@suckmyazzz : Remi is "frenglish" actually ...english-born and raised in France ...indeed , it's the song Vitalis used to sing ...and it's the song Vitalis dreams about when he dies ..
I have comment this before but i do it again. This is the best of Caruso! Here he is completely free and let it all out! This is he - him self. Listening to this it strikes me that, after all, opera may not be "the top of singing" at least not in terms of emphatism!
Caruso's voice is at least 2.5X the size of Pavarotti. This is the most insanely powerful song I've heard on this planet. I am wondering maybe the recording is amplified in certain point?
@Doooku The primitive recording technique was unable to capture all the colors of his voice, but the size as heard in this recording is pretty much correct. If you search YouTube for "Caruso Fenesta che lucive" you'll find several uploads, including playings of original 78 records. I'd also recommend the restoration made by YouTube user lincolncar1.
Pavarotti had a beautiful lyrical voice, but when it comes to sheer power and emotion there is hardly a tenor on record comparable to Caruso.
Thanks for the note! I think Mario del Monaco's voice is close to Caruso? I used to like the version by Pavarotti, now I like Caruso's version. The more you listen to it, the more you felt the true greatness of this talent.
I like Monaco so much. I think he might be too aggressive and demanding, so that people felt uncomfortable and made negative, biased comments on him?
@Doooku Yes, del Monaco's voice is in some respects very close to Caruso's. Mario's voice was extemely powerful, maybe even more powerful than Caruso's. Mario del Monica even had difficulties singing piano ! He is best classified as a dramatic tenor whereas Caruso is somewhat difficult to classify. The young Caruso is more lyrical than the older Caruso - spinto/dramatic..
I used to think Monaco's voice is bigger. But I've changed my mind because of this recording. Monaco's voice may be louder, but Caruso could refine, COMPRESS, fully resonate every single note (I mean every, there is no cheating here or there, unlike Pavarotti), with absolutely control and very carefully belt it out. Every single note is like a big cobble or diamond. Monaco is a bit "rush" in my opinion. He is not that "careful" as Caruso.
@Doooku Caruso was really one of a kind and IMO has not surpassed since. The recordings we are left with are miserable, but one can still feel his grandeur.
Here's a quote from the book "Caruso's Method of Voice Production" by Dr. P. Mario Marafioti:
"He sang the words for themselves for their significance feeling and meaning them. Hence the pathos of his voice, and his superb enunciation, which made the audience understand and feel every word he was singing."
I have a question for you which bothers me a lot. I can't really appreciate Placido Domingo's voice. When he was singing, I felt he might suffer from constipation. But he holds such a high esteem in the industry. I don't know why. Maybe I am just so deaf that I can't really enjoy such talent? Thanks
@Doooku Art is a matter of opinion - you like it or not. Domingo is a very nice person, in my opinion. His voice never appealed that much to me either, but - again all opinion. When a British Opera Society (forget what it is called) voted him the tenor voice of the 20th century, he declined and said it was Caruso. I've uploaded a trailer called "Voice of the Century" - search YouTube for "Enrico Caruso: Voice of The Century (Trailer)" - in that also Domingo appears.
@tomfroekjaer i don't care what people say. I found Domingo's voice extremely unconvincing and unpleasant to my ears. Please search his "Placido Domingo - Di quella pira - Live 1989" his LIVE in Met Opera House. It was a disaster. He claimed he can sing over 200 roles and can do everything. It turned out none of his role was super. Some said he is the Greatest Otello of All Time and he didn't decline the honor. To be honest, I think he is one of the most outrageously overrated of all time!
Actually I liked Jose Carerras' voice better. It's a man's voice. Not big, not powerful, but lovely and sexy. He is at least very honest with his ability and never out-claimed something.
Another thing I disliked Domingo is he never improves! He has rather limited techniques. His high note is always a complete and utter disaster. Over 30 years of his career, his singing ability steadily has declined and until recently he claimed himself to be a...BARITONE..what? excuse me...How dare! I listened to his recent Rigoletto. His voice is dark. But never rich. It's only a tenor who lost all of his voice. Over-rated.
@Doooku Well, I guess I'm more of a diplomatic person than that of a professional. I think that everyone has their own "truths" - likes or dislikes. And who I am I to judge?
I grew up listening to Pavarotti first. And then I found Caruso. I hated it first. I felt it "too heavy, too thick, too deep". And when I grew up a bit more, I found Pavarotti "too light, too shallow, too thin". And Pavarotti's emotion in this song made it like a pop song. It isn't like a young man just lost his love and when he came to her apartment that once was lit, but now is dark.
The more I listened to this one, the more I felt blown away. What a insanely super singer and technical! the emotion is as deep and as heavy as sea! Dark, rich, powerful, sentimental...speechless.
I have downloaded it and converted it to mp3 to my Ipad.
this guy acted and did some singing with the 3 stooges and and one of the stooges kept throwing grapes at him everytime he would open his mouth wide to sing a long note it was funny but i dont remember what was the name of the video where he appears, i think the name of the video is called microphonies or something very funny ha ha ha
Could you imagine how it felt to hear and see this miracle voice in the concert house and at the opera stage? It must have been totally overwhelming and nothing today compares with the emotional force and the intensive presence as the voice and the humanity of Enrico Caruso. Never ever forgotten.
@klokheten:One can get an idea when reading accounts of the time. Ledner, his manager in Europe wrote in 1907: He sang Celeste Aida so brilliantly that the applause stopped the show... his Radames reached such heights that those lucky enough to have been present will remember the occasion for the rest of their lives. What happened at the end of this [final] duet [with Emmy Destinn] was not merely applause, but an uproar, a cry of jubilation. The audience clapped, yelled and stamped their feet.
@klokheten Greetings my friend. you are totally right about caruso he was the best and i think that he is still the best.In that time everything most be ready in one take. you cant cut and begin everything again like now. thanks and sorry if i made a gramatical error.
@MrCafiero: You know what you are talking about as far as the quality of singing is concerned. I don't know anything about singing, but Caruso's voice and his empathy hits me right in my heart.
Years ago my voice teacher taught me that much of what made Caruso so great went beyond the voice alone; that Caruso was a great man, and that greatness of character came through his God-given miraculous voice. From all I have read of Caruso, he was loving and generous to all people, particularly to his audiences. Perhaps that is why, even with poor recording technology, Caruso continues to captivate those of us fortunate enough to hear him. Thank you Tom.
