OKeh - I funerali di Enrico Caruso a Napoli 1921

[melvind]

In my continuing quest to find things to do during the pandemic I have found yet another odd and amazing OKeh record. We had the Laughing Record, then unbelievably the Crying Record. And now we have a New York studio produced 2 side 12 inch OKeh record about the funeral of Enrico Caruso in Italian. Caruso died on August 2, 1921 and his funeral was on August 4, 1921. This record was recorded August 23, 1921. I am confident it the intended audience was the large Italian population in New York that loved Caruso.

Ferruccio Corradetti made a number of recitation records for Columbia and OKeh in the teens and 1920s. In this one he and his group of performers narrate the funeral. I believe he is even the voice that is singing as if he were Titto Ruffo during the funeral service, and perhaps some others. If indeed it is him, he has a terrific baritone voice.

I wish I had a better understanding of Italian so I knew a bit more about what is being said. Caruso became ill while in Sorrento just outside of Naples and was motorboated to nearby Naples for treatment. I think there is the sound of a motor boat towards the end of Side A. But, I am not sure that is what it represents.

Forgive me for posting another weird record. It is what staying home too much has done to my mind.

“I funerali di Enrico Caruso a Napoli” by Ferruccio Corradetti 1921

(Double-click the video above or click this link to watch the video on YouTube in HD.)

https://youtu.be/qf1lf1fsSc8

[Roaring20s]

James.

[epigramophone]

Caruso's funeral procession, or at least parts of it, were filmed for newsreels, and can be viewed on YouTube.
By 1921 the baritone Ferruccio Corradetti (1866-1939) was teaching in the USA. His recording career stretched back to 1899 on Berliner.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Thanks for posting this, I didn't even know that this record existed. Very interesting. I would file it among those "live scenes" records, that were to some degree popular here at the beginning of the century.

It's not really in Italian, it's actually a mix of Neapolitan and Italian sentences (at a point, a fellow speaks with a Florentine accent).

If you're really (and by really I mean really, as it takes a lot of time...) curious to understand what the people say, I can transcribe and translate the record, as the audio is good enough to understand the spoken words (I'm not new to this...).

[melvind]

Thanks for posting this, I didn't even know that this record existed. Very interesting. I would file it among those "live scenes" records, that were to some degree popular here at the beginning of the century.

It's not really in Italian, it's actually a mix of Neapolitan and Italian sentences (at a point, a fellow speaks with a Florentine accent).

If you're really (and by really I mean really, as it takes a lot of time...) curious to understand what the people say, I can transcribe and translate the record, as the audio is good enough to understand the spoken words (I'm not new to this...).

It would be nice to have a translation, but considering how few people will actually see this video, don't worry if you decide not to do it. I will post it with the video if you do it. I might even try to add closed captioning if I can figure out how that works. Thanks for info you already provided. So interesting.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Since you have Enrico himself as avatar, I think that's enough motivation for me to do it. Just give me few days as I'll do it in borrowed time. I'll also try to see if I know anyone who knows Neapolitan spelling, as I understand it well but I would probably do many mistakes writing it.

[Marco Gilardetti]

All right, here we are at last... Some names remain absolutely unintelligible to my ears, and perhaps not only coincidentally they are all forgotten politicians: those of artists I could recognize perfectly or reconstruct by few hints with a quick internet search. I also tried to dig through the lists of local congressmen of those years, but none of their names rang any bell. Shall we deduce that Art lives longer than Politics, perhaps?

As said previously, part of the dialogue is in Neapolitan and part in Florentine. I did my best with Neapolitan spelling, but it's quite surely not accurate. I asked to an acquired relative - who is from Naples - to check it, so I may eventually correct some spelling at a later time. I have added few notes (*) for missing names or to add some relevant snippets.

