The Complete Conchita Supervia Vols 1-4 Marston [JB]: Classical Music Reviews

Whoever saw Conchita Supervia at the opera or in recital, always first tells you what a strikingly beautiful woman she was … and second, what a riveting stage presence she had. Those two attributes are surely related. What is more, they are qualities which are, to a great degree, audible to those of us who only know the recordings. It would seem that she was not very different off-stage than on. Here is Ivor Newton, her sometime accompanist, reminiscing in what is a much longer citation in the booklet accompanying volume four:

One of the most magnetic singers of our day was Conchita Supervia, whose death in 1936 was a tragedy for music and a bitter blow to all her friends. Unusually beautiful, with large, expressive eyes, a small nose and the most beautifully shaped mouth I have ever seen, she had a mass of carefully disorganised auburn hair and the sort of figure, all curves and charm, that Latin taste judges to be perfect. She was always intensely alert and possessed of apparently inexhaustible vitality and a special sort of intelligence that one finds in very feminine women who are in no sense intellectuals. I can’t remember her reading books, for she was far too busy for what you might call serious reading. Her gaiety, good temper, sympathy and charm cloaked a keen intelligence and adamantine will power. To be with her was to inhabit a land of cloudless happiness; waiters and railway porters leapt devotedly to her service and everywhere men stopped to admire her as she passed. I once walked with her by the Arno, in Florence, where navvies engaged in road work put down their picks and stared in frank admiration as she passed. Supervia, without even a glance in their direction, sensed their admiration and visibly preened herself.

Like other great consummate artists, Supervia knew very well how to programme her considerable talents. Hers was one of those voices which remains instantly recognisable. Our recognition is, in part, attributable to her much maligned fast vibrato, which many critics persist in considering a vocal fault. But can a facility which is so evidently switched on and off at will, properly be considered a fault? And do those critics not understand that the vibrato gives her a whole spectrum of vocal colour which would not otherwise be possible?

At the same time, there is remarkable characterisation in every role she sings. Listen, for instance to Una voce poco fa (1/1/2) – one of her earliest recordings from 1927, in Milan. There is no coquetry here, which can easily tip Rossini’s writing into Music Hall; this is a Rosina who makes it clear that she intends to be reckoned with, the low notes have a rich contralto, headmistress-like ring, and the diction (as always) is admirably focused. If you want superficial fun and games, you will have to look elsewhere for your Rosina. This Rosina is not stagy; she is the real thing.

She brings the same authoritative contralto tones to Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri (1/1/7, 8, 9 and 10). This is where we hear clearly that this is a voice which needs time to make its effect; the coloratura is accurate, if slower than what we have become used to and with some liberties of rubato which few modern conductors would be willing to concede. This is humour dished up by taking the tragic situation seriously and with little of the playfulness which many other singers have brought to the role.

She also makes that other great Rossini comic role of La Cenerentola, all her own. This too is a Cinderella who has a mind of her own, who dispatches the runs and arpeggios of the rondo finale, Non piu mesta with great aplomb (1/1/1) while Signore, una parola (2/1/1) is coloured with a girlish pathos. It’s easy to hear why Cenerentola was Supervia’s preferred role for many of her contemporary fans.

All the transfers are of the highest standards we have come to expect from the Marston team. In giving us in eight CDs all her recorded output, they offer us something which was not available even during her lifetime, either in this quantity or quality. It’s another historic first by Marston. In addition to the Supervia we know, they have also brought to light some interesting curiosities.

One of these is the collection of children’s songs with spoken introductions in Italian by Supervia, addressed directly to her small son, George, who is in the studio with her in Milan. (2/1/4 to 11 inclusive) George, or Giorgio as he was known in Italy, was fathered by Francesco Santamaria, who would later become the Mayor of Naples. Giorgio was born in October 1918, making him ten when the Milan recording was made in February 1929. And it is here that we arrive at Supervia’s greatest, most evident and unrivalled quality: vocal charm. There is no one to touch her in this sphere. And the simpler the music, the greater the charm.

The unrivalled charm is predominant again in a group of English songs which she recorded with Ivor Newton at the piano in London in 1932 (3/2/16 to 21 inclusive). These were largely comic encore numbers - comedy remained central to her art - from an extended tour of England which she made in the autumn of 1931, and in which the charm and comedy were delightfully illuminated by her Spanish English. As Desmond Shawe-Taylor puts it in a reproduced, superb, insightful programme note, which accompanies volume three: Of course, she still had a marked foreign accent; nevertheless, there are few English singers who could not learn something from her intensely vivid handling of our language.

Oh no John was one of these songs, which Michael Aspinall has called possibly the most camp record ever made. Another was A Lesson with the Fan, a delicious bit of Victorian nonsense from Guy D’Hardelot, one of Queen Victoria’s singing teachers –and later, a much-used encore number for Aspinall’s own satirical shows.

Whereas in the great Rossini comic roles of Isabella, Rosina and Cenerentola, Supervia simply becomes those parts, with Carmen, she sounds to me as though she is “acting” it. I feel I am not receiving the full, generous Supervia, as though a part of her stands outside the seductive, evil gypsy. The Paris recordings of 1930 and 1931 (3/1/1 to 10 inclusive) are better focused than the earlier recordings in Milan of 1927 (1/1/4 to 6 inclusive) which only have the habanera, the seguidilla and the quintet. In both sets there are still things to admire: her admirable enunciation brings shape and clarity to the words and there are some effectively dramatic low notes of great force. A great plus on the Paris takes is having Gaston Micheletti’s tasteful performance of the Flower Song included with this set.