Stumbled into this when looking for another Caruso. Probably the best Caruso i ever herd! I also like a neapolitan song - forgotten the name right now? It strikes me that very often i like Caruso in songs like this better than in many operas. EVEN better i mean! But it must be so that he puts a little bit more feeling into theese songs compared to some of his operas. At least conc. recordings. Live it could have been different?
@suffes: I think your observation/experience is right. Caruso was a "simple" man with almost no formal education and at the same time an empathetic genious gifted with a divine voice. Many believe to hear the "true Caruso" when he sings the songs in the dialect of his native Napoli - like this one and others, e.g. O sole mio.
@suffes This recording was simply incredible. he sang this with FULL voice and FULL emotion which is quite rare in human's singing history. he has a voice twice the size of Pavarotti and 20 times more sincerity!
Caruso’s interpretation of this song is really extraordinary for deepness of feeling, sensitivity, understanding of the text and sheer singing talent. I cannot but agree with those who wrote that listening to this record moves them to tears or gives them a feeling of lump in their throats, and actually I feel sorry for those who can listen to it without being moved. It’s hard to believe that someone could sing this way.
Thank you tomfroekjaer for uploading this and other videos!
@El1973: yes, he does indeed sing with full passion and sensitivity. A great man with a big heart and a big voice. - And you are welcome regarding my videos.
I agree that the old "dirty" version is the better. I listened to the re-mastered one first and thought, "Wow, that's great!" Then I listened to the old version and got goose-bumps immediately. I didn't have to think about it. I knew with my whole being. Now the question is whether to listen another 3 or 4 times!
@llopatin: yes, I agree with you. The old "dirty" versions are almost always better than the digital remasterings. "Noise removed" unfortunately also means that a spectrum of nuances found in the old recordings are lost - and we've already lost some 50% of his voice in the old recordings.... The young generation, however, is deterred by any added noise - kind of curious - listening to heavy metal and what not !
"Fenesta che lucive" is definitely not a happy song (it's probably one of the saddest songs I've ever heard), but this is one of my favorite Caruso recordings. I think he sings this with more emotion than any other tenor. You can almost feel the sadness in his voice. I wonder if he was thinking of a loved one who passed away as he sang this---his mother, perhaps?
@escotoeric: sorry, Eric. As much as I love Gigli I can't really upload Gigli's version to this channel. My channel is (and probably stupidly so... - but that's what I decided) extremely narrow minded - it's all about Caruso. Hope someone else will !
Thanks a lot. :) It would've been so cool to see Caruso in concert. I wish I can go back in time and do that. I would probably meet him, too, and say something like, "You're going to be loved by music lovers even nearly a century after you pass away, and great tenors after you may follow in your footsteps." This is exactly what happened.
such archaic recording devices and yet what comes through sounds so amazing one can only imagine what he would sound like with todays recording technology
Here is the completed text with the missing refrain: Fenesta ca lucive e mo nun luce sign'è ca nénna mia stace malata S'affaccia la surella e mme lu dice: Nennélla toja è morta e s'è atterrata Chiagneva sempe ca durmeva sola, mo dorme co' li muorte accompagnata Va' dint''a cchiesa, e scuopre lu tavuto: vide nennélla toja comm'è tornata Da chella vocca ca n'ascéano sciure, mo n'esceno li vierme...Oh! che piatate! Zi Parrocchiano mio, abbice cura, Na lampa sempe tienece allumata.
Thank you so much for this precious video. The legend has finally lived up to reality, and my generation (me) is finally realizing why Caruso, was indeed Caruso.
@stephenjoeagi: you are very welcome. I came across Caruso in 1970 (20 years old), but had to wait some 40 years to develop an understanding (and passion for) of how great a singer he was (thus my uploads and my website). Tom
i know that casuso sung for a italian cartoon named remi i searched it on internet and was able to locate part of the video but is on italian lenguage
The suggestion of vocal Enrico Caruso will remain unique forever and for all. He was not a simple tenor or the tenor. It was the "voice" for excellence. Basso, baritono and tenore together. Had everything: power, sweetness, expressiveness, color, technique, style and agility. His voice was a universe of colors and emotions can cover the entire musical range.
La suggestione del timbro vocale di Enrico Caruso resterà ineguagliabile per sempre e per chiunque .Egli non era un semplice tenore o il tenore. Era la voce per eccellenza. Basso, baritono e tenore insieme. Possedeva tutto: potenza, dolcezza, espressività, colore, tecnica, eleganza e agilità. La sua voce era un universo di colori ed emozioni capace di coprire lintera gamma musicale.
Hubo un reinado de grandes tenores Arrancamos con Caruso, quien le dejo su trono a Gigli, este a Bjorling, quien prematuramente fallecio sino hubiera reinado mucho mas, y lo sucedieron Corelli y Bergonzi para dejarles la posta a Kraus y Pavarotti. Desaparecidos estos, no encontramos sucesor lamentablemente, tal vez Flores pero le falta mucho todavia para completarse como el gran tenor.
To me, this interpretation is the reference recording for centuries. No-one - and I mean: no-one - ever came close to it. Caruso did not just sing it, but made it into a personal, heart-touching story. I just know about the contents, I don't understand a word of it. But you just feel how sad the story is. No-one else has ever been able to get this sadness across. That's what makes the difference between a singer and a Caruso.
Tom Caruso is singing this in a higher key than Pavarotti is in Luciano's video .. I would assume this Caruso master was played at slightly too fast a speed. Or taken from a source which wasn't checked... Unless Pavarotti dropped it? Caruso many times was transferred fast but the public at large couldn't tell because the voice still sounded so full - rich and incredibly sustained Must have been unbelivable.live On recordings I believe he got the short end of the stick!
Quite frustating, lpvcrcd ... ! We'll never really know how Enrico really sounded... The recordings were undoubtedly the best, they were capable of producing at the time, but speed was a wild variable. - I just enjoy his voice, regardless of how it was recorded. It somehow - despite the limitations of recordings - amazingly communicates the beauty of his voice and - not least - his soul.
