Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

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transformingArt
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Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

Post by transformingArt »

Anybody can post the 1904 version of Caruso's Pearl Fishers aria or two sided version of 'Una Furtiva Lagrima'?

I have copies of these, but these are such a battered condition - especially Una Furtiva Lagrima which I believe a dubbing done by an amateur - . and the sound is terrible, so I wonder if anyone of you could post a clean version of it. Not NIMBUS or NAXOS version, but a direct transfer from original 78rpm with least filtering or 'restorations'.

I'm longing for any of your generousness.

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OrthoSean
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Re: Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

Post by OrthoSean »

I've got nice copies of both of these, but I'm in the middle of changing over to a new computer and I haven't got any of my audio software on my new Mac yet, but if you can be patient (this could be well over a month), I'll be glad to once I've got everything up and running with my new setup.

Wolfe, you probably have these as well...the Pearl Fishers aria used to turn up all the time around here on nice Opera Disc pressings...

Sean

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Wolfe
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Re: Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

Post by Wolfe »

OrthoSean wrote:
Wolfe, you probably have these as well...the Pearl Fishers aria used to turn up all the time around here on nice Opera Disc pressings...
I do have that on Opera Disc, but not a real nice one. The end of sides have more needle wear than is satisfactory.

As for the OP. There are also the Pearl CD's that are less filtered than Naxos, or (ugh) Nimbus.

Caruso Sings Italian Opera, a single CD of extracts from the complete Pearl series, could possibly found in the online used market. That CD has two version of Una furtiva...(1904 and 1911.) Relatively straightforward transfers, with no funny business.

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OrthoSean
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Re: Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

Post by OrthoSean »

OK, I'll see what I can do...I need to find which of my old computers has my key code for Click Repair so I can install it on my new Mac. I have no idea what I did with it. :?

I always liked the (Marston) Naxos CDs of the Caruso stuff, it never struck me as over filtered, but admittedly, it's been quite a few years since I've listened to any of them.

Sean

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Wolfe
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Re: Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

Post by Wolfe »

OrthoSean wrote:
I always liked the (Marston) Naxos CDs of the Caruso stuff, it never struck me as over filtered, but admittedly, it's been quite a few years since I've listened to any of them.
They're good value for the money, IMO.

Last time I checked, you could get the whole Naxos (12 CD) Caruso box for about 80 bucks. Cheaper and easier to locate than Pearl, more faithful to the old records than RCA's Stockham/Soundstream transfers (though I like the Soundstream transfers in many ways) and likely MUCH better than any of those sketchy grey market Caruso CD's that are out there.

transformingArt
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Re: Anybody can post two of 1904 Caruso recordings on here?

Post by transformingArt »

OrthoSean wrote:I've got nice copies of both of these, but I'm in the middle of changing over to a new computer and I haven't got any of my audio software on my new Mac yet, but if you can be patient (this could be well over a month), I'll be glad to once I've got everything up and running with my new setup. Wolfe, you probably have these as well...the Pearl Fishers aria used to turn up all the time around here on nice Opera Disc pressings...
I actually posted Pearl Fishers aria with my Opera Disc copy on my YouTube channel, but didn't completely satisfied with it since it has a severe swish. I can wait for a month - it's not a matter of life and death, anyway. Hope you can post them on here as soon as possible.

One thing which bothers about the 1904 Una Furtiva Lagrima is that none of the reissue CDs (*I have all of Caruso reissue on Naxos, Nimbus, and EMI CDs) has a few bars of cadenza which was added at the end of the first side. It was simply cut down, and I know that would be more musically authentic, but that's not the way it was recorded.

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