1 Luisa Tetrazzini (1871 - 1940) LA SONNAMBULA, Bellini, Ah! non giunge 3.08 Rec: 18 March 1911 Matrix: C 10076-1 Victor Cat: 88313
2 Enrico Caruso (1873 - 1921) LO SCHIAVO, Gomez, Qui fortuna insistenza ... Quando nascesti tu 4.16 Rec: 19 November 1911 Matrix: C11273-2 Victor Cat: 88345
3 Rosa Ponselle (1897 - 1981) TOSCA, Puccini, Vissi d'arte 3.18 Rec: 7 January 1919 Matrix: 49569-5 Columbia Cat: 68059D with orchestra conducted by Romano Romani
4 Rosa Ponselle MADEMOISELLE MODISTE, Herbert, Kiss me again 4.11 Rec: 26 July 1920 Matrix: 49869-2 Columbia Cat: 68077D with orchestra conducted by Romano Romani
5 Tito Schipa (1889 - 1965) MIGNON, Thomas, Elle ne croyait pas [Sung in Italian] 4.26 Rec: 14 May 1924 Matrix: C30079-3 Victor Cat: 6465-B
6 Giuseppe de Luca (1876 - 1950), Grace Anthony (soprano) RIGOLETTO, Verdi, Povero Rigoletto... Cortigiani, vil razza dannata 8.21 Rec: 29 Nov 1927/5 Apr 1928 Matrix: CVE 41075-2/43616-1 Victor Cat: 8161 Metropolitan Opera House Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Giulio Setti
7 Eva Turner (1892 - 1990) AIDA, Verdi, Ritorna vincitor 6.38 Rec: 1928 Matrix: 3931-2/3 Columbia Cat: L2150 with orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham
8 Alfred Piccaver (1884 - 1958) CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, Mascagni, Addio alla madre 3.21 Rec: c.1929 Matrix: 1612 BM Polydor Cat: 66890 with orchestra conducted by Manfred Gurlitt
9 Ezio Pinza (1892 - 1957) ERNANI, Verdi, Infelice! e tu credevi 3.20 Rec: 7 May 1929 Matrix: CVE 51978-2 Victor Cat: 7552-B with orchestra conducted by Rosario Bourdon
10 Alexander Kipnis (1891 - 1978) DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart, In diesen heil'gen Hallen 4.33 Rec: 14 April 1930 Matrix: CLR 6262-2 HMV Cat: DB 1551 Berlin State Opera Orchestra, Erich Orthmann conductor
11 Alexander Kipnis (1891 - 1978) Schubert, Erlkönig 4.04 Rec: 20 November 1936 Matrix: CAX 7867-2 Columbia Cat: 9128M Gerald Moore piano
12 Lotte Lehmann (1888 - 1976) Schumann, Die Lotosblume 2.19 Rec: 25 April 1932 Matrix: BE 9910 Odeon Cat: 0-4839 A Odeon-Kammer Orchestra
13 Lotte Lehmann DIE WALKÜRE, Wagner, Du bist der Lenz 2.04 Rec: 20/22 June 1935 Matrix: 2VH107-1 HMV Cat: DB 2642 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Bruno Walter conductor
14 Kirsten Flagstad (1895 - 1962) TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, Wagner, Liebestod 7.48 Rec: 9 October 1935 Matrix: CS 95355-1/6-1 Victor Cat: 8859-A/B with orchestra conducted by Hans Lange
15 Jussi Björling (1911 - 1960) LA GIOCONDA, Ponchielli, Cielo e mar 4.23 Rec: 3 September 1937 Matrix: 2SB 570-2 HMV Cat: DB 3302 with orchestra conducted by Nils Grevillius
16 Jussi Björling DER BETTELSTUDENT, Millöcker, Ich hab' kein Geld, bin vogelfrei [Sung in Swedish] 1.51 Rec: 28 April 1938 Matrix: OSB 743-4 HMV Cat: X 6090 with orchestra conducted by Nils Grevillius
17 Tito Gobbi (1913 - 1984) L'ARLESIANA, Cilea, Come due tizzi accesi 4.09 Rec: July 1942 Matrix: 2BA 5146-2 HMV Cat: DB 5400 Orchestra of La Scala, Milan, Umberto Berrettoni conductor
18 Fritz Wunderlich (1930 - 1966) EUGENE ONEGIN, Tchaikovsky, Wohin, wohin bist du entschwunden 6.35 Rec: November/December 1962 Bavarian State Orchestra, Meinhard von Zallinger conductor (with kind permission of EMI Classics, Germany)
This disc accompanies the book of the same name, written by Nigel Douglas. It and a later volume were originally published by André Deutsch. Note: Volume 1 & Volume 2 are no longer available from the publisher but copies are still available through online retailers.
The singers who I have written about in Legendary Voices are all artists who, for one reason or another are particular favourites of mine. Some of them I heard in the flesh, some were known to me personally, others I only know from recordings, but all of them hold a special place in my affections. In the book I try to draw protarits of them as people; this disc presents them in their most essential guise - as singers. Nigel Douglas
“Nigel Douglas's book Legendary Voices (Deutsch: 1992) gives engagingly appreciative accounts of 14 favourite singers, coupling a biographical sketch, and sometimes personal reminiscences, with a survey of their recordings... and now, lucky man, he has had it illustrated in the best possible way with a well-chosen anthology on CD. The transfers are representative examples of the Nimbus method: they have a generous bloom, are often startlingly vivid, and derive from immaculate originals. Most of the items are well known, but some will perhaps come as a pleasant surprise …”