Agreed Those newer digital transfers with the superimposed orchestra you have put up are vere intersting! Keep up the great work. We appreciate the time effort care and love you put into the uploads Caruso couldn't have had a better friend than you He would feel honored and humbled! Thank you on behalf of all of us who enjoy your channel.
Am 70 now and knew personally a talented lady that studied voice, born in 1884 and told of the night she saw Caruso make his debut in Phila 1903! Never forget her toss her head back and say "Unbelievable GLORIOUS voice!
@tomfroekjaer I met a few in my youth who heard him. In the 60's I met an NY elderly couple who heard him many times. They said that from the 20's to the 60's no one came close. They rated Bjoerling 2nd as a singer- but not the voice, again no one came close. 6 Degrees: I met a lady a few years ago(she was in her 90's) who studied w/Mary Garden. As I took her hand I realized that she had held the hand that held the hand of Caruso. May sound strange but I became speechless for a second.
@Lovelytenor1: Thanks, Lovelytenor1, for this wonderful contribution/account/story! I never had the privilege of meeting anyone who heard Caruso live. But when I first heard that voice in my youth (around 1970), I knew it was exceptional. It was not only the voice itself, but the intensity of his emotional/spiritual communication that really got me.
And when I listen again to his performance of this song, I think that this uneducated, "primitive" Neapolitan was an utter empathetic genius.
@tomfroekjaer As a child Lanza was the voice I heard. Since I was a boy alto my mother bought me a Caruso LP when I was 9. It was then I knew I wanted to be a singer. I was drafted out of grad school etc & went on w/my life but that voice still inspires me. By the way, thanks for your kind words on my own YT singing.
@Lovelytenor1 He is the best, but I don't understand why BBC rated Caruso 2nd behind Plácido!? By the way, nor Mario del Monaco is between the twenty best ones!
3) .., e che per rispetto di due ragazzi italiani che poi andarono a morire ne la prima guerra mondiale, ai quali la cantò "gratis", non registrò mai Santa Lucia Lontana, e per altri motivi nemmeno il Largo Al Factotum, che pure avrebbe potuto cantare.
2) E voglio pure dire che I Romeni sono gli unici che, per similarità di lingua e per preparazione musicale, ci hanno restituito la Napoli più vera dopo l'Ineguagliabile Caruso, che, non scordiamolo, cantava pure da Basso in Vecchia Zimarra, meglio di Scialiapin (e che la sua anima mi perdoni)..,
1) Di Enrico Caruso esistono ottime registrazioni anche de I PAGLIACCI e della Lola, del Cantique de Noel eccetera e delle canzoni propriamente napoletane come A' VUCCHELLA eccetera. Per mia fortuna ho avuto il piacere di ascoltare La Napoli cantata dai Romeni quali Nicolae Herlea (con le sue Canzonette, e che su FB non si trovano ancora)...
Cannot imagine a piece better suited for Carusos voice - bravo! Can clearly here that he really likes to sing this piece. There is an explosivity in his voice wich goes beoynd all other carusos i have heard so far. And Tomfro, i don´t agree that the recording quality is THAT bad. I think this one gives a good understanding of what his voice was like.
Proporre Pavarotti nel repertorio delle canzoni napoletane è peggio di una bestemmia!!! Ecco chi è stato maestro in questo repertorio: il grandissimo Caruso, al cui confronto Pavarotti fa un figura assai meschina. Che passione, che intensità, che pathos nella voce di Caruso. Inarrivabile!!
I have to sing this for my grade 5 singing exam. My teacher chose this song for me cuz she sed it was appropiate for my age and cuz it was a happy song. I speak italian but not neapolitan so i didnt know what it meant, but i knew it had something to do with 'sleeping with dead people'. Until now that i had to find the translation. I really do not like the lyrics. I am a happy person and this is kind of.... mm not my sort of thing.... -.-'
since childhood i always heard the adults talk of caruso with awe, to listen to this voice comes out of poor recording , my god , no mistake here , the most colorfull and emotional voice ever.thnx for digging up those records.
Yes, even in these poor recordings where much of the overtones have been lost, one can feel why he was called the Voice of The Century and understand why people were willing to pay the equivalent of $1000.- to hear him in a single performance.
Oh window once you shone and now you don't ,a sign that my beloved is sick.
Her sister leans out of her window and tells him:Your little beloved has died and was buried.She always cried she was sleeping alone now she's sleeping together with the dead ones.
Go into the church and open up her coffin
and see how little beloved has changed.
From that mouth where flowers came out
now it's worms coming out, Oh, how desolating! Oh uncle of mine, you as a parishioner, take care of her (Part1/2)
I meant "worms" not "works"! It's hard to translate this, because the words are not in Italian but from Neapolitan dialect, which is quite different from Italian. Theinkbrain, you did a pretty good translation, actually. I just corrected some parts.
Oh lighted window, you no longer shine, a sign that my beloved is laying sick. Her sister comes to the window and tells me: Your beloved is dead and buried She always cried because she slept alone. Now she sleeps in the company of the dead. Go inside the church and find her casket, see how your beloved has turned out... From those lips whence once came flowers, now come works, oh, what a pity! Uncle, you are the sacristan, take care of her: Always keep a candle lighted for her
The lighted window shines no more Which showed me where my little girl lay sick. Pointing there the Sister said to me Your little one is dead and under the earth She who always wept to sleep alone Sleeps now in the company of the dead. How within the church uncovering the empty bier You look inside as if she would return Her small mouth from which love seemed to bloom Is now left to the worms oh what a pity! My old uncle who is the sacristan Will take care to keep a lamp burning for her
Dear Gabriel! The most important thing about languages is that people understand it. Not if it is perfect!
Unfortunatly I do not speak Italian - much less Neapolitan... - But aside from Danish, German and English I speak Swiss German - do you have Swiss ancestors?
If you could translate the text into English, that would be absolutely great!- Maybe you could send it to me as a message? I would then correct any spelling errors and post it under 'more info'.
I´D LIKE TO SHARE THE LYRIS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG,CARUSO SUNG IN NAPOLITANO I SOULD NEED TWOO POSTS.SORRY Fenesta ca lucive e mo nun luce sign'è ca nénna mia stace malata S'affaccia la surella e mme lu dice: Nennélla toja è morta e s'è atterrata Chiagneva sempe ca durmeva sola, mo dorme co' li muorte accompagnata Va' dint''a cchiesa, e scuopre lu tavuto: vide nennélla toja comm'è tornata Da chella vocca ca n'ascéano sciure, mo n'esceno li vierme...Oh! che piatate! NEXT...
