recorded before 1942 - if so, Fritz Wunderlich would have been about 11 years old when he recorded "Eugen Onegin* (he was born in 1930 and suffered his fatal accident in 1966). This is one of his most famous recordings and the disc is worth having for that alone. It's true that he seems to turn himself inside out in expressing these feelings - while retaining absolute control yet giving his magical voice full rein. That was his genius. Many have suggested that this aria distils Wunderlich's inner knowledge of his own destiny. The words fit that idea almost supernaturally. Yet many things about this extraordinary singer were almost supernatural. That may be why he still affects people so profoundly even today - it can be hard on the emotions to listen even to the many joyful songs and arias he recorded.