SENTENCES IN BLUE ARE IN ITALIAN
SENTENCES IN RED ARE IN NEAPOLITAN
SENTENCES IN GREEN ARE IN FLORENTINE

===========================================================================================================

I FUNERALI DI ENRICO CARUSO A NAPOLI

- Quanta gente!
- Avìte raggione, pare che n'ce stisse tutta Napole, e nun poteva esser'u ccuntrario, perché Caruso, vui 'u sapìte, era Napolitano, e a Napole tutte quante 'o vulivano bene assaie!
- Non soltanto a Napoli, perché Caruso era amato in ogni parte del mondo!
- Vui pazziate! Nun pe' gnente era 'o cchiù granne tenore d'o mund', addò stà nat'a voce comecch'ella, nat'a voce d'oro e chillu sentimento comm' chì teneva Caruso?! Gesù, Gesù, nun ce posso pensà, nun me pare vero ch'è mmuort'! A sentì 'sta musica me venine 'e llacrime all'uocchie, che ddisgrazia!
- Vedi, quello la è il tenore De Lucia!
- E quell'altro è il baritono De Luca!
- Oh guarda, c'è anche Bonfiglio, è insieme alla Rosina Galli!
- Chi sono questi?
- Sono i due primi ballerini del Metropolitan di New York!
- Ah, quelli americani!?
- Certo! Sono in vacanza, adesso, qui.
- Hanno fatto bene a venire al funerale del loro concittadino.

- Ecco il feretro! Chi sono quelli che reggono i cordoni?
- Chillu primmo innanzi a tutt', chillu è 'o sinnach'e Napule, 'o commendatore Capomastro**, e chill'atr'appriesso è 'u deputato nuostro, l'onorevole (***), 'o terzo è 'o maestro Cilea, 'o direttore d'o conservatorio. Chillà dill'ata part' nun arrivagg 'a vè.
- Guardate quanti aeroplani sù nel cielo!
- E quanti fiori buttano dall'alto sul feretro del Grande Estinto!
- Mamma mia quanta ggente, quanta carrozze, quanta fiore! (Mira ?) che la bbella corona ggrossa ggrossa, chella l'ha mmannata 'o re, e chell'at'a ch'ttiene i garofane bbianche, chella l'ha mannata 'a celebre Tetrazzini!
- Oh-ho!!! Guarda chi vedo! Il sior Titta Ruffo! Come va, commendatore?
- Di salute sto dimorto bene, ma ho ll'anima tremendamente accasciata per la gravissima perdita ch'abbiamo fatto con la morte del nostro immenso 'Aruso. Ma è stata veramente una grande disgrazia, e per quanto io mi sforzi di convincermi ch'egli non è più in questo mondo non arrivo a credere fermamente che non udremo più la sua voce meravigliosa. Arrivederci cavaliere, desidero accompagnare fino al cimitero la salma del mio indimenticabile amico.
- Arrivederla commendatore, e coraggio! È una gran perdita!
- E mmò, pecché se fermeno?
- Perché cominciano i discorsi!

- Fermi!
- Non spingete!!!
- Giù i cappelli!
- Chi è quello che comincia a parlare?
- Chill'è l'onorevole (***).
- Cittadini! Parlo a nome del governo d'Italia, che ha sentito il bisogno di partecipare ufficialmente alla solenne dimostrazione di universale cordoglio per la morte del nostro grande concittadino Enrico Caruso. Mai prima d'oggi si vide in questa nostra Napoli un lutto così unanimemente e profondamente sentito come questo che tutti sentiamo nel più profondo del nostro cuore per la immatura morte di questo glorioso, prediletto figlio di Napoli che portò in quasi tutto il mondo il fascino della sua arte maliarda facendo sempre più rifulgere ed amare il nome italiano. La morte di Enrico Caruso non è soltanto lutto italiano, ma mondiale. Perché non vi è angolo di terra dove il suo nome non sia conosciuto, dove non siano giunti gli echi dei suoi continui trionfi, e della sua grande generosità. Perché a tutti era nota la immensa bontà generosa della bella anima sua, sempre aperta a tutti gli appelli degli infelici e dei bisognosi. A nome del governo, io esprimo ancora una volta le condoglianze più sincere alla città di Napoli, alla vedova Caruso ed alla famiglia per la irreparabile perdita da cui sono state colpite.
- E mò iamme dint'a chiesa.
- Andiamo pure.
- Andiamo, andiamo.