Thank you, Tom. Dorothy Caruso told Jussi Bjorling, that his voice was perhaps the closest to her husband's in his generation, & that he was the only tenor who could carry Enrico's mantle. This is interesting, because their respective voices at first, seem polar opposites. Jussi's voice was brilliant, with a profusion of high overtones. Caruso's sounds dark by comparison. Imagine then, the brilliance & radiance of his high overtones that the tin horn couldn't capture!
I truly believe, Tom, that to truly appreciate Caruso's voice, It is necessary to have an educated ear. You have to try to conjure up in your mind the tones & nuances that you are NOT hearing, as well as the ones that you can. For example, if you can't hear consonants in his singing, then it stands to reason that you're missing a huge proliferation of vocal harmonics too. Both higher ones, that give a soaring penetrative edge, & lower ones, that give body, sonority & sweetness to the voice. Cont
Lol. I know what you mean about going into a trance, Tom. Listening to the great singers is like being transfixed to the spot. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. By the way, if you have it, could you please post a video of Caruso singing 'O tu che in seno agli angeli'. It is for me, the greatest singing I have ever heard. Thank you in anticipation, Tom. John
Cont, I find it particularly instructive, that basso's of the period sound thin & anaemic. Also baritones of great stature sound almost tenor like. Soprano's sound like young girls. & huge tenor voices like Lauri-Volpi, Martinelli, & Zanatello, lack the sonority, richness, & the sheer power of Caruso throughout their range. & Zanatello started as a baritone! Yet Caruso has great weight, ring & authority throughout. Just how incredible must his live voice have been??
Very interesting point you make here and how right you. His voice life must have out of this world. I find it particularly fascinating to read the comments about his voice from contemporary artist. For my Caruso website I collected a number of these and will give you some samples in the next post.
The Geraldine Farrar writes in her biography that she, the first time she stood on stage with Caruso, forgot to sing as she had broken into tears from the beauty of Caruso's voice.
Dr. Marafioti in his book Caruso's Method of Voice Production:
'Caruso was a born singer, and a perfect one, by almost divine and superhuman will. He obeyed the call of his heart rather than technical influences, his sentiment being his only guide in singing. Everything in him was instinctive and intuitive.'
Thank you, I have Marafoti's book too. I also have the quote from Farrar, except that my qoute is taken from a book by Henry Pleasants, ;The great singers. I think Enrico perfected his technique through trial & error more than technical knowledge as such. He once said; 'Listen to yourself, your own ear will tell you what sounds you've been making'. Caruso was blessed with correct tone concepts. He instinctively understood the sounds that agree with natures law, & which sounds don't.
At a party an overdressed flamboyant woman persisted in demanding answers from Giovanni Martinelli to questions in a loud voice to attract attention. Finally she said, 'Come now, Mr. Martinelli, tell us the truth Caruso was never as good as his press made him to be, is that not the truth? Martinelli swung around and faced his tormentor. 'Madame, put Gigli, Lauri-Volpi and me together make us one tenor and we would not be fit to kiss Carusos shoe tops.' 'Does that answer you?'
Giovanni Martinelli was a wonderful man. He visited my teacher Benvenuto Finelli in the early 60's when he came to London. He expressed great delight & amazement that Ben could sing freely & easily the high F in Puritani. He was a very humble man, as most of the prodigiously gifted often are. I love the story of McCormack spotting Enrico in a hotel lobby. 'Morning Maestro, & how is the worlds greatest tenor this morning?' Enrico replied, 'And since when John, did you become a baritone?' lovely.
To appreciate the true greatness of Caruso's voice, bear in mind that this was recorded singing into a tin horn scratching vibrations onto a wax cylinder. The resulting recording was then replayed in the 1930's in a large room & re-recorded to pick up sympathetic echo that was missing originally. But none of it captures the incredible overtones, richness, & squillo of his voice, because it was missing from the original recording in the first place. This then is a faint echo of that voice.
There is no doubt about his status as The Golden Voice of The Century.
I just read that when the MET visited Paris in 1910 it was decided that no one could get a ticket for Caruso's performances unless they also bought at seat for Otello or Falstaff (conducted by Toscanini, but without Caruso) !
Just beautiful., Another one is that of Gina Colao Decker . Her voice is a match for Caruso, and her feelings are similar too!
voizovrsn 1 day ago
Sublime!
lirica2011 6 days ago
QUÉ SE PUEDE AGREGAR???.....SÓLO SILENCIO Y APRENDER....
OPEROMANOINDUSTRIAL 1 month ago
enrico caruso the best singer makes remember my favorite cartoon remy the italian kid
suckmyazzz 2 months ago
@suckmyazzz : Remi is "frenglish" actually ...english-born and raised in France ...indeed , it's the song Vitalis used to sing ...and it's the song Vitalis dreams about when he dies ..
patpat76ds 1 week ago
@patpat76ds Vitalis is the Italian man ..
patpat76ds 1 week ago
This has been flagged as spam show
IF YOU LISTEN CLOSE AT 1:58 YOU CAN HEAR CARUSO CLEAR HIS THROAT
cccorsetti 2 months ago
Comment removed
cccorsetti 2 months ago
I have comment this before but i do it again. This is the best of Caruso! Here he is completely free and let it all out! This is he - him self. Listening to this it strikes me that, after all, opera may not be "the top of singing" at least not in terms of emphatism!
suffes 2 months ago
@suffes It is a bit like Jussi singing in Swedish, O Helga Natt and many others.
Caruso sings it in his own Neapolitan dialect which I'm sure makes it easier for him to just completely "let go."
Cheers, Tom
tomfroekjaer 2 months ago
@tomfroekjaer Is this a digitally remastered version, or no?
crapfacejoe 1 month ago
@crapfacejoe Yes, this a digitally remastered version. I've also uploaded a non-digital version. Tom
tomfroekjaer 1 month ago
@tomfroekjaer Always prefer the non-remastered versions. Remastering such an old recording butchers Caruso's real voice. Thanks for your uploads.
crapfacejoe 1 month ago
@crapfacejoe Yes, I agree. On most of the remasterings his voice is butchered.
tomfroekjaer 1 month ago
Great!!!