I suspect that Supervia had too much sense of humour totally to inhabit the role of Carmen. George used to tell the story of how as a small boy he once accompanied his mother to the hairdresser in Rome’s Via Sistina; as they came out, an overhead, menacing seagull dropped a large visiting card into her magnificent hair. “Well, George”, she said with a laugh, “that is supposed to bring us good luck”. How can a woman who spontaneously strikes an attitude like that, be Carmen?

If, like me, you find that Bizet’s gypsy fits ill with Supervia’s musical personality - and that is a strictly personal view, with which thousands would not agree - then you will find that Lehár’s gypsy is the perfect fit. Frasquita could almost have been tailor-made for this artist: a witty, generous, seductive, outgoing, attractive Spanish gypsy – all the right qualities. You can hear how well she capitalizes on all this in what were some of her last recordings – this version is in French (4/2/16 to 23 inclusive) in Paris in May 1933. Lehár’s music is inferior to Bizet’s, but it is not without its charm, that other unmistakable Supervia quality. The tenor, Louis Arnoult, sounds remarkably like Maurice Chevalier in the famous serenade. As an attractive plus there is even a recording of Valverde’s arrangement of Tengo des Lunares with guitar accompaniment,(4/2/24) which Supervia used to interpolate in Act two of the Viennese operetta.

You might have thought that the soubrette roles were well suited to all the natural vocal charm. But I have reservations here.

Her debut at the Rome Opera in 1916, at the age of sixteen as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier (sung in Italian) does seem to have created appreciative critique. It was here she also met, sang with and formed a life-long friendship with Ines Maria Ferraris, who in 1916 had created the role of Lisette in Puccini’s La Rondine. Both of them repeated their Rosenkavalier roles at La Scala, under Strauss’s baton. They also made an enchanting studio recording in Milan of the Presentation of the Rose scene and the final duet (1/2/7 and 8) in 1928. The same recording session took the big duet from Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel (1/2/9) , again in Italian and in roles in which they had both appeared at La Scala. I find the Humperdinck irritatingly coy, but in the two Strauss duets, the two voices sound fresh and attractively youthful, touching that core of innocence which the composer no doubt had in mind. By then, Supervia would have been thirty three and Ferraris was some fifteen years older. But they both demonstrate how well they were able to rejuvenate their voices.

During these Milan recording sessions of 1928, Supervia also offers the two Cherubino songs, Non so piu cosa son and Voi che sapete (Le Nozze di Figaro) (1/2/5 and 6) . To my ear, they are both misplaced, unnecessarily breathy and with some reaching after drama which I don’t see as present, even in irony, in Mozart’s music.

It will come as no surprise to know that the majority of pieces on these eight CDs belong to Spanish music. Whether in vocal or instrumental music, the Spanish tradition demands the mastery of two fundamental techniques: a highly charged, impeccable sense of rhythmic vitality - even when the music is slow - and the second, which to the inexperienced may appear as a contradiction to the first, to understand just where the elasticity comes in these steely-sounding scores. That would be called rubato in another context, but the term would be entirely wrong here. The give and take in Spanish music happens so subtly or imperceptibly as to cancel out ideas of rubato. It belongs – like rhythm itself - to the very blood circulation and breathing of the performer.

There are two artists here who sound like they are engaged in the healthiest competition of –anything you can perform, I can sound more Spanish . The result is breathtaking. Their three collaborations rank, for me, as the greatest in the history of voice and piano recordings. This kind of commitment and sheer animalistic professional skill has no precedent on record. They are Conchita Supervia (mezzo) and Frank Marshall (piano). A word about Mr Marshall is in order.

He was the favourite pupil of Enrique Granados in Barcelona. In March 1916 that composer was returning from the premiere of his opera Goyesca (later known as Goyescas) at the Met, and a recital at the White House. These had brought him an income in solid gold. Because of the War they were routed via Liverpool and the English Channel. Their ship, The Sussex, was torpedoed by a German submarine. The captain got most of the passengers into the lifeboats, but would not accept any luggage. Enrique and his wife refused to be separated from their gold and went down with the ship. Most of the other passengers were saved.

Frank Marshall replaced Granados at Barcelona’s leading piano school, soon renamed the Frank Marshall Academy. Alicia de Larrocha was taken to him for lessons at the age of six and never had another teacher. She eventually became Principal of the Academy, a post which she actively held until her recent death. She also told me that there are no other commercial recordings of Frank Marshall beyond his three collaborations with Supervia. But she did say that there are piano roles. Dear Marston Records, can something please be done about issuing these on CD?

The Supervia/Marshall duo – I say advisedly duo, since the listener will find both so hypnotic, that it is impossible to decide on which one should focus - made two recordings of del Falla’s arrangements of Siete Canciones Populares Españolas (Seven Popular Spanish Songs). The first recording only contains the first three of the songs and was made on Christmas Eve of 1928 (1/2/18, 19, 20); the second, made on 10 March 1930, has all seven songs (2/2/6 to 12 inclusive). They then recorded Tonadillas of Granados on 1 November 1932 (seven original Spanish songs in this cycle too) (4/2/7-13 inclusive).

