Soprano Elizabeth Wheeler ~ The Last Rose of Summer (1909)

[SuperLuckydream]

Unfortunately, never heard Elizabeth Wheeler before. Love her,especially the delicate emotions, fine phrasing and lovely sound. Thank you,dear Doug, for this discovery.

[DBoneBreaker]

my soul is melting...beautiful

[ccdg1066]

Extraordinary! many thanks for uploading this.

[racheleleeba]

How lovely. Thanks, Doug.

[SandrineSoprano]

Thanks for educative video

[NancyValentino]

Thanks for posting this-such a lovely rendition.

[stuartliff]

Quite lovely! Thank you for this introduction to (for me) a hitherto unknown voice.

Vivian

[dantitustimshu]

Elizabeth Wheeler is a new name to me. Michael Scott's "Record of Singing" left her out altogether. A great pity, since she has an attractive lyric voice, pure and lovely in timbre and her phrasing is expressive. Among her recordings, this old favorite shows all her qualities to the best advantage. Many thanks, Doug, for introducing her to a wider audience.

[CurzonRoad]

@dantitustimshu

Dear Tim: Most welcome! Elizabeth Wheeler made numerous solo, duet and ensemble recordings, mostly on Victor's budget Black Label series which turn up regularly and at bargain prices. She also recorded for Edison, Zon-o-phone, and a number of other minor labels, including Sun. This long-forgotten singer is more than under-appreciated, thus my great pleasure in resurrecting her voice and artistry. Thank you!

[612Matthew]

This is one talented singer! Her breathing technique must be some of the world's best!

[CurzonRoad]

@612Matthew

Greetings... and thank you!

[titaruffo2]

I did not know Elizabeth Wheeler. His voice is very nice and she sings this melody with a lot of poetry. Many thanks for this video: I'm always looking for singers that I do not know

[paulostroff99]

Lovely singing! TY my friend James,and thanks to Doug as well for posting.

[cattleman6420012000]

Amazing voice. Both a lovely velvet quality together with plenty of power. Very unique.

[CanadaPisces]

Lovely singing! An excellent example of soprano singing of that time period.

[Herur22]

@CanadaPisces

How lovely! The sound quality is also very good. Thank you, CurzonRoad, and thank you, James.

[3muimui]

@CanadaPisces thank you James, it's my long time favorite!

of course I won't miss this beautiful version too.

Thanks to CurzonRoad for the post! : )

[fairlytaleofnewyork]

Hi Daug,

I am so glad to find this one. I was looking for an old recording of this song/aria as I was thinking of posting 2 versions that I have. I am really over the moon! What a lovely interpretation with warm and sweet voice.

Many many thanks. I love it!

Warmest wishes.

Satoko

[dorisboy52]

Lovely version...Really sets the mood for the vanished Edwardian age...

[alechorseman]

*Perche, sola vergine rosa*. Very good singing. Also other very good version made Rosalia Chalia & Dante Del Papa (Bettini's cylinder).

[meltzerboy]

This rose does not wish to disappear, hence the slow tempo! I believe Sembrich sings this quite slowly too. Well, it's not Galli-Curci, but the legato is pure and the emotion is finely expressed. Other great versions include those of Patti, Streich, and the tenor Kenneth McKellar. Thanks, Doug.

[AulicExclusiva]

Now, WHO could possibly be like Galli Curci???

This lady, though, sings in tune, with an extraordinarily lovely voice, especially the beautiful flute-like top. Not Tetrazzini, but very charming indeed. It amazes me that I had never heard of her. Doug is to be thanked warmly.

[meltzerboy]

I don't think Tetrazzini ever recorded the song, and neither did Melba, unfortunately. On the other hand, Galli-Curci recorded it four times! I particularly like her second acoustic recording c. 1920 (not quite as much the earlier one, or the two electricals), which rarely turns up.

[AulicExclusiva]

My favourite disk of this is probably Boronat's, beautifully phrased, and in Italian.

[meltzerboy]

I don't recall having heard Boronat's version, but I'm sure it's wonderful. Galli-Curci's singing of this piece prompted Max de Schaunsee--who heard her in recital and opera--to state that "her voice seemed to carry echoes of another world," high praise indeed. But Boronat is a great singer, highly expressive with a most beautiful tone, though Steane criticizes her first record of "Qui la voce," saying her emphatic phrasing and extra breath in the opening measure are the antithesis of bel canto.

[AulicExclusiva]

I'd like to see that old so-and-so Steane stand before a gramophone funnel in 1904, never having perhaps even heard a record before, and even get through just the first phrase of Qui la voce!

He DESERVES Gwen Catley.

[meltzerboy]

I completely agree! LOL

[fpngan]

@meltzerboy I would have loved to have heard Tetrazzini sing this! In the clip of Joan Sutherland singing this, the man playing the piano said that she had sang it!

[meltzerboy]

@fpngan Are you referring to Gerald Moore, who said that Melba sang this?

Perhaps she did in recital; but she made no recording of it. I believe Tetrazzini did make a recording of the song, after all.

[fpngan]

@meltzerboy I just did a search here on youtube and she did record it!

[Bivolari]

Nicely sung at a dangerously slow tempo and seemingly higher key.