Tito Schipa - Ah! dispar vision (1913) - his FIRST EVER recording!

[g7tenor]

so lovely to hear an elegant, expressive voice that is concerned with musicianship rather than only 'metal'. All singers should have overtones, but it's not the only thing!!

[gpoec]

Dear GOS,

If we could just hear the singers from several hundred years before recording, wouldn't that be great? Would we be saying ,"Yes, Caruso was wonderful, but what about Bambastini?" Nostalgia for the past is a powerful drug that tends to diminish the present. Today every thing is based on the peoples choice. The experts don't count anymore. Few care about "culture," and "garbage in and garbage out." That's why what you're doing on YouTube is so important, even as I tweak your opinions.

[gpoec]

Dear GOS (continued),

(Why? Because the Italian vowels are pure.)

Also, just because I dont agree with you doesn't mean that you are wrong, it just means that we have a difference of opinion. My opinion comes from many years experience as a person and as a singer. I calls em' as I sees em' .

I did receive three separate Emails from you on my InPage. They were seperated by several minutes .

I think there many wonderful singers in the world today. We just don't get to hear all of them.

[gpoec]

Dear GOS,

I love the selections you put on the tube. I also love to disagre with some of your outragious comments. Singing scales for three years before sing a song or melody only reveals misguided vocal instruction that we are much better off without. I'm surprized thaTito Schipa didn't die from boredom and take up another career. Thank goodness he didn't quit singing. His beautiful lyric voice doesn't have to compete with others. It is a gem in itself and so is GOS.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Thanks for commenting, but...would you really say we are 'much better off without' this instruction today? How many modern singers in Schipa's league can you name? Would you at least care to elaborate why singing scales is 'misguided vocal instruction?' It was common practice to train like this in the old Italian conservatories. Scales on vowels for 2 years, then adding consonants only when the entire register was seamless and even. Only then moving on to operatic repertoire.

[gpoec]

Dear GOS, It is a red-letter day for me to receive three comments from GOS in one day. I admit that I am old, but not old enough to remember the old Italian conservatories. I agree that scales, vowels and arpeggios are an intrinsic part of vocal training. However, IMO, as the song is the reason for all the training, folk songs, art songs, and other appropriate selections should always be a part of every lesson. (continued)

[GermanOperaSinger]

And they will be, once the singer has perfected his technique. Starting on songs too early contributes to flaws in vowel placement and other technical aspects in singing. Singers should train on vocal exercises so that someday they will be ABLE TO SING SONGS well, but they shouldn't train BY SINGING SONGS. I hope that makes sense. By the way I only wrote one comment to you, you got three?

[gpoec]

Dear GOS,

A singer never perfects technique. It is always in process, and new revelations occur throughout a career. One is not the same person today, or yesterday, or tomorrow. Otherwise, why contemplate and grow in wisdom, etc? Life, and physical and intellectual, and artistic prowress are openended, except in some very restrictive religeous systems. Are vowels sacred? Italian vowels,English vowels? American vowels, Irish vowels, German vowels? I prefer Italian for singing..

[cyeh2]

Dear Gpoec,

I wonder what kind of music you are singing. You may argue the old way of singing pedagogue but ignoring the importance of vowels just shows that you don't really know what you are talking about.

[gpoec]

Dear cyeh2'

I think I know what I'm talking about as much as anyone else who has studied voice and been a singer for many years.Of course, vowels are important. They carry the vocal stream that we call singing. Most teachers vocalize with the pure Italian vowels. However, in actual singing, in some other languages, there are dypthons and tripthons involved. When I was singing, I sang Italian, French, German, American arias, and art songs, and the more dramatic musical comedy hits of the day.

[halpa8]

Beautiful. Grazie!

[leadoffeohippus]

Excellent clip. 5*

[tomfroekjaer]

Great transfer quality. IMO the finest leggiero tenor on record. Really sings from his heart.. Five stars (his Una furtiva lagrima is a rival to Caruso ... although not quite).

[meltzerboy]

I agree, though McCormack, De Lucia, Bonci, and Anselmi are all great as well. Galli-Curci considered Schipa the finest, even superior to Bonci.

[francescaemc2]

just beautiful! dolcissimo.

thanks for posting this gem.

[XP11XP]

This is his first preserved record, without doubt. Sabajno conducted. There is an discography on Schipa family website.

[VinylToVideo]

Not sure if this specifically is his first recording but he first started recording in 1913. Recorded with La Scala's Orchestra conducted by I believe Sabajno(?). The photo with de Luca and Pons is from a 1933 Met gala celebrating Giulio Gatti-Casazza's 25 years managing the company.

[GermanOperaSinger]

It would be his first if he started in 1913, because he did only one recording (this one) on 10 November and the only other recordings he did that year were later on in the month. There's a Schipa discography on the Marston website with this info.