===========================================================================================================

THE FUNERALS OF ENRICO CARUSO IN NAPLES

- What a crowd!
- You're right, there seems to be all Naples, and it couldn't be otherwise, because Caruso, you know it, was Neapolitan, and in Naples everyone loved him so much!
- Not only in Naples, as Caruso was loved throughout the world!
- You must be joking!* Indeed he was the greatest tenor of the world, where is another voice like that one, another golden voice and the expression that Caruso had?! Jesus, Jesus, I can't think about it, I can't believe he passed! As I listen to this music tears come to my eyes, what a tragedy!
- See, that man is tenor De Lucia!
- And the other one is baritone De Luca!
- Look, there's also Bonfiglio, he's together with Rosina Galli!
- Who are these?
- They're the two principal dancers of New York's Metropolitan!
- The Americans!?
- Indeed! They're in holyday, right now, here.
- They did well to come to the funeral of their fellow citizen.

- Here comes the coffin! Who are those bearing the cords?
- The first one in front of all, he's the mayor of Naples, commendator Capomastro**, and the other one behind him is our congressman (***), the third is maestro Cilea, conservatoire's director. I can't see those on the other side.
- Look how many planes up in the sky!
- And how many flowers they pour over the coffin of the Great Departed!
- Oh my what a crowd, how many carriages, how many flowers! See: the large and beautiful wreath, it was sent by the king, and the other one made with white carnations, it was sent by the famous Tetrazzini!
- Look who's coming! Mister Titta Ruffo! How are you doing, commendator?
- I am in excellent health, but my soul is crumpled due to the terrible loss that we had with the death of our immense Caruso. Indeed it was a great misfortune, and as hard as I try to convince myself that he's no longer on this world, still I can't really believe that we will no longer hear his wonderful voice. Farewell, knight, I wish to accompany to the graveyard the body of my unforgettable friend.
- Farewell, commendator, and courage! It's a terrible loss!
- And now, why do they halt?
- Because the speeches are about to begin!

- Stop!
- Don't push!!!
- Hats down!
- Who is the one who's about to begin to talk?
- He's congressman (***).
- Citizens! I speak on behalf of the Italian government, that felt the need to officially participate in the solemn demonstration of universal condolence for the death of our great fellow citizen Enrico Caruso. Never before, in our Naples, it was seen a mourning so unanimously and deeply felt like the one that we all feel in the deepest of our hearts for the immature death of this glorious, beloved son of Naples who brought almost all over the world the charm of his enchanting art, making Italy's name shine and be loved ever the more. The death of Enrico Caruso is not only a mourning for Italy, but for the world. As there is no corner of the earth where his name isn't known, where his escalating triumphs didn't echo, as well as his generosity. Because to everyone the immense generous goodness of his beautiful soul was well known, always open to all calls of the unfortunate ones and of those in needs. On behalf of the government, I once again express the most heartfelt condolences to the city of Naples, to the surviving spouse and to the family for the irreparable loss that hit them.
- Now let's go inside the church.
- Yes, let's go.
- Let's go, let's go.

NOTES
----------------------------------
* Read: Of course I know!
** The city of Naples was commissioned at the times of Caruso's funeral, and anyway it seems that no one with a similar name has ever been mayor of Naples.
*** Unintelligible name.

[melvind]

Wow! Thank you so much Marco. The transcription and the translation are really great. I can't believe you took the time to do it and I am forever grateful.

[Marco Gilardetti]

It was my pleasure, and I learned several things by doing it.

Isn't it remarkable how, almost one century after this sketch was recorded, still it's true that the name of Enrico Caruso echoes all over the world?

You possibly have already seen that other records (actually an impressive number of records, considered the niche genre) issued by the company of Ferruccio Corradetti are listed on the DAHR archive, many of which can also be listened to:

https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... io_speaker

Many of them are related to military events of the WWI era.

[melvind]

I added Closed Captioning from the text that Marco provided. If you click on the CC button at the bottom of the video the English translation will show on the screen as it goes. I have never done that before and it was not too hard. Making sure I had the correct phrases timed to the Italian took a little trial and error, but I think it turned out fairly well. It certainly makes the record make more sense.