I’ve already indicated what all the excitement is about here. Now listen to them. Ideally following the scores in the original keys which the duo use. When no one is listening, I sit at the piano and try to sound like Frank Marshall. But so far, I’m a long way from successful.

PS: After writing this somewhat heady stuff, I discovered that the second disc of volume four makes the most perfect party record. Lots of Spanish crap here, but as we all know, it takes a great artist to turn crap into unforgettable entertainment. Madame duly obliges. And as Ivor Newton puts it, your party guests are guaranteed to go away with the feeling that Her gaiety, good temper, sympathy and charm cloaked a keen intelligence and adamantine will power. To be with her was to inhabit a land of cloudless happiness.

VOLUME ONE
CD I: (79:42)
Fonotipia, Milan
With orchestra, conducted by Angelo Albergoni
1. LA CENERENTOLA: Nacqui all’affanno … Non più mesta (Rossini) 6:53
15 October 1927; (xxPh 6042-2, xxPh 6043) 120092
2. Il BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA: Una voce poco fa … Io sono docile (Rossini) 6:17
15 October 1927; (xxPh 6046, xxPh 6047) 120098
3. SAMSON ET DALILA: Printemps qui commence (Saint-Saëns) 5:30
17 October 1927; (Pho 6051, Pho 6052) 168132
4. CARMEN: L’amour est un oiseau rebelle [Habanera] (Bizet) 3:00
17 October 1927; (Pho 6053) 168102
5. CARMEN: Près des remparts de Séville [Séguedilla] (Bizet) 2:04
17 October 1927; (Pho 6054-2) 168102
6. CARMEN: Nous avons en tête une affaire (Bizet) 5:02
with Anita Appoloni, soprano; Ida Mannarini, mezzo-soprano; Giuseppe Nessi, tenor; Aristide Baracchi, baritone 18 October 1927; (Pho 6059-2, Pho 6060-2) 168110
Madrid
With orchestra
7. L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI: Ai capricci della sorte … Donna Isabella (Rossini) 7:15
with Vincenzo Bettoni, bass 11 February 1928; (xxS 4596, xxS 4597-2) Fonotipia 120162
8. L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI: Oh, che muso (Rossini) 4:33
with Vincenzo Bettoni, bass 11 February 1928; (xxS 4598) Fonotipia 120200
9. L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI: Per lui che adoro (Rossini) 3:37
with Nino Ederle, tenor; Carlo Scattola, bass; Vincenzo Bettoni, bass 13 February 1928; (xxS 4617) Fonotipia 120200
10. L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI: Amici, in ogni evento … Vedi, per tutta Italia (Rossini) 6:41
12 and 13 February 1928; (SO 4613, SO 4614) Fonotipia 168167
11. Lo frare (Manén; Manén) [text] 3:09
with Emilio Acevedo, conductor 11 February 1928; (SO 4599-2) Spanish Odeon 185005
12. Lo diví estel (Manén: Manén) [text] 2:06
with Emilio Acevedo, conductor 11 February 1928; (SO 4600-2) Spanish Odeon 185005
13. LA CHAVALA: Canción gitana (Chapí; J. López Silva and C. Fernández Shaw) [text] 5:01
with Modesto Romero, conductor 12 February 1928; (xxS 4612-2) Spanish Odeon 122004
14. Flor de España (Luna; Fernandez del Villar) 4:20
with Modesto Romero, conductor 13 February 1928; (xxS 4618) Spanish Odeon 122003
15. EL NIÑO JUDÍO: De España vengo (Luna; A. Paso and E. Garcia Alvarez) [text] 4:11
with Modesto Romero, conductor 13 February 1928; (xxS 4619) Spanish Odeon 122003
