Search - Vincenzo Bellini, Carlos Gomes, Giacomo Puccini :: Legendary Voices, Vol. 1

Time machine

Sasha | at sea...sailing somewhere | 10/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."