Caruso - Ave Maria 78

[epigramophone]

I forgot to mention--there is also a 1927 recording of Kahn's Ave Maria by Rosa Ponselle. She did a number of song recordings that Caruso also recorded and they make wonderful comparisons. You can hear Caruso's influence but of course she left her own unique stamp on these and everything she sang. My favourites of these are a delightful pairing of Tosti's 'A Vucchella and Luna d'Estate on that lovely little 10-inch record from 1926, Victor 1164. Her incomparable singing, and the voluptuous quality she brings to Luna d'Estate, are sheer magic.

What a pity that Caruso and Ponselle were unable to record together, Ponselle then being contracted to Columbia and Caruso to Victor.

[Viva-voce]

One can only imagine the sound of those two voices together---or Ponselle with the great baritone Titta Ruffo,
with whom she also sang with at the Met. All three were, according to the conductor Tullio Serafin, the three greatest miracles of singing. Serafin worked with Ponselle to prepare for roles such as Norma--he did the same for Callas later.

[Wolfe]

There does exist a private home recording (from the 1950's) of Ponselle singing along with Caruso's record of Bartlett's A Dream. Not quite what we hoped for, but there you go.

[Viva-voce]

Yes--I have heard it--and its certainly better than nothing!