(Private Recording) American soprano Rosa PONSELLE: "An Impersonation of Claudia Muzio" (1951)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- American Soprano Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) / Interesting curiosity, albeit somewhat rough in quality, this private recording was made by and during a party at the residence of Lloyd and Edith Garrison, May 26th, 1951 (trust in or near Baltimore, Maryland). On what is side 2 (beginning at 4:11) Ponselle performs "An Impersonation of Claudia Muzio", stopping before the phrase leading to the top notes because, as she says, "You have to be in awfully good voice ..."
Side 1: Son pochi fiori / L'amico Fritz (Mascagni)
Side 2: D'amor sull'ali rosee / Il trovatore (Verdi) "An impersonation of Claudia Muzio" (1889-1936)
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In 1978 I had the honour of meeting Rose Bampton and her husband Wilfred Pelletier. We were chatting over coffee and cookies when suddenly he began to talk about coaching Ponselle and Caruso in La Juive for the Met. Of course I was speechless!
Just as we are reading your words... that must have been an amazing talk!
Thank you...
Cheers, etc.
Doug@CurzonRoad
This reminds me of Ferrier's home recording at a party. Hilarious. And sublimely beautiful, particularly when one sees how much people studied the stars before them. The Muzio imitation is spot on.
An extraordinary singer. My favourite soprano and if you're going to throw a party. she's my kind of guest. Thanks for sharing this!
Most welcome... a pleasure... thank YOU!
Even at that age she could not spots off all other sopranos. What a voice.
Wunderbare Geschichte, eine starke Erinnerung an meine Lieblings-Sängerin! Rosa Ponselle, Elisabeth Rethberg und Claudia Muzio, nichts kam Ihnen danach mehr gleich! Aus und vorbei! Leider hat ein feiger Bandit, während eines Umzugs , meine alten Platten-Schätze geklaut! Danke für solche Kanäle wie dieser hier, die Erinnerung lebt dadurch weiter!
Ich habe vor ca. 25 Jahren aufgehört in die Oper zu gehen, mein Herz ist traurig über all das, was heute als Gesangskunst gilt!
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
Priceless an absolute gem she was the best soprano ever this is in the 1950s so what did she sound like in the 1920s astounding rip
Obviously she is playing the piano as well--imagine! You can hear her laughing and making mistakes between the two arias, and then giving them a bit of vaudeville... where she started. This is unbelievable!! It's like hearing Caruso joking around with his pals.
I believe that the AMICO FRITZ excerpt was a recording of Ponselle singing as herself (quite spectacular!). The TROVATORE "D'amor sull' ali rosee", however, is the Muzio imitation, a very polite caricature of Muzio mannerisms and Italian pronunciation. She is accompanying herself in both instances.
love the Muzio spoof - wicked! & accurate
What a gift to let us into the private world of Ponselle singing richly and seriously a piece she obviously admires, and then to hear her imitate Muzio after that spoof of "Some Enchanting Evening". You have come up with a gem which few would have been able to hear without your generosity. Thank you, Doug!
Ponselle's glorious voice appears to have been in prime condition at the time of this recording. What a grand evening those fortunate enough to have been in attendance must have had. What a precious disc! Thanks for sharing.
Friend
I am totally shaken up- Ponselle and Muzio are both godesses.
Rosa's sound is like a rainbow of beauty.
.
Regards and Thanks -John
Magnificent voice. I wonder how Claudia would have appreciated the impersonation. No matter. The voice in 1951 is still magnificent. Such presence and tone and beauty! A god given talent.
OH, this is wonderful! And what makes it so special is that it is not at all mean-spirited. These kinds of things often have a bit of an edge to them:-) I'm thinking of Lanza's impersonation of Martinelli, which, while funny, could easily annoy Martinelli fans:-) This is a real gem, Doug. Thanks a million.
Oh my goodness! What a precious gift to share this document with us! Greetings from France.
That's fantastic....Thank you for sharing
Thank YOU... very much!
Thanks so much, this is a wonderful evidence of the quality of her voice, I never heard it before.
Thank you for sharing this gift!!!
This is fabulous!! Just fabulous - what a pleasure!! Thank you so much, Doug :)
A pleasure... as always, thank you, Nate!
It is just as you have written...
Many thanks to you, John!
Best.
Doug --
A pleasure... thank you... very much!
Hello Francoise:
And many thanks!
Doug --
Io non ho parole troppo brava
Cantava meglio di trent'anni prima...
As you well know, the pleasure is mine...
Thank YOU, George!
Best.
Doug --
Hi Barbara:
And thank YOU!
Cheers.
Doug --
Even larking about Ponselle knocks other sopranos out.
Bon document !!!
Thanks Doug :-)
Very nice !
Thanks
Most welcome... thank YOU, Candy!
A pleasure... most welcome... thank YOU!
Well said (was discussing Henry James only yestersday). Thank you!
it's Muzio's yodeling effect in trilling she is going after. No one else did that
Stupenda..
You are most welcome... thank you!
Glad to know that people still discuss Henry James, and his brother the real novelist...as Henry was the real psychologist, nicht wahr?!