No words, only goosebumps...
Thank you
theprof1958 4 months ago
wow! Fantastic Performance!!!
MrGer2295 4 months ago 7
Così dolce, così voce agrifoglio così incredibile sulla terra, Dio benedica l'Italia. Ciao dalla Georgia
1986Giga 5 months ago 5
Caruso's voice is at least 2.5X the size of Pavarotti. This is the most insanely powerful song I've heard on this planet. I am wondering maybe the recording is amplified in certain point?
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku The primitive recording technique was unable to capture all the colors of his voice, but the size as heard in this recording is pretty much correct. If you search YouTube for "Caruso Fenesta che lucive" you'll find several uploads, including playings of original 78 records. I'd also recommend the restoration made by YouTube user lincolncar1.
Pavarotti had a beautiful lyrical voice, but when it comes to sheer power and emotion there is hardly a tenor on record comparable to Caruso.
tomfroekjaer 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
Thanks for the note! I think Mario del Monaco's voice is close to Caruso? I used to like the version by Pavarotti, now I like Caruso's version. The more you listen to it, the more you felt the true greatness of this talent.
I like Monaco so much. I think he might be too aggressive and demanding, so that people felt uncomfortable and made negative, biased comments on him?
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku Yes, del Monaco's voice is in some respects very close to Caruso's. Mario's voice was extemely powerful, maybe even more powerful than Caruso's. Mario del Monica even had difficulties singing piano ! He is best classified as a dramatic tenor whereas Caruso is somewhat difficult to classify. The young Caruso is more lyrical than the older Caruso - spinto/dramatic..
tomfroekjaer 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
I used to think Monaco's voice is bigger. But I've changed my mind because of this recording. Monaco's voice may be louder, but Caruso could refine, COMPRESS, fully resonate every single note (I mean every, there is no cheating here or there, unlike Pavarotti), with absolutely control and very carefully belt it out. Every single note is like a big cobble or diamond. Monaco is a bit "rush" in my opinion. He is not that "careful" as Caruso.
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku Caruso was really one of a kind and IMO has not surpassed since. The recordings we are left with are miserable, but one can still feel his grandeur.
Here's a quote from the book "Caruso's Method of Voice Production" by Dr. P. Mario Marafioti:
"He sang the words for themselves for their significance feeling and meaning them. Hence the pathos of his voice, and his superb enunciation, which made the audience understand and feel every word he was singing."
tomfroekjaer 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
I have a question for you which bothers me a lot. I can't really appreciate Placido Domingo's voice. When he was singing, I felt he might suffer from constipation. But he holds such a high esteem in the industry. I don't know why. Maybe I am just so deaf that I can't really enjoy such talent? Thanks
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku Art is a matter of opinion - you like it or not. Domingo is a very nice person, in my opinion. His voice never appealed that much to me either, but - again all opinion. When a British Opera Society (forget what it is called) voted him the tenor voice of the 20th century, he declined and said it was Caruso. I've uploaded a trailer called "Voice of the Century" - search YouTube for "Enrico Caruso: Voice of The Century (Trailer)" - in that also Domingo appears.
tomfroekjaer 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer i don't care what people say. I found Domingo's voice extremely unconvincing and unpleasant to my ears. Please search his "Placido Domingo - Di quella pira - Live 1989" his LIVE in Met Opera House. It was a disaster. He claimed he can sing over 200 roles and can do everything. It turned out none of his role was super. Some said he is the Greatest Otello of All Time and he didn't decline the honor. To be honest, I think he is one of the most outrageously overrated of all time!
Doooku 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
Actually I liked Jose Carerras' voice better. It's a man's voice. Not big, not powerful, but lovely and sexy. He is at least very honest with his ability and never out-claimed something.
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku Can't follow you on the sexy part regarding Jose Carerras - guess one would have to be a female to appreciate that :-)
But I like his singing very much - very real.
tomfroekjaer 4 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
Another thing I disliked Domingo is he never improves! He has rather limited techniques. His high note is always a complete and utter disaster. Over 30 years of his career, his singing ability steadily has declined and until recently he claimed himself to be a...BARITONE..what? excuse me...How dare! I listened to his recent Rigoletto. His voice is dark. But never rich. It's only a tenor who lost all of his voice. Over-rated.
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku Regarding Domingo I'm not an expert. Like him very much as a person.
tomfroekjaer 4 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
I know you are humble and behave professionally. Haha. Thanks anyway.
Doooku 4 months ago
@Doooku Well, I guess I'm more of a diplomatic person than that of a professional. I think that everyone has their own "truths" - likes or dislikes. And who I am I to judge?
tomfroekjaer 4 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
I grew up listening to Pavarotti first. And then I found Caruso. I hated it first. I felt it "too heavy, too thick, too deep". And when I grew up a bit more, I found Pavarotti "too light, too shallow, too thin". And Pavarotti's emotion in this song made it like a pop song. It isn't like a young man just lost his love and when he came to her apartment that once was lit, but now is dark.
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku What probably also makes a difference is that it is a Neapolitan song, sung in Neapolitan by Caruso who of course was Neapolitan.
tomfroekjaer 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
You meant that they always sing it with FULL LUNG?
Doooku 5 months ago
@Doooku Yes, full lung (as appropriate).
tomfroekjaer 5 months ago
@tomfroekjaer
The more I listened to this one, the more I felt blown away. What a insanely super singer and technical! the emotion is as deep and as heavy as sea! Dark, rich, powerful, sentimental...speechless.
I have downloaded it and converted it to mp3 to my Ipad.
Thanks much!
Doooku 5 months ago
Superb! TY tom for posting.
paulostroff99 5 months ago
this guy acted and did some singing with the 3 stooges and and one of the stooges kept throwing grapes at him everytime he would open his mouth wide to sing a long note it was funny but i dont remember what was the name of the video where he appears, i think the name of the video is called microphonies or something very funny ha ha ha
suckmyazzz 5 months ago
The English translation for the second verse is actually for an alternative one not sung by Caruso here. It's this:
Va' dint''a cchiesa, e scuopre lu tavuto:
vide nennélla toja comm'è tornata...