16. Clavelitos (Valverde; Cadenas) [text] 1:53
17 February 1928; (SO 4620-2) Spanish Odeon 185007
17. LA MARCHENERA: La petenera (Moreno Torroba; F. Luque and Gonzalez del Toro) [text] 3:25
24 April 1928; (xxS 4681-2) Spanish Odeon 122004
18. El Saltiró de la cardina (Bou; Maria Francès) [text] 2:36
with Emilio Acevedo, conductor 24 April 1928; (SO 4682) Spanish Odeon 185006
19. Canticel (Toldrá; Carner) [text] 1:59
with Emilio Acevedo, conductor 24 April 1928; (SO 4683-2) Spanish Odeon 185006
CD 2 (70:47)
Spanish Odeon, Madrid, 2 May 1928
With piano, María Gil
1. Les aranyes (Sancho Marraco; Mestres) [text] 2:02
(SO 4697) 185008
2. Romanç de Santa Llucia (Toldrá; de Sagarra) [text] 2:29
(SO 4698) 185008
3. Cantares (From “Poema en forma de canciones” op. 19, no. 3)(Turina; Maria de las Mercedes de Campoamor and Campoosorio) [text] 2:42
(SO 4699) 185007
Fonotipia, Milan
With orchestra, conducted by Angelo Albergoni
4. IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA: Contro un cor … Cara immagine ridente (Rossini) 5:55
with Giovanni Manuritta, tenor 19 June 1928; (xxPh 6320, xxPh 6321) 120167
5. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO: Non so più cosa son (Mozart) 2:52
19 June 1928; (xxPh 6323-2) 120168
6. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO: Voi che sapete (Mozart) 3:00
19 June 1928; (xxPh 6322) 120168
7. DER ROSENKAVALIER: Mir ist die Ehre widerfahren [Presentation of the Rose] (R. Strauss) 7:23
with Ines Maria Ferraris, soprano 20 June 1928; (xxPh 6324, xxPh 6325) 120169
8. DER ROSENKAVALIER: Ist ein Traum [Final Duet] (R. Strauss) 6:13
with Ines Maria Ferraris, soprano 20 June 1928; (xxPh 6326, xxPh 6327) 120170
9. HÄNSEL UND GRETEL: Suse, liebe Suse (Humperdinck) 6:56
with Ines Maria Ferraris, soprano 20 June 1928; (xxPh 6328, xxPh 6329) 120166
Spanish Odeon, Madrid, 22 October 1928
With chamber orchestra
10. Adiós a Mariquiña (Castro-Chané; Curros-Enriquez) [text] 4:36
(xxS 4906) 122007
11. Meus amores (X. Baldomir; Golpe) [text] 3:00
(xxS 4907) 122007
12. FARRUCA: From “Triptico” op. 45 (Turina; Maria de las Mercedes de Campoamor and Campoosorio) [text] 3:21
(SO 4908) 185009
13. LA PRESUMIDA – BOLERO DEL CORRAL DE LA PACHECA: From “Canciones epigramáticas” (Vives; S. Delgado) [text] 2:56
(SO 4909) 185009
14. De la serranía (Romero; Machado) 2:58
(SO 4910) 185010
15. Les barraques (Méndez; Gallego) 2:44
(SO 4911) 185010
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 24 December 1928
With piano
16. Cançó d’un doble amor (Marqués; Carner) [text] 2:29
with Antonio Marqués, piano (SO 5055) 185011
17. Rosa (Pahissa; Pahissa) 1:37
with Ramón Pahissa, piano (SO 5056) 185012
18. Cançó de l’amor que passa (Toldrá; Garcés) [text] 3:07
with Eduardo Toldrá, piano (SO 5059) 185011
CANCIONES POPULARES ESPAÑOLES: (Traditional: Arranged: de Falla)
with Frank Marshall, piano
19. I. El paño moruno [text] 1:28
(SO 5057) 185013
20. II. Seguidilla murciana [text] 1:25
(SO 5058) 185013
21. VI. Canción [text] 1:25
(SO 5060) 185012
CD 1: Languages: Italian [1-10]; Catalan [11-12, 18-19]; Spanish [13-17]CD 2: Languages: Catalan [1-2, 16-18]; Spanish [3, 12-15, 19-21]; Italian [4-9]; Galician [10-11]

