Victor 76022 - Clement & Journet - Pearl Fishers

[operabass78s]

Victor 76022
Les pecheurs de perles (Bizet) - Au fond du temple saint
Edmond Clement, tenor; Marcel Journet, bass; Victor Orchestra
Mat. C-11470-1 Rec. January 18, 1912

http://www.box.net/shared/9pmz1pm7mo
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[Wolfe]

Nice!

This recording seems pretty closely modeled on the Enrico Caruso & Mario Ancona Victor version from several years earlier. This one being in French, of course. The other was in Italian.

[Henry]

I attended a performance of this opera by the Philadelphia Opera Company a couple of seasons ago at the historic Academy of Music (1857), and "Au fond" is definitely the musical high point of the piece. I honestly believe that if Bizet had written nothing else in his brief life, he would be remembered for this piece alone.

French is definitely the only way to go with this one; the sung language has a completely different stress pattern and syllabification that does not translate to any other, and French tenors have a unique vocal style that a non-native speaker, however great, cannot acquire---even a Caruso. Or maybe "especially a Caruso." A French lyric tenor and an Italian dramatic tenor are not interchangeable!

Many thanks for posting!

[Wolfe]

Perhaps French is the only way to go with this, but if one can accept an Italian language version, Giuseppe De Luca & Beniamino Gigli recorded a marvelous electrical recording of this piece. It's worth seeking out.

Richard H posted Caruso's 1904 'Mi par d'udir ancora' (act 1) on this forum, not too long ago.

[richardh]

An excellent recording of this lovely song. Its this songs and also ones from La Boheme that really got me into opera music and realise that there is a whole world of music beyond dance bands.

Richard H posted Caruso's 1904 'Mi par d'udir ancora' (act 1) on this forum, not too long ago.

yes, I really must get around to adjusting the transfer as its still a touch fast.......

RJ