Da chella vocca ca n'ascéano sciure,
mo n'esceno li vierme...Oh! che piatate!
amalek80 5 months ago
@amalek80 ...and the translation for the verse sung by Caruso is this:
Goodbye window, stay closed
because now love is not there
I will no longer walk by this window
but walk by the cemetery
Until the day I die and
I am reunited with my love
amalek80 5 months ago
Comment removed
amalek80 5 months ago
Here is an obscure reference: This song is sung in Pasolini's film, Decameron, by three men sitting at a dinner table.
travattore 6 months ago
Whenever the gods want to be heard amongst us mortals, they grace us with someone like Caruso
UlisseDiRosaspada 8 months ago in playlist Canzone napoletana (classica)
Gives me chills.
griphynne 8 months ago
Could you imagine how it felt to hear and see this miracle voice in the concert house and at the opera stage? It must have been totally overwhelming and nothing today compares with the emotional force and the intensive presence as the voice and the humanity of Enrico Caruso. Never ever forgotten.
klokheten 9 months ago 12
@klokheten:One can get an idea when reading accounts of the time. Ledner, his manager in Europe wrote in 1907: He sang Celeste Aida so brilliantly that the applause stopped the show... his Radames reached such heights that those lucky enough to have been present will remember the occasion for the rest of their lives. What happened at the end of this [final] duet [with Emmy Destinn] was not merely applause, but an uproar, a cry of jubilation. The audience clapped, yelled and stamped their feet.
tomfroekjaer 9 months ago
@klokheten Greetings my friend. you are totally right about caruso he was the best and i think that he is still the best.In that time everything most be ready in one take. you cant cut and begin everything again like now. thanks and sorry if i made a gramatical error.
caramonmajere780817 5 months ago
grande Caruso e Vincenzo Bellini che L'ha composta.
aranciaish 9 months ago
¡Qué voz tan grande!!!!!
Ttsita100 9 months ago
Caruso e' un mito e orgoglio italiano
elio721 10 months ago
This has to be one of the better and clearer recording, that give us a better sense of the geat voice.
Michaelbos 10 months ago
@Michaelbos
But only a shadow of the real voice.
Miauriceful 8 months ago
He was the best!!
MrCafiero 10 months ago
@MrCafiero: You know what you are talking about as far as the quality of singing is concerned. I don't know anything about singing, but Caruso's voice and his empathy hits me right in my heart.
tomfroekjaer 10 months ago
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grandissimo!!!
MrBaldaccio 1 year ago
grandissimo!!!
MrBaldaccio 1 year ago
Caruso at his best!
Kenshin22able 1 year ago
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What is your choice here naughty ladie mworld5.info
ilenejyty 1 year ago
Years ago my voice teacher taught me that much of what made Caruso so great went beyond the voice alone; that Caruso was a great man, and that greatness of character came through his God-given miraculous voice. From all I have read of Caruso, he was loving and generous to all people, particularly to his audiences. Perhaps that is why, even with poor recording technology, Caruso continues to captivate those of us fortunate enough to hear him. Thank you Tom.
lewashcliffe 1 year ago
Stumbled into this when looking for another Caruso. Probably the best Caruso i ever herd! I also like a neapolitan song - forgotten the name right now? It strikes me that very often i like Caruso in songs like this better than in many operas. EVEN better i mean! But it must be so that he puts a little bit more feeling into theese songs compared to some of his operas. At least conc. recordings. Live it could have been different?
suffes 1 year ago
@suffes: I think your observation/experience is right. Caruso was a "simple" man with almost no formal education and at the same time an empathetic genious gifted with a divine voice. Many believe to hear the "true Caruso" when he sings the songs in the dialect of his native Napoli - like this one and others, e.g. O sole mio.
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
@suffes This recording was simply incredible. he sang this with FULL voice and FULL emotion which is quite rare in human's singing history. he has a voice twice the size of Pavarotti and 20 times more sincerity!
Doooku 5 months ago
What a voice......what technique....wow.........
arcot9 1 year ago
Caruso’s interpretation of this song is really extraordinary for deepness of feeling, sensitivity, understanding of the text and sheer singing talent. I cannot but agree with those who wrote that listening to this record moves them to tears or gives them a feeling of lump in their throats, and actually I feel sorry for those who can listen to it without being moved. It’s hard to believe that someone could sing this way.
Thank you tomfroekjaer for uploading this and other videos!
El1973 1 year ago 2
@El1973: yes, he does indeed sing with full passion and sensitivity. A great man with a big heart and a big voice. - And you are welcome regarding my videos.
Best, Tom
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
Comment removed
El1973 1 year ago
i only can cry listening to this... to much emotions... true legend.
humpert 1 year ago
@humpert I often get a lump in my throat whenever I hear Caruso sing something like this, too. There's so much emotion in Caruso's voice.
31operafan 1 year ago
I agree that the old "dirty" version is the better. I listened to the re-mastered one first and thought, "Wow, that's great!" Then I listened to the old version and got goose-bumps immediately. I didn't have to think about it. I knew with my whole being. Now the question is whether to listen another 3 or 4 times!
llopatin 1 year ago
@llopatin: yes, I agree with you. The old "dirty" versions are almost always better than the digital remasterings. "Noise removed" unfortunately also means that a spectrum of nuances found in the old recordings are lost - and we've already lost some 50% of his voice in the old recordings.... The young generation, however, is deterred by any added noise - kind of curious - listening to heavy metal and what not !
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
I always feel a little sad when I hear "Fenesta che lucive". Songs can greatly affect people's emotions. Some people don't realize that.
31operafan 1 year ago
"Fenesta che lucive" is definitely not a happy song (it's probably one of the saddest songs I've ever heard), but this is one of my favorite Caruso recordings. I think he sings this with more emotion than any other tenor. You can almost feel the sadness in his voice. I wonder if he was thinking of a loved one who passed away as he sang this---his mother, perhaps?
31operafan 1 year ago
amici napoletani neomelodici,ascoltate,ascoltate,cosi smetterete di cantare.
cerozzoopop 1 year ago
If by any chance someone has Beniamino Gigli's "Fenesta che lucive" it would be very wonderful if you can upload it also. Thanks a lot.
escotoeric 1 year ago
@escotoeric: sorry, Eric. As much as I love Gigli I can't really upload Gigli's version to this channel. My channel is (and probably stupidly so... - but that's what I decided) extremely narrow minded - it's all about Caruso. Hope someone else will !