VOLUME TWO Track Listings

CD 1 (79:45)
Fonotipia, Milan, 8 February 1929With orchestra, conducted by Angelo Albergoni
1. LA CENERENTOLA: Signore, una parola (Rossini) [text] 3:35
with Vincenzo Bettoni, bass (xxPh6455) N6664
2. MIGNON: Non conosci il bel suol (Connais-tu le pays?) (Thomas) [text] 3:34
(xxPh6463) N6665
3. MIGNON: Leggiadre rondinelle (Légères hirondelles) (Thomas) [text] 3:09
with Vincenzo Bettoni, bass (xxPh6456) N6664
Fonotipia, MilanWith orchestra conducted by Leopoldo Emanuele Gennai
CANZONCINE (Leopoldo Emanuele Gennai; Adele Albieri)with spoken introductions
4. Pioggerella, pioggerellina [text] 2:00
7 February 1929; (Pho6452) 185014
5. Il gallo [text] 2:40
7 February 1929; (Pho6453) 185015
6. Preghiera della sera [text] 3:14
7 February 1929; (Pho6454) 185015
7. Filastrocca dell’asino [text] 2:51
7 February 1929; (Pho6451-2) 185014
8. La scarpetta e la neve [text] 2:52
9 February 1929; (Pho6459) 185016
9. Il grillo [text] 2:06
8 February 1929; (Pho6457) 185016
10. Il mulino e la luna [text] 2:30
9 February 1929; (Pho6460) 185016
11. La fonte[text] 2:01
8 February 1929; (Pho6458) unpublished on 78rpm
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 28 February 1930With orchestra, conducted by Modesto Romero
12. L’ultima canzone (Tosti; F. Cimmino) [text] 3:45
(SO6025) 185020 (Note: label erroneously lists Antonio Capdevilla as conductor)
13. Églogue (Delibes; Hugo) 3:25
(SO6026) 185021
14. Granada (Albéniz; Cuenca) 4:40
(XXS 6027-2) 121146
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 4 March 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
15. Occhietti amati (Andrea Falconieri) [text] 2:53
(SO6041) 184226
16. I ZINGARI IN FIERA: Chi vuol la zingarella (Giovanni Paisiello; G. Palomba) [text] 2:01
(SO6042-2) 184229
17. Se tu m’ami (Attributed to Pergolesi; Rolli) [text] 3:48
(SO6043) 184200
18. PEER GYNT: Solveig’s song (Grieg; Ibsen) 4:24
(XXS 6044) 121160
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 5 March 1930With orchestra, conducted by Modesto Romero
19. Les filles de Cadix (Delibes; Alfred de Musset) [text] 3:17
(SO6045) 185021
20. De la serranía (Modesto Romero; Machado) 2:56
(SO6046) 185018
21. Adieux de l’hôtesse arabe (Bizet; Hugo) [text] 4:56
(XXS 6047) 121160
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 6 March 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
22. Pregària o lo cant de l'ànima à la Verge (F. M. Alvarez; V. Balaguer) [text] 3:08
(SO6051) 195085
23. O che umore stravagante (Canzone del paggio) (A. Sartorio) [text] 3:31
(SO6052) 184200
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 7 March 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
24. LA REVOLTOSA: Porque de mis ojos (Chapí; J. López Silva and Fernández Shaw) [text] 6:19
with Marcos Redondo, baritone (SO6053-54) 185017
CD 2 (78:44)
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 7 March 1930 (Continued from CD1)With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
1. LA VERBENA DE LA PALOMA: Ya estás frente á la casa (Tomás Bretón; Ricardo de la Vega) [text] 3:31
with Marcos Redondo, baritone (SO6055) 185022
2. Bonjour, Suzon (Delibes; Alfred de Musset) [text] 3:03
(SO6056) 168677
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 8 March 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
3. Enterro (Enrique Morera; E. Guannabens) 3:10
(SO6057) 184251
4. Pajarico triguero (Francisco Alonso; Luis Fernandes Ardavín) [text] 2:18
(SO6058) 185018
5. LAS HIJAS DEL ZEBEDEO: Al pensar en el dueño (Chapí; José Estremera) [text] 2:14
(SO6059) 185022
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona 10 March 1930With Frank Marshall, piano
SIETE CANCIONES POPULARES ESPAÑOLAS (Traditional; Arranged by de Falla)
6. El paño moruno [text] 1:32
(SO6060) 184182
7. Seguidilla murciana [text] 1:17
(SO6061) 184182
8. Asturiana [text] 2:22
(SO6062) 184183
9. Jota [text] 2:50
(SO6063-2) 184183
10. Nana [text] 1:32
(SO6064) 184184
11. Canción [text] 1:16
(SO6064) 184184
12. Polo [text] 1:51
(SO6065) 184184
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona 11 March 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
13. Med en primula veris, op. 26, no. 4 (Grieg; Paulsen) 2:34
(SO6066) 184226
14. LA REINA MORA: Ay! Gitana, pasó la pena (J. Serrano; S. and J. Alvarez Quintero) [text] 6:36
with Marcos Redondo, baritone (SO6067-68) 185019
15. Pel teu amor “Rosó” (José Ribas; Poal Aragall) [text] 3:34
(SO6069) 184262
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona 11 March 1930With Frank Marshall, piano
16. Danza No. 5 “Andaluza” (Granados; Muñoz Lorente) [text] 4:42
(XXS 6071) 121146
French Odeon, Paris 4 July 1930With chamber orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz
17. La farigola (J. Borrás de Palau; J. Verdaguer) 3:10
(Ki3509) 184186
18. Vora, voreta la mare (J. Borrás de Palau; J. M. Rabassa y Dalmau) 3:15
(Ki3510) 184186
19. Romanç sense paraules (Toldrá; Maragali) [text] 1:16
(Ki3511-3) 184199
20. Menta I farigola (Toldrá; Carner) [text] 1:39
(Ki3511-3) 184199
French Odeon, Paris 5 July 1930With chamber orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz
21. Gitana (Frederico Longás; Justino Ochoa) 2:20
(Ki3514-2) 184198
22. La filadora (Traditional; arranged by Juan Manén) [text] 2:27
(Ki3516-2) 184199
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona 13 October 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
23. Coplas de amores (Julio Gómez; Manuel Machado) 3:51
(SO6604) 184198
EL AMOR BRUJO (Manuel de Falla; G. Martinez Sierra)
24. No. 4, Canción del amor dolido [text] 3:26
(SO6606) 84201 and HMA 54
25. No. 9, Canción del fuego fatuo [text] 2:49
(SO6605-2) 184201 and HMA 54
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona 15 October 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
26. LA REVOLTOSA: Guajiras (Chapí; J. López Silva and Fernández Shaw) [text] 3:38
(SO6609) 184235
27. Jujeña (Carlos López Buchardo; Gonzalez Lopez) [text] 3:46
(SO6610) 184223
28. Vidalita (Carlos López Buchardo; Leopoldo Lugones) [text] 2:31
(SO6611) 184223
CD 1: Languages: Italian [1-12, 15-18, 23]; French [13, 19, 21]; Spanish [14, 20, 24]; Catalan [22]
CD 2: Languages: Spanish [1, 3-12, 14, 21, 23-28]; French [2, 13]; Catalan [15-20, 22]

