JOHN McCORMACK - THE LONDONDERRY AIR (TRAD. ULSTER)

[JOHNNYFREEDOMdaREBEL]

DON´T CARE MUCH FOR OPERA MESELF,

BUT I DO CARE FOR JOHN McCORMACK

& HIS LOVELY (IRISH) SONGS.

[Brace67]

McCormack himself is recorded over the radio relating the story of his encounter with the great Caruso in the lobby of the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. McCormack was a great admirer of Caruso and when he asked him in Italian how the world's greatest tenor was this morning, Caruso answered, also in Italian, "Ah John, since when have you become a bass"? Quite a compliment!

[agatematt]

There is a great old story of how one morning a quite young John McCormack came down to breakfast in a hotel dining room and saw Enrico Caruso at a table reading a newspaper. McCormack came up and asked, "So, how is the world's greatest tenor this morning?" Without even looking up, Caruso answered, "How would I know for I'm not John McCormack." Caruso was right!

[pundit19]

Thank you, theloudhalo, I also have a pretty catholic taste in music, if I can say that without causing antagonism. Don't want the thought police on my case for being anti-anything - English, Catholic, Proddy or what the hell. You only have to think Enya, Dubliners, U2, Van the Man, Cranberries, Pogues and so many more to realise just how much Ireland has given the world. And that's before we start on literature. Stay in touch, my friend, and God bless you.

[pundit19]

"John McCormack and Richard Tauber / were standing by the bed / a glass of punch below my feet / two angels at my head" - can't swear this is word-perfect - it wasn't just Crosby he inspired, apparently his influence extended to the Pogues as well . Can't help being English, i was born that way. But there's been so much great music come out of ireland over the years

[theloudhalo]

@pundit19 Thankyou so much for saying that. Please believe that not everyone over here has got an inbred hatred of the English - or anyone else for that matter! We certainly do not!

PS Yes, Count John certainly makes a good account of himself - and the rest of us I hope.

What a beautiful sound to come out of a hateful and wartorn country!

Don't believe all you hear - or see.

[Dannys998877]

One of the greatest opera singers of all time. He ranked with Caruso, who was a contemporary. But he achieved international rock-star-like fame on the concert stage where he began singing the songs of his native Ireland as encores to his operatic repertoire. This made him the prototype of the "Irish tenor." All Irish tenors who came later were pretty much imitations of John McCormack. Thanks for posting this.

[LePrince1890]

I heard he was one of the leading models for Bing Crosby's singing (though their styles are not quite the same). Great tenor though.