Best, Tom
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
@tomfroekjaer Thanks anyway. : )
escotoeric 1 year ago
Thanks a lot. :) It would've been so cool to see Caruso in concert. I wish I can go back in time and do that. I would probably meet him, too, and say something like, "You're going to be loved by music lovers even nearly a century after you pass away, and great tenors after you may follow in your footsteps." This is exactly what happened.
31operafan 1 year ago 2
such archaic recording devices and yet what comes through sounds so amazing one can only imagine what he would sound like with todays recording technology
viverito 1 year ago
My favorit melodie, with my favorit singer.
Thank you, grazie, köszönöm!
zelefant hungary
zelefant 1 year ago
the third part:
Addio fenesta, rèstate 'nzerrata
ca nénna mia mo nun se pò affacciare...
Io cchiù nun passarraggio pe' 'sta strata:
vaco a lo camposanto a passíare!
'Nzino a lo juorno ca la morte 'ngrata,
mme face nénna mia ire a trovare!...
vonbiron 1 year ago
vonbiron 1 year ago
Thanks for the video and ofc the translation. :3
figlopdan840822 1 year ago
I've never thought the translation for the second verse was correct. I think it's for another verse not included in this recording.
amalek80 1 year ago
Thank you so much for this precious video. The legend has finally lived up to reality, and my generation (me) is finally realizing why Caruso, was indeed Caruso.
stephenjoeagi 1 year ago
@stephenjoeagi: you are very welcome. I came across Caruso in 1970 (20 years old), but had to wait some 40 years to develop an understanding (and passion for) of how great a singer he was (thus my uploads and my website). Tom
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
i know that casuso sung for a italian cartoon named remi i searched it on internet and was able to locate part of the video but is on italian lenguage
shitthisshit 1 year ago
@shitthisshit: well, that was another Enrico. The tenor that sang in Rimi was called Enrico Carducci.
Caruso died in 1921....
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
Insuperabile.
lennyus1 1 year ago
I have been listening to this song since I was child. None has ever sung it like The King of the Tenors, NONE!
Thank you.
Aetion 1 year ago
ni bien empezó a cantar me acordé de Franco Corelli.........
que bien que cantan Caruso y Corelli
yosoyamorverdadero 1 year ago
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The suggestion of vocal Enrico Caruso will remain unique forever and for all. He was not a simple tenor or the tenor. It was the "voice" for excellence. Basso, baritono and tenore together. Had everything: power, sweetness, expressiveness, color, technique, style and agility. His voice was a universe of colors and emotions can cover the entire musical range.
natolibero63 1 year ago
@natolibero63 It couldn't be said better. Yes, he was THE voice!
Aetion 1 year ago
La suggestione del timbro vocale di Enrico Caruso resterà ineguagliabile per sempre e per chiunque .Egli non era un semplice tenore o il tenore. Era la voce per eccellenza. Basso, baritono e tenore insieme. Possedeva tutto: potenza, dolcezza, espressività, colore, tecnica, eleganza e agilità. La sua voce era un universo di colori ed emozioni capace di coprire lintera gamma musicale.
natolibero63 1 year ago 2
Thanks, dinkipooxa. I am not familiar with the Thomas G Stockham restorations. I'l buy some.
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
Hubo un reinado de grandes tenores Arrancamos con Caruso, quien le dejo su trono a Gigli, este a Bjorling, quien prematuramente fallecio sino hubiera reinado mucho mas, y lo sucedieron Corelli y Bergonzi para dejarles la posta a Kraus y Pavarotti. Desaparecidos estos, no encontramos sucesor lamentablemente, tal vez Flores pero le falta mucho todavia para completarse como el gran tenor.
lpizzella 1 year ago
To me, this interpretation is the reference recording for centuries. No-one - and I mean: no-one - ever came close to it. Caruso did not just sing it, but made it into a personal, heart-touching story. I just know about the contents, I don't understand a word of it. But you just feel how sad the story is. No-one else has ever been able to get this sadness across. That's what makes the difference between a singer and a Caruso.
MaikHaeber 1 year ago 3
Да! Бог!!!!
irakli220570 2 years ago
Tom Caruso is singing this in a higher key than Pavarotti is in Luciano's video .. I would assume this Caruso master was played at slightly too fast a speed. Or taken from a source which wasn't checked... Unless Pavarotti dropped it? Caruso many times was transferred fast but the public at large couldn't tell because the voice still sounded so full - rich and incredibly sustained Must have been unbelivable.live On recordings I believe he got the short end of the stick!
lpvcrcd 2 years ago 2
Quite frustating, lpvcrcd ... ! We'll never really know how Enrico really sounded... The recordings were undoubtedly the best, they were capable of producing at the time, but speed was a wild variable. - I just enjoy his voice, regardless of how it was recorded. It somehow - despite the limitations of recordings - amazingly communicates the beauty of his voice and - not least - his soul.
tomfroekjaer 2 years ago
Agreed Those newer digital transfers with the superimposed orchestra you have put up are vere intersting! Keep up the great work. We appreciate the time effort care and love you put into the uploads Caruso couldn't have had a better friend than you He would feel honored and humbled! Thank you on behalf of all of us who enjoy your channel.
lpvcrcd 2 years ago 3
@tomfroekjaer My Grandmother saw Caruso at the Met around 1918 and she claimed that his recordings didn't do justice to the power of his voice.
little5819 2 years ago
Thanks, little5819, interesting to have known someone who actually heard him sing. I'm sure she was right.
tomfroekjaer 2 years ago
Am 70 now and knew personally a talented lady that studied voice, born in 1884 and told of the night she saw Caruso make his debut in Phila 1903! Never forget her toss her head back and say "Unbelievable GLORIOUS voice!
00193900 1 year ago
@00193900: thank you very much for your account on the lady who heard Caruso live in 1903. Precious. Means a lot to me.
