The introductory paragraph of the booklet states ‘The present anthology includes examples of the art and charisma of many of the greatest singers of the earlier ages of recording’. It is one of a Naxos series that includes ‘The Great Pianists’ and ‘The Great Violinists’ and is essentially a sampler of extracts from CDs the company has already issued in its ‘Historical Series’ and which are listed, alphabetically by surname, in the booklet (pp 10-17). I regret that the artist biographies (pp 2-9) are not similarly organized; as it is they seem completely random! After six counts I think the disc features twenty singers on the twenty three tracks, with Tagliavini and his wife, Pia Tassinari, each getting a solo aria as well as the ‘Garden Scene’ from Werther in duo CD1 tr.9. Contrariwise, Tauber gets a duet with Lehmann, CD2 tr.6, but only he gets a solo, CD1 tr.8, whilst the great Wagnerians Flagstad and Melchior share a duet from Parsifal, CD2 tr.9 and do not have the ‘honour’ of a solo.

What is true of the collection is that the repertoire chosen for each singer exhibits his or her strengths well. The repertoire covered is extensive and broadly based. Thus we can delight in Kathleen Ferrier’s Mahler with Bruno Walter on the rostrum, CD1 tr.6, being followed by Jennie Tourel’s idiomatic singing of Mussorgsky’s ‘Serenade’. Of the operatic items, Caruso’s early ‘Una Furtiva Lagrima’, CD1 tr.3, serves to remind the listener as to the range and sensitivity of the tenor’s ‘early period’ voice. It also highlights who is missing among the featured names, above all that of Tito Schipa whose rendering of that aria has never been equalled. One wonders why Schipa has not featured, so far, in the Naxos ‘Historical Series’ as he left a very rich legacy of recordings. However, that is to digress, I would simply point out three other outstanding diamonds among these gems. They happen to be the final three tracks of CD 2. First, Tagliavini’s distinctive honeyed tones in ‘M’appari’, tr.10, then Pinza’s sonorous and appropriately declamatory bass in the ‘Confutatis’ from Verdi’s Requiem, ‘tr.11’, and finally Renata Tebaldi’s ‘Si mi chiamano Mimi’ from her first recording of La Boheme and where her voice soars in youthful purity and vocal tenderness; wonderful!

Given the spread of recording dates, sound quality and characteristics vary, but none is less than satisfactory. This sampler, collection or whatever, is a serious temptation to wile away a couple of hours listening to all-time-great singers. Pity there’s no Toto Schipa though.

Robert J Farr

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