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The Gigli Edition - Volume 4: Camden and New York Recordings 1926-27. Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) Tosca – Recondita armonia Manon Lescaut – Donna non vidi mai La bohème – O Mimì , tu più non torni with Titta Ruffo (baritone) La bohème – O Mimì , tu più non torni with Giuseppe De Luca (baritone) Arrigo BOITO (1842-1918) Mefistofele – Dai campi, dai prati! Giunto sul passo estremo Riccardo DRIGO (1846-1930) I millioni d’Arlecchino – Notturno d’amore Enrico TOSELLI (1883-1926) Serenata – two recordings, one unpublished on 78s BUZZI-PECCIA Torna amore Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Stornelli marini MARIO Santa Lucia luntana DE CRESCENZO Rondine al nido Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) La forza del destino – solenne in quest’ora with Titta Ruffo (baritone) La forza del destino – solenne in quest’ora with Giuseppe De Luca (baritone) DONAUDY O bei nidi d’amore Amilcare PONCHIELLI (1834-1886) La Gioconda – Enzo Grimaldo, Principe di Santafior! with Titta Ruffo (baritone) COITTRAU Addio a Napoli Beniamino Gigli (tenor) Orchestras conducted by Josef Pasternack, Nathaniel Shilkret and Rosario Bourdon Recorded New York and Camden, 1926-27 NAXOS 8.110265 [67.15]

As with previous issues in this series, owners of Romophone’s Gigli editions will recognise this selection, which derives from the Complete Victor Recordings Volume II 1926-28. As before the songs and arias are in chronological sequence. By now we have left behind the occasional gaucheries of his earlier discs and reach the voice in its full, unforced beauty. The top is produced and sustained with unequivocal beauty; the lower voice capable of almost baritonal extension and evenness. With electric recording came the opportunity to remake some of his earlier acoustics. Recondita armonia (his third recording of it) is genuinely thrilling and unsullied by any strictly non-musical emotionalism and his Donna non vidi mai is powerfully ardent if with a few intrusive catches in the throat. For the Drigo and Toselli songs – in the latter’s Serenata we have an unpublished second take to join the issued third - he’s joined by an unnamed violinist whose woefully slow vibrato in no way threatens Gigli’s sovereign legato. His way with light material can best be savoured in the issued sides resulting from Gigli’s visit to the New York studios on 9th December 1926. He was in truly beautiful voice and the songs, though light and airy, are perfect vehicles for Gigli’s exceptional powers of communication, sitting perfectly for the voice. Torna amore is full of romantic declamation and Stornelli marini, the gem of the session, sees Gigli’s legato supported by a core of steel. The duets with Titta Ruffo were not issued immediately. Ruffo’s star had waned and the voice was no longer the stentorian instrument of old, but instead now seriously frayed. In the unsatisfactory sides he made with Gigli it sounds as if Ruffo was standing farther from the microphone than his colleague – in any case the tonal imbalance between voices is considerable – and the remade sides with De Luca are a considerable improvement. Note-writer William Ashbrook prefers this later version of Boito’s Dai campi, dai prati! from Mefistofele to the 1921 acoustic but I still find it a shade too lachrymose for comfort and whilst he aspirates too much in Verdi’s Solenne in quest’ora he’s still full of warmth and a superb body of tone and makes a notable teaming with Met colleague De Luca. Once more, those who have the Romophone discs can rest easy; the difference between transfers is minimal. The pleasure of Gigli’s voice, heard in all its resplendent youthful ardour, never pales. Jonathan Woolf Advertising on Musicweb Donate and keep us afloat   New Releases All Naxos reviews All Chandos reviews All Hyperion reviews All Foghorn reviews All Troubadisc reviews all cpo reviews Click to see New Releases Get 10% off using code musicweb10 All Divine Art reviews All APR reviews All Lyrita Reviews   Obtain 10% discount

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