Boris Christoff
CD 1 [70:19] Italian Opera
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756
– 1791)
Don Giovanni
1. Madamina! Il catalogo e questo [5:35]
Antonio CALDARA (1670
– 1736)
2. Come raggio di sol [3:12]
Vincenzo BELLINI (1801 – 1835)
Norma
3. Ite sul colle [10:13]
La sonnambula
4. Il mulino! Il fonte! … Vi ravviso [5:00]
Giuseppe VERDI (1813 – 1901)
Nabucco
5. Sperate, o figli! … D’Egitto la sui lidi
[4:58]
6. Oh chi piange? … Del futuro
nel bujo discerno [4:47]
La forza del destino
7. Il santo nome di Dio [6:54]
Simon Boccanegra
8. A te l’estremo addio … Il lacerate spirito [5:53]
Ernani
9. Che mai veggio! … Infelice … L’offeso
onor [6:50]
Don Carlo
10. Ella giammai m’amo … Dormiro sol [9:14]
Arrigo BOITO (1847
– 1918)
Mefistofele
11. Ave Signor! [3:55]
12. Son lo spirito che nega [3:48]
CD 2 [71:56]
Russian Opera
Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839
– 1881)
Boris Godunov
1. Prologue: Coronation Scene [10:53]
2. Act 1. Pimen’s monologue [5:52]
3. Act 1. Varlaam’s song [2:33]
4. Act 2. Boris’s monologue [6:05]
5. Act 2. Clock scene [3:58]
6. Act 4. Farewell and Death of Boris [11:46]
Khovanshchina
7. Dosifey’s aria [6:22]
Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844 – 1908)
Sadko
8. Song of the Viking Merchant [3:46]
The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh
9. O vain illusion [4:27]
Pyotr TCHAIKOVSKY (1840
– 1893)
Eugene Onegin
10. Everyone knows love on earth [4:55]
Alexander BORODIN (1833
– 1887)
Prince Igor
11. Prince Galitsky’s aria [3:52]
12. Konchak’s aria [7:23]
CD 3 [72:25]
Russian Songs and Sacred Music
Alexander SEROV (1820
– 1871)
1. Shrove Tuesday [4:39]
Traditional Songs
2. Song of the lumberjacks [5:00]
3. The Bandore [3:29]
4. Down Peterskaya Street [2:13]
5. Going down the Volga [3:40]
6. The lonely autumn night [5:22]
7. Psalm 137. By the waters of Babylon [5:25]
Mikhail STROKINE (1832 – 1887)
8. Prayer to St. Simeon [2:36]
Pavel CHESNOKOV (1877
– 1944)
9. Lord have mercy on our people [4:00]
Trad.
10. The song of the twelve robbers [5:56]
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864
– 1956)
11. Litany [6:02]
Trad.
12. Siberian prisoner’s song [4:17]
Modest MUSSORGSKY
Songs and Dances of Death
13. No 4 Field-Marshal Death [4:55]
14. The Grave [3:44]
15. Softly the spirit flies up to heaven [3:15]
LISHKIN (? - ?)
16. She mocked [3:32]
Trad
17. Song of the Volga boatmen [4:20]
Some later recordings
of Boris Christoff, expressive and dramatically convincing though
they invariably are, can be vocally rather gruff. On these early
examples there is very little of that characteristic. The overriding
impression is, on the contrary, of an uncommonly sonorous voice
with brilliant top notes and a beautiful pianissimo that few
other basses have ever been able to muster. Where he sometimes
momentarily falters is in the lowest reaches of the voice. He
has all the notes that are required but they can sometimes be
weak and even slightly unsteady. What impresses most of all
is his ability to go to the core of the music, whether it be
an aria or a simple song. Like his contemporary baritone colleague
– and brother-in-law – Tito Gobbi he was a unique singing-actor,
and created a number of deeply penetrating portraits of some
of the great bass roles.
The first disc in
this volume is devoted to Italian opera. It gives a rare opportunity
to hear him in a Mozart role. Considering his histrionic powers
one would expect his Leporello to be callous and cynical. It
isn’t. This is a man-servant with a heart of gold and his warm
reading of the catalogue aria leads us to believe that he feels
compassion for poor Elvira. Well, there is a hint of a mocking
laughter near the end, but that’s all.