VOLUME THREE Track Listings

CD 1 (73:09)
CARMEN (Georges Bizet)Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
French Odeon, Paris, 10 July 1930 and 24 April 1931 With orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz
1. L’amour est un oiseau rebelle [Habanera] 4:16
24 April 1931; (XXP7267-1) 123773
2. Près de remparts de Séville [Séguedille] 4:11
with Gaston Micheletti, tenor 10 July 1930; (XXP7098-1) 123714
3. Les tringles des sistres tintaient [Chanson bohème] 3:19
10 July 1930; (XXP7099-2) 123714
4. Attends un peu, Carmen 4:13
with Gaston Micheletti, tenor 24 April 1930; (XXP7266-1) 123772
5. La fleur que tu m’avais jetée 3:26
solo by Gaston Micheletti, tenor 24 May 1929; (XXP6900-1) 123772
6. Non tu ne m’aimes pas 4:08
with Gaston Micheletti, tenor 24 April 1931; (XXP7265-2) 123773
7. Mêlons! Mêlons, coupons! 3:59
with Andrée Vavon and Andrée Bernadet, sopranos 10 July 1930; (XXP7100-2) 123713
8. En vain pour éviter [Scène des cartes] 2:57
with Andrée Vavon and Andrée Bernadet, sopranos 10 July 1930; (XXP7101-2) 123713
9. C’est toi, c’est moi! 3:46
with Gaston Micheletti, tenor 24 April 1931; (XXP7263-1) 123774
10. Mais moi, Carmen je t’aime encore [Finale, Act 4] 4:25
with Gaston Micheletti, tenor 24 April 1931; (XXP7264-1) 123774
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 24 October 1930With orchestra, conducted by Antonio Capdevila
11. La paloma (Sebastian de Yradier) 3:31
(SO6679-1) 184235
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 24 February 1931 With piano, Alejandro Vilalta
12. Serranilla [Canción Montañesa] (Rodrigo; de Santillana) 2:24
(SO6934-1) 184246
13. Cançó de Maria (Lamotte de Grignon) 2:43
(SO6935-1) 184229
14. Els cants dels ocells (Traditional; Arranged by Joaquín Nin) 3:25
(SO6936-1) 184229
15. L’Hora grisa (Federico Mompou; Manuel Blancafort) 2:42
(SO6937-1) 184251
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 25 February 1931 With piano, Alejandro Vilalta
16. El paño murciano (Traditional; Arranged by Joaquín Nin) 1:28
(SO6943) 184246
17. El vito (Traditional; Arranged by Joaquín Nin) 1:40
(SO6943) 184246
French Odeon, Paris, 25 April 1931 With orchestra
18. EL HUÉSPED DEL SEVILLANO: Las lagarteranas (E. Reoyo; J. Guerrero and L. de Tena) 2:35
(Ki4396-2) 188809
19. El relicario (J. Padilla; Oliveros and Castellvi) 3:04
(Ki4397-2) 188809
20. Clavelitos (Joaquín Valverde; José Juan Cadenas) 2:08
(Ki4398-2) 195102
21. ¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Ay! (Osmán Pérez-Freire) 3:01
(Ki4399-1) 195102
22. ¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Ay! (Osmán Pérez-Freire) 3:09
(Ki4399-3) RO20165
23. Ave Maria (Bach; Gounod) 2:28
(Ki4400-2) PO51
CD 2 (79:40)
French Odeon, Paris, 24 October 1931 With orchestra, conducted by Gustave Cloëz
1. WERTHER: Va, laisse couler mes larmes [Air des larmes] (Massenet) 2:31
(Ki4896-1) unpublished on 78 rpmTransposed down a semi-tone
2. FAUST: Faites-lui mes aveux (Gounod) 3:08
(Ki4897-2) RO20180
3. LA BOHÈME: D’un pas léger [Quando me’n vo’soletta] (Puccini) 2:39
(Ki4898-2) RO20180Transposed down a whole tone.
4. MIGNON: Connais-tu le pays? (Thomas) 4:26
(XXP7311-2) 121165
5. SAMSON ET DALILA: Printemps qui commence (Saint-Saëns) 4:23
(XXP7312-1) 121165
6. FAUST: Il était un roi de Thulé (Gounod) 3:35
(XXP7313-2) Historic Masters HMB11
French Odeon, Paris, 26 October 1931 With orchestra, conducted by Paul Minssart
7. LA DAMNATION DE FAUST: Autrefois un roi de Thulé (Berlioz) 4:26
(XXP7314-1) Historic Masters HMB11
8. Rey y señor (Joaquim Zamacois; Pedro Poch) 3:29
(XXP7315-2) 121163
9. La partida (F. M. Álvarez; E. Blasco) 4:18
(XXP7316-2) 121163
French Odeon, Paris, 30 October 1931 With orchestra, conducted by Paul Minssart
10. Santa Lucia (Cottrau; Traditional) 2:56
(Ki4919-1) 184284
11. Mi viejo amor (Alfonso Esperanza Oteo) 3:03
(Ki4920-2) 184284
12. Porque me besó (Pascual Godes; G. Alcazar) 3:09
(Ki4921-1) 184276
13. La pastora (Murillo; Miranda) 3:00
(Ki4922-2) 184303
French Odeon, Paris, 31 November 1931 With orchestra, conducted by Paul Minssart
14. Flor y luz (Pedro Puche; Juan Dotras Vila) 2:27
(Ki4928-1) 184276
15. La primavera (from SONGS WITHOUT WORDS, No. 30, op. 62, no. 6) (Mendelssohn; Miranda) 2:42
(Ki4929-2) 184271
English Parlophone, London, 17 March 1932With piano, Ivor Newton
16. Should he upbraid (Bishop; adapted from Shakespeare) 3:35
(LO3003-1) RO20186
17. Oh no, John (Traditional; Arranged by Cecil Sharp) 2:32
(LO3004-1) RO20193
18. So sweet is she (“Have you seen but a whyte lillie grow?”) (Ferrabosco, arr. Dolmetsch; Ben Johnson) 2:26
(LO3005-2) RO20193
19. When I bring to you color’d toys [No. 1 from the opera GITANJALI] (John Alden Carpenter; Rabindranath Tagore) 2:40
(LO3006-2) Historic Masters HMA1
20. Lullaby, op. 57, no. 2 (Cyril Scott; C. Rossetti) 2:11
(LO3007-2) Historic Masters HMA1
21. A lesson with the fan (Guy D’Hardelot; F. E. Weatherly) 3:31
(LO3008-2) RO20186
Spanish Odeon, Barcelona, 21 May 1932With piano, Pedro Vallribera
22. Flecha (Manén; Luis Doreste) 3:27
(SO7697-1) 184342
23. La noia bonica (F. Longás; Ignacio Iglesias) 2:31
(SO7698-1) 184301
24. Soleá (Modesto Pomero; F. Prado) 3:26
(SO7699-1) 184315
25. Háblame de amores (Esteban Fusté; Franco de Rioja) 2:51
(SO7700-1) 184286
CD 1: Languages: French [1-10]; Spanish [11, 16, 18-22]; Montañesa [12]; Catalan [13-15]; Andalusian [17]; Latin [23]
CD 2: Languages: French [1-7]; Spanish [8-9, 11-15, 22, 25]; Italian [10]; English [16-21]; Catalan [23-24]