It takes no less than a Ponselle to dare to imitate Muzio. She does not try to make a mockery of Muzio but shows clearly how difficult it is to sing like her. While I greatly admire Ponselle I put Muzio above any human voice heard on this planet. So I also undestand and find your sensitivity very touching.
Most welcome...
BYW, there is plenty of Ponselle on TH-cam (not to mention several postings on my channel).
Thank you, Nosh!
Bravo Doug!
Such a treasure!!!
I like the ¨Poveri Fiori¨. However, she is very far from sounding like Claudia Muzio. Claudia Muzio is unique and if anyone could be capablo of imitating her that person would be the greatest singer in the world.
Yes, I have it posted on my channel. I'll send you the link.
This is beautiful singing NOT ridicule of Muzio,
IMO this is great singing.
TO ZACK216216 MY TEACHER, JOHN GERACE, SAID THAT TO HIS EARS THERE WERE 5 GREAT AMERICAN SOPRANOS:1 LILLIAN NORDICA 2 GERALDINE FARRAR 3 ROSA PONSELLE 4 HELEN TRAUBEL & 5 KATE SMITH
Undeniably the most splendid spinto soprano voice of the past century.
She was a very heavy dramatic soprano, definitely not a spinto
@@umaratabilgi161 Absolutely NOT! Ponselle was a spinto!
operabilia there is literally no heavier soprano voice than her, are you deaf
@@umaratabilgi161 What does "heavier" means here? Nothing! Flagstad (who?) had a heavy voice and indeed, was a drammatico. Has Ponselle ever sung Lady Macbeth, Giselda, Abigaille, Brünnhilde, Isolde, Turandot, etc.? No, never. Her splendid Leonora (Forza) fully proves my point (and let me assure you that I'm not deaf and I know voices far better than you do!) Best regards and end of the discussion.
operabilia operabilia First of all you are very arrogant. Flagstad was also a dramatic soprano who choose to sang Wagnerian rep. Because Ponselle didn't sing those roles doesn't mean she wasn't a dramatic soprano. Being a lyric, spinto or a dramatic voice is about the vocal quality, depth, size and weight about the voice. Your arrogance and ignorace shows me you haven't the slightest idea about voices, so you can save all your bullshit. Anyone with a decent ear knows that Ponselle was a true dramatic voice. Sometimes she would sound so deep people would mistake her for a tenor. Get the fuck out of here now
We are all targets for comic relief, and sure this was done in good humor. On that note, and in good humor, take care! Cheers. Doug --
Hello Leo: One always wonders what other treasures remain hidden. Thank you. Doug -- PS: There is the story, whether true or not is hard to say, that Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville, who invented the phonautograph, actually recorded the voice of Abraham Lincoln.
LoL!
Thanks...
Cheers!
The Trovatore and after is the impersonation , not L'Amico Fritz
It was Tullio Serafin, his words often quoted, who said in his lifetime there had been three miracles: Caruso, Ruffo, and Ponselle. Thank you, Stephen!
No comments on the provenance of this recording? Never came across this from the opera fanatics but do remember hearing some private retirement recordings from Villa Pace
She could have been performing at 54, too bad because of her insecurities she retired what 14 yrs. earlier-of course she began so young
Surely one of the great voices before the problems with the top -it took me a long time to "get" her until one time listening to an earlier recording on a Victrola I became enlightened
Honestly? Being satisfied with the historic artists of old, confess am not tempted, drawn to what is going on today, thus unable to comment one way or the other. But to judge by criticism channeled here, am more confirmed, at home with my focus on singers of the past.
Good morning, Edmund:
And thank YOU!
It is a pleasure to share...
BTW, is there an actual recording of Lanza-as-Martinelli ???
All Best.
Doug --
The Muzio impersonation is neither unkind nor inaccurate. It reminds me of Max Beerbohm's Henry James parody-done for laughs, but with a very clear idea of what made the model unique and inimitable.
Yes that may be true.But Rosa Ponselle did not sing in opera or concerts at the time of this fantastic recording. Missed opportunity,
The Mascagni is not a part of the "imitation", which begins at 4:11 with the aria from Trovatore (see description). Thank you. Cheers. Doug --
I know! I enjoyed the first part, but the second, I find it in bad taste. i don't like anyone to mock Claudia Muzio, an angel on Earth!
Fortunately they were good friends and Muzio is said to have discussed her Traviata interpretation with Ponselle
The Muzio imitation is pretty biting, I would say. The Mascagni shows that Ponselle's voice was still a great one, even though she could not do soprano roles due to her high-note phobia. (The Mascagni excerpt doesn't go past a G.) But she could definitely have been a concert artist after her early retirement, and she did make those fine RCA lps in the fifties.
Bitting indeed and disrespectful. If one reads the Ponselle autobiography there was some professional jealousy expressed there and so unnecessary as they were very different artists and Ponselle had greater vocal gifts.
DAME ROSA PONZILLI IS ALL BUT AN 'AMERICAN'.
AT THE TIME ITALIANS ACCORDING TO RACIAL LAWS WERE 'WORSE THAN AFRICANS'.
THE MANIPULATION OF SUCH CRAZY BELIEF ACCORDING TO CONVENIENCE IS EVEN MORE DISGUSTING THAN OPEN DISCRIMINATION.
What a deeply racist and horrible thing to say.