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A few months ago I posted a Victor 1910 recording of John McCormack singing the Flower Song from Carmen. This is the same song, also in Italian, but recorded by Odeon in 1909 in England. It is a Columbia pressing from the Odeon stamper. It is interesting, at least to me, to hear the difference in the two. The earlier one is a bit less polished than the 1910 version. And, I think he not only sounds a little better, he sounds more confident in the 1910 version. Here are links to both so you can decide for yourselves and let me know if you think I am full ot if.

Bizet: Carmen: “Il fior che avevi a me” by John McCormack 1909

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

https://youtu.be/gADrfl5Bgj0

Bizet: Carmen: “Il fior che avevi a me” by John McCormack 1910

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

https://youtu.be/gnOZZyNi-8M

The 1910 sounds closely modeled on the Caruso record, which was recorded in 1909.

The younger McCormack sounded so fresh in his first records. His voice became heavier as he grew older.

It is amusing to note here is an Irishman singing an aria from a French opera in Italian. I guess okay back then but it would not be seen today.

Governor Flyball wrote:The younger McCormack sounded so fresh in his first records. His voice became heavier as he grew older.

It is amusing to note here is an Irishman singing an aria from a French opera in Italian. I guess okay back then but it would not be seen today.

He studied Opera in Milan before her returned to London to start his opera career. So, he was an Italiante trained singer. He sang many things in Italian, as did many singers, in the early 20th century. For instance, McCormack and Caruso both sang The Pearl Fishers in Italian instead of French. And French, German, and Russian operas were often sung in Italian. There are many other examples of this as well. And, the German singers sang everything in German no matter what language it was originally written in for a very long time.

Having recorded for Edison in London just a few days earlier, McCormack cut his first disc records for G&T in September 1904. He was not offered a contract.
Returning from his studies in Italy much improved, he was snapped up by British Odeon and made his first records for them in December 1906.
In 1909 he made his American debut and was heard by Calvin Child of Victor. Child approached HMV to share the £2000 cost of buying out the Odeon contract, but again HMV missed the opportunity. Victor went it alone and were amply rewarded for their belief in McCormack.

During WW1 the Lindstrom Group's British assets were seized as enemy property and were acquired by Columbia. After the conflict McCormack's 12" Odeons appeared on the Columbia label and the 10.75" titles on a special G5000 series of black label Regals.