The Caldara aria,
with Gerald Moore at the piano, is sung with restraint and honeyed
tone. It is hard to believe that this finely honed reading comes
from a man with such tremendous vocal resources.
The following six
tracks are from a 1955 recital, recorded in Rome with the always
responsive Vittorio Gui at the helm of the orchestra and chorus
of the Rome Opera. The aria from Norma, preceded by almost
3˝ minutes orchestral introduction, is monumental with the male
chorus really on their toes. The Sonnambula aria has
similarities to Chaliapin’s recording but is warmer, though
maybe less elegant than Siepi’s. As Zaccaria in Nabucco
he has authority and sings with unerring dramatic intensity.
In Il santo nome from La forza del destino my
favourite recording has always been Ezio Pinza’s from the late
1920s. Christoff’s reading may be deeper but Pinza’s noble tone
still wins the day, if only by a hair’s breadth. Fiesco’s aria
from Simon Boccanegra has the nobility that may be lacking
in the Forza excerpt but his lowest notes are a bit sketchy.
The four remaining
items on CD 1 are all from his earliest recording period, 1949
– 1951. The brilliance in the Ernani aria is truly glorious
and there is ‘go’ in the cabaletta. Karajan and the Philharmonia
provide ideally refined background for Filippo’s monologue from
Don Carlo – a reading that few have surpassed. He recorded
the opera complete twice – first in the mid-1950s in the four-act
version and then in the early 1960s in the five-act version
– both times with Gabriele Santini conducting. The later of
them, on DG, was my introduction to this opera and Christoff’s
Filippo is still the one that looms in my memory. However I
have to admit nowadays that his reading then was a bit cruder
than on the earlier one. Best of all, though, is the version
with Karajan, on this disc – inward and deeply moving. The two
arias from Mefistofele are vital and outgoing with virtuoso
playing from the Philharmonia.
Filippo was one
of Christoff’s signature roles, but he is even more strongly
connected with the title role in Boris Godunov, which
he also recorded twice. In fact he also sang both Pimen and
Varlaam on both sets. On CD 2 we get some substantial excerpts
from the first recording, conducted by Issay Dobrowen. It should
be noted, though, that only tracks 1, 4 and 5 are from the complete
set. Pimen’s and Varlaam’s solos as well as The Death of
Boris were recorded separately a couple of years earlier.
In each of the numbers he surpasses all the existing competition,
possibly bar Chaliapin, whose Boris was of similar status. Both
singers’ readings are necessary listening for anyone who wants
to come to grips with this ill-fated Tsar. The depth of feeling
and insight is almost unbearable. Masterly is the only word
for it. He also makes the most of the other Russian arias. I
learnt these – and also most of the Boris Godunov excerpts
– through a DG recording with the great Finnish Bass Kim Borg
in the mid-1960s, but good though he is – and I couldn’t resist
a rehearing of some of them – he can’t quite challenge Christoff.
The latter has more face. It should be said that a practically
identical programme of Russian arias – these same recordings
– was issued just about a year ago on EMI’s GROC label and readers
who have already invested in that issue may hesitate about getting
the present issue. The Italian programme is, to my knowledge,
harder to come by separately and the Russian songs and sacred
music on CD 3 is another asset. The first eleven were recorded
with the admirable Feodor Potorzhinski Choir.
Many readers may
have some favourite songs here and they are sensitively and
beautifully sung with Christoff’s usual care for expression.
Tracks 3 and 4 – The Bandore and Down Peterskaya Street
are particular favourites with me, and the Song of the twelve
robbers is another dear friend. Even better as an interpretation
is the Siberian prisoner’s song; this is a performance
with penetrating psychology, not just superb singing. This and
the three Mussorgsky songs, all four recorded in 1951 with Gerald
Moore at the piano, are among the greatest song interpretations
ever set down. Strong words, no doubt, but I can’t really see
any valid counter-arguments. Hans Hotter and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
were on the same exalted level but not necessarily better. The
encore, Song of the Volga boatmen, is also masterly in
the total control of dynamics.
To me Boris Christoff
was unable to sing a dull tone. He is without doubt one of the
greatest singing artists ever recorded. As always Nimbus also
provide well researched biographical notes by Alan Bilgora.
And the sound is as good as the original shellacs or early LPs
allowed. Don’t miss this one!
Göran Forsling
Boris Christoff (bass) with piano acc, orchestras and choir 