VOLUME FOUR Track Listings

CD 1 [79:16]
SPANISH ODEON, BARCELONA
23 MAY 1932
1. Capa española (Francisco Cotarelo; Emilio Pisón) 3:27
With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes (SO7706) 184296
2. La buenaventura (Ignacio Tabuyo; F. Moya Rico and J. Colorado) 3:24
With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes (SO7707) 184286
3. LA ROMERÍA DE LOS CORNUDOS (ballet): Romance de Solita (Gustavo Pittaluga; Cipriano Rivas Cheriff) 2:54
With orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Pittaluga (SO7708) 184296
4. Lola la Manola de Escayola (Francisco Cotarelo; Emilio Pisón) 3:29
With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes (SO7709) 184303
25 MAY 1932 With piano, Pedro Vallribera
5. El amor es como un niño (Traditional; Arranged by Joaquín Nin) 1:37
(SO7714) 184345
6. Jota valenciana (Traditional; Arranged by Joaquín Nin) 1:29
(SO7714) 184345
7. Canción gallega, No. 1 (Traditional; Arranged by Joaquín Nin) 2:47
(SO7715) 184329
8. Cantiga (Canción antigua) (Joaquín Rodrigo; Marqués de Santillana) 2:53
(SO7716) 184329
27 MAY 1932 With orchestra, conducted By Pascual Godes
9. El pañuelo de lunares (Francisco Alonso; S. and J. Álvarez Quintero) 3:08
(SO7717) 184303
10. La del pañuelo rojo (Zortzico) (Traditional; Arranged by Ignacio Tabuyo) 3:29
(SO7718) 184345
11. Consejos (Habanera) (F. M. Álvarez; Eusebio Blasco) 3:13
(SO7719) 184294
28 MAY 1932
12. Rubores (Pasodoble) (Pascual Marquina; A. Corral Moraleda) 2:30
With band (SO7722) 184289
13. Suspiros de España (Pasodoble) (A. Álvarez Alonso; Felipe Ferrer) 3:24
With band (SO7723) 184289
14. Java apache (Java musette) (Pascual Godes; Felipe Ferrer) 3:29
With the Serramont Accordion Orchestra (SO7724) 184294
15. Bésame (Habanera) (Pascual Godes; Felipe Ferrer) 3:33
With the Serramont Accordion Orchestra (SO7725) 184294
3 JUNE 1932
16. Les fulles seques (Sardana) (Enrique Morera; Ángel Guimerá) 3:06
With orchestra, Cobla Barcelona “Albert Marti” (SO7733) 184289
17. Llevantina (Sardana) (Vicente Bou; R. Libera and J. Serracant) 2:38
With orchestra, Cobla Barcelona “Albert Marti” (SO7734) 184289
18. Melodía (Vocal arrangement of Melody in F, op. 3 no. 1) (Anton Rubinstein; T. Ramos Fernando) 3:10
With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes (SO7735) 184333
19. L’ángel de la son (Juan Lamote de Grignon; Apeles Mestres) 2:57
With piano, Pedro Vallribera (SO7736) 184301
27 OCTOBER 1932 With orchestra
20. La rosa oriental (Bolero) (Ramón Espigul) 2:41
(SO7882) 185012
21. Lamento borincano (Song in Cuban style) (Rafael Hernández; Arranged by Brito) 3:21
(SO7883) 247
28 OCTOBER 1932
22. Moreno es el bien que adoro (Vicente Romero; Fidel Prado) 3:12
With piano, Pedro Vallribera (SO7884) 184339
23. Sentir gitano (Tomás de Aquino; V. Moro and L. Muñoz Arenillas) 3:34
With piano, Pedro Vallribera (SO7885) 184339
24. Las meninas (Canción de la guitarra) (F. Diaz Giles; Lucio and Capella) 3:24
With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes (SO7886) 184313
25. Un barberillo alegre (J. L. Mediavilla; Fidel Prado) 3:13
With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes (SO7887) 184313
30 OCTOBER 1932 With piano, Pedro Vallribera
26. Flor del terruño (Canción Castellana) (R. Martinez Valls; Felipe Ferrer) 3:32
