This is a transfer of a beautiful opera aria from the opera Louise sung by the beautiful singer Mary Garden. Recorded by many sopranos and Mary Garden recorded it twice. Once in 1912 and this verison in 1926. It starts very softly then blooms into a full voice sound that fits her voice very well.
(Double-click the video above or click this link to watch the video on YouTube in HD.)
The 1912 Columbia is the better sung, IMO. Garden was in her 50's by the time she recorded the Victor.
I have a couple copies of the Columbia record, but hot fudge sundaes on Pluto are they noisy. The one CD transfer I have is awful too. I have the Victor on Ward Marston's expertly transferred Romophone CD.
I like this singer. I wish Marston would do a CD covering her early recordings with Debussy and the Columbia discs.
Re: “Depuis le Jour” by Mary Garden 1926
Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:01 pm
by Henry
Beautifully sung. Debussy's original Mélisande. A Scot she was, later American. Premiered Victor Herbert's Natoma in Hammerstein's Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia, which has recently been restored to its former glory. Hard to imagine this aria sung more gloriously, and the 1926 version benefits enormously from the electrical process. By this time, she has tamed the rapid vibrato evident in 1912, and doesn't sing under pitch on certain sustained high notes. I much prefer the 1926 version. The orchestral playing is superior, as well. But, to each his own!
Re: “Depuis le Jour” by Mary Garden 1926
Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 11:24 pm
by melvind
Here is a video from another YouTube channel (thanks CurzonRoad) of the 1912 recording. The notes state that this recording is noisy and you will hear that, but it is a pretty good transfer over all. I am sure there will be many who prefer one over the other. I like things about both recordings but the later one is much easier to listen to (at least to me). I think the voice is a bit more polished in the 1926 recording, but that could all be due to limitations of the 1912 acoustic recording.
Yes that tinny 1912 Columbia sound doesn't help. Interpretively I prefer the 1912 - as in the context of the opera. The 1926 may have more control but she sounds more like she's delivering it at a recital. Garden's voice was criticised sometimes but she was supposed to be a very good actress on the opera stage.