'O Sole Mio - Beniamino Gigli [Import]

Eduardo di Capua (Composer), Ernesto de Curtis (Composer), Teodoro Cottrau (Composer), Manuel Cardoso (Composer), Rodolfo Falvo (Composer), E.A. Mario (Composer), Libero Bovio (Composer), Giovanni Battista Califano (Composer), Luigi Denza (Composer), Beniamino Gigli (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Beniamino Gigli
• Composer: Eduardo di Capua, Ernesto de Curtis, Teodoro Cottrau, Manuel Cardoso, Rodolfo Falvo, et al.
• Audio CD (November 5, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI
• ASIN: B000002S1L
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,807 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. O sole mio, for voice & piano (or orchestra)

2. Torna a Surriento, for voice & piano (or orchestra)

3. Santa Lucia, for voice & orchestra

4. Lucia, Lucì for voice & orchestra

5. Sto Penzanno 'a Maria for voice & orchestra

6. Core 'Ngrato for voice & orchestra

7. Dicitencello vuje, for voice & piano (or orchestra)

8. Santa Lucia luntana, for voice & orchestra

9. Voce 'e notte! for voice & orchestra

10. Funiculì Funiculà, for voice & orchestra (& chorus ad lib)

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Notte D'Amore for voice & orchestra

2. Ti voglio tanto bene, for voice & orchestra

3. Deux lettres De'enfants, for voice & piano

4. Sicilian Miniatures (4) for voice & orchestra, "Carrettieri"

5. Solo per te, Lucia

6. Maria

7. Serenata Veneziana

8. Triste Maggio for voice & orchestra

9. La Spagnola for voice & orchestra

10. O del mio amato ben, song

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A pity about the sound quality., March 5, 2003

By 

John Austin "[e-mail]" (Kangaroo Ground, Australia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 'O Sole Mio - Beniamino Gigli (Audio CD)

Admirers of this famous tenor who wish to acquire a generous selection of his non-operatic recordings might think this double CD set might satisfy on all counts. It certainly provides familiar and unfamiliar, early and late recordings. There are some rarities here, and a full listing of recording details. The big drawback, however, is the sound quality. The remastering was done in the early days of Cedar processing. Somehow, the combination of Gigli's golden voice and the Cedar noise reduction process proved incompatible. While listening, I often responded as to fingernails being scraped over a blackboard, and no amount of knob twiddling could remedy the trouble.

The source material, however, includes some great recordings. If you think you have heard everything "Santa Lucia" has to offer, you'll find unguessed depths and detail in the way Gigli does it here with an accompaniment in charge of Sir John Barbirolli. "La Spagnola" has irresistible verve. The recordings are from 1918 to 1949.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Naples' Musical Heart is here!!!., October 25, 2007

By 

Maximiliano F Yofre "Maxi" (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 'O Sole Mio - Beniamino Gigli (Audio CD)

Beniamino Gigli (1890 - 1957) was one of the greatest all times tenors. He can be compared with Enrico Caruso, Tito Schipa or more recent late Luciano Pavarotti.
My grandmother told me of the commotion this tenor produced in Buenos Aires when performing in 1919. For her he was the greatest of all the tenors that sang at the Colon Opera Theater.

He was a major opera singer, but what Italian tenor could resist singing Neapolitan popular songs? No one. Least of all Mr. Gigli (even if he was born in a different province).
Here we are able to hear a complete selection of "canzzonetas", 46 of them nothing less!
Beniamino's open heart is here, in each song we can feel his soul flowing from his extraordinary voice.

I was looking for some other CD when I came across this collection and recalled my grandma's advice. I asked to hear it and was overwhelmed by his charisma, even if some songs are recorded with old technology, they do not lose quality.

Neapolitan "canzzonetas" make room for different moods: love songs, joy and festive songs, nostalgic songs, wine songs, nature loving songs. Here you'll be able to enjoy all of them.

Special mention in this two CD collection must be done for "a' Canzone E Napule", "Cuore `ngrato", "Tu sei la Vita Mia" and "Sto Penzanno a Maria", they are not the most popular as "O Sole Mio" or "Marechiare", but Gigli's voice and sentiment reach deep quality.
Enjoy this CD.
Ecco qui e Napule!!!!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

5.0 out of 5 stars O Sole Mio, July 11, 2011

By 

Rosalie Montagna "Rosie" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 'O Sole Mio - Beniamino Gigli (Audio CD)

Loved the CD. Once again, it was great to be able to buy another CD for my Dad who loves his Italian songs of old. Thanks