(SO7890) 184325
CD 2 (78:00)
30 OCTOBER 1932 (continued) With piano, Pedro Vallribera
1. Canción de antaño (R. Martinez Valls; Felipe Ferrer) 3:43
(SO7891) 184325
2. Hay en mi jardín (Lizcano de la Rosa; M. Poal Aragall) 3:32
(SO7892) 184333
31 OCTOBER 1932 With orchestra, conducted by Pascual Godes
3. EL JURAMENTO: ¡Ay! yo me ví en el mundo desamparada (J. Gaztambide; D. L. Olona) 3:25
(SO7893) 184326
4. LA TEMPRANICA: Sierras de Granada (Jerónimo Giménez; Julián Romea) 3:36
(SO7894) 184326
5. EL MAL DE AMORES: Canción de la gitanita (José Serrano; S. and J. Álvarez Quintero) 2:34
(SO7895) 184305
6. LA ALEGRÍA DEL BATALLÓN: A una gitana preciosa [Dolores’s Gypsy Song] (José Serrano; Arniches & Quintana) 2:56
(SO7896) 184305
1 NOVEMBER 1932 With piano, Frank Marshall
TONADILLAS (Enrique Granados; Fernando Periquet)
7. Las currutacas modestas 1:21
(SO7897) 184335
8. Callejeo 1:29
(SO7897) 184335
9. La maja dolorosa 3:08
(SO7898) 184335
10. Amor y odio 2:22
(SO7899) 184336
11. El tra-la-la y el punteado 1:08
(SO7899) 184336
12. El majo discreto 1:44
(SO7900) 184336
13. El majo tímido 1:03
(SO7900) 184336
4 NOVEMBER 1932 With piano, Pedro Vallribera
14. Pandereta andaluza (Esteban Fuste; Justino Ochoa) 2:21
(SO7903) 184315
15. Hojas muertas (Charles Maduro; José Mojica) 2:29
(SO7904) unpublished on 78 rpm
FRENCH ULTRAPHONE, PARIS
MAY 1933 With the Paris Opéra-Comique Orchestra, conducted by Paul Bastide
FRASQUITA (Franz Lehár; French version by M. Eddy and J. Marietti)
16. Qui a dit “Voleurs”? [Frasquita’s entrance] 3:11
(P76392) AP1020 transposed down a semi-tone
17. Deux yeux très doux 3:23
Louis Arnoult, tenor solo(P76394) AP1021
18. Ce que c’est que l’amour 3:06
(P76393) AP1020 transposed down a semi-tone
19. J’ai ma jeunesse ensoleillée … C’est là qu’est écrit mon secret [Act 1 Finale] 6:17
With Louis Arnoult, tenor(P76398/99) AP1022 transposed down a semi-tone
20. Il y avait une fois [Couplets de la cigarrière] 4:36
(P80127) EP1024 transposed down a semi-tone
21. Quand un coeur veut parler le langage d’amour 3:37
With Louis Arnoult, tenor(P76400) AP1023 transposed downa semi-tone
22. Ne t’aurais-je qu’une fois 3:42
Louis Arnoult, tenor solo(P76395) AP1021
23. Le beau rêve est fini 3:38
Louis Arnoult, tenor solo(P76401) AP1023
MAY 1933 With guitar, A. Cuenco
24. Tengo dos lunares (Valverde; traditional) 1:53
Note: Supervia interpolated this song into Act 2 of FRASQUITA(P80128z) EP1024
25. Los ojos negros (Barta; traditional) 2:04
(P80128z) EP1024

APPENDIX
The following two sides were recently located and are included here out of chronological sequence.
FRENCH ODEON, PARIS
5 JULY 1930 With orchestra, conducted By Gustave Cloëz
26. Cançó de passar cantant (Eduardo Toldrá; José M. de Sagarra) 2:49
(Ki 3513) 184191
27. Cançó de l’oblit (Eduardo Toldrá; Tomas Garcés) 2:38
(Ki 3515) 184191

CD 1: Languages: Spanish [1-6, 8, 10-15, 18, 20-26]; Galician [7]; Andalusian [9]; Catalan [16-17, 19]
CD 2: Languages: Spanish [1-13, 15, 24-25]; Andalusian [14]; French [16-23]; Catalan [26-27]

The Complete Conchita Supervia vol. 2 Fonotipia and Odeon 1929-1930

The Complete Conchita Supervia vol. 1 Odeon 1927-1928

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Full Tracklisting