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
@tomfroekjaer I met a few in my youth who heard him. In the 60's I met an NY elderly couple who heard him many times. They said that from the 20's to the 60's no one came close. They rated Bjoerling 2nd as a singer- but not the voice, again no one came close. 6 Degrees: I met a lady a few years ago(she was in her 90's) who studied w/Mary Garden. As I took her hand I realized that she had held the hand that held the hand of Caruso. May sound strange but I became speechless for a second.
Lovelytenor1 1 year ago
@Lovelytenor1: Thanks, Lovelytenor1, for this wonderful contribution/account/story! I never had the privilege of meeting anyone who heard Caruso live. But when I first heard that voice in my youth (around 1970), I knew it was exceptional. It was not only the voice itself, but the intensity of his emotional/spiritual communication that really got me.
And when I listen again to his performance of this song, I think that this uneducated, "primitive" Neapolitan was an utter empathetic genius.
tomfroekjaer 1 year ago
@tomfroekjaer As a child Lanza was the voice I heard. Since I was a boy alto my mother bought me a Caruso LP when I was 9. It was then I knew I wanted to be a singer. I was drafted out of grad school etc & went on w/my life but that voice still inspires me. By the way, thanks for your kind words on my own YT singing.
Lovelytenor1 1 year ago
@Lovelytenor1 He is the best, but I don't understand why BBC rated Caruso 2nd behind Plácido!? By the way, nor Mario del Monaco is between the twenty best ones!
EHQ1 1 year ago
@EHQ1 Well,, BBC is not a tenor. Believe me; & Domingo, Pavarotti, etc, are on YT agreeing w/me; just ask a tenor who was/is the greatest tenor.
Lovelytenor1 1 year ago
Its a GOD.viva Italia,hello from Russia
wedfg145 2 years ago 11
Totally agree. Many regards from Serbia!
StankovicOne 2 years ago 2
감사 드림/ Ffm. 에서 KCC
kcckd 2 years ago 2
3) .., e che per rispetto di due ragazzi italiani che poi andarono a morire ne la prima guerra mondiale, ai quali la cantò "gratis", non registrò mai Santa Lucia Lontana, e per altri motivi nemmeno il Largo Al Factotum, che pure avrebbe potuto cantare.
GIMAGIMA70 2 years ago
2) E voglio pure dire che I Romeni sono gli unici che, per similarità di lingua e per preparazione musicale, ci hanno restituito la Napoli più vera dopo l'Ineguagliabile Caruso, che, non scordiamolo, cantava pure da Basso in Vecchia Zimarra, meglio di Scialiapin (e che la sua anima mi perdoni)..,
GIMAGIMA70 2 years ago
1) Di Enrico Caruso esistono ottime registrazioni anche de I PAGLIACCI e della Lola, del Cantique de Noel eccetera e delle canzoni propriamente napoletane come A' VUCCHELLA eccetera. Per mia fortuna ho avuto il piacere di ascoltare La Napoli cantata dai Romeni quali Nicolae Herlea (con le sue Canzonette, e che su FB non si trovano ancora)...
GIMAGIMA70 2 years ago
Maestro Caruso for all seasons!!!
nedeljko18 2 years ago
Cannot imagine a piece better suited for Carusos voice - bravo! Can clearly here that he really likes to sing this piece. There is an explosivity in his voice wich goes beoynd all other carusos i have heard so far. And Tomfro, i don´t agree that the recording quality is THAT bad. I think this one gives a good understanding of what his voice was like.
Repulsion100 2 years ago 3
Yes, in the Neapolitan songs like this one he was able to fully "let go" and just communicate all the pain ... and glory of Neapoli.
tomfroekjaer 2 years ago
Proporre Pavarotti nel repertorio delle canzoni napoletane è peggio di una bestemmia!!! Ecco chi è stato maestro in questo repertorio: il grandissimo Caruso, al cui confronto Pavarotti fa un figura assai meschina. Che passione, che intensità, che pathos nella voce di Caruso. Inarrivabile!!
Pietraincatenata 2 years ago 10
Concordo pienamente con te, Pietraincatenata!
tomfroekjaer 2 years ago
Anche Di Stefano e Tito Schipa hanno inciso bellissime versioni icanzoni napoletane. E anche Del Monaco, a modo suo.
Marechiare di Schipa che si trova qui su youtube è una cosa inarrivabile.
FabioGhibli 2 years ago
I have to sing this for my grade 5 singing exam. My teacher chose this song for me cuz she sed it was appropiate for my age and cuz it was a happy song. I speak italian but not neapolitan so i didnt know what it meant, but i knew it had something to do with 'sleeping with dead people'. Until now that i had to find the translation. I really do not like the lyrics. I am a happy person and this is kind of.... mm not my sort of thing.... -.-'
FluffballTheGodzilla 2 years ago
No, Norma, not a happy song. But beautiful in its sadness.
tomfroekjaer 2 years ago
¡Qué vozarrón, Dios!
Lluismasi 2 years ago
WOW!!!that was wonderful,the pictures and the whole song & translation.thank you both for this Great treat........so nice.......
LittleModig 2 years ago 2
since childhood i always heard the adults talk of caruso with awe, to listen to this voice comes out of poor recording , my god , no mistake here , the most colorfull and emotional voice ever.thnx for digging up those records.
teymani 2 years ago 3
Listening to Caruso is like hearing your own soul sing to you. He was a force of nature.
badpdx 2 years ago 17
bravo!
rapperchileno 2 years ago 2
My God! What voice! What heart!!
Hobott 2 years ago 16
Yes, even in these poor recordings where much of the overtones have been lost, one can feel why he was called the Voice of The Century and understand why people were willing to pay the equivalent of $1000.- to hear him in a single performance.
tomfroekjaer 2 years ago
Correction to (Part2/2 ) of Fenesta Ca Lucive
Keep a lamp always burning for her
Richardironheart 3 years ago 2
keept a lamp is always burning.
Goodbye window, stay closed and locked
as my beloved can't lean out any more.
I'll never pass this street again
I'm going to the graveyard and take a walk there
till the day that ungrateful death
will make me go and see my beloved one!
(Part2/2) of Fenesta Ca Lucive
Richardironheart 3 years ago 2
Oh window once you shone and now you don't ,a sign that my beloved is sick.
Her sister leans out of her window and tells him:Your little beloved has died and was buried.She always cried she was sleeping alone now she's sleeping together with the dead ones.
Go into the church and open up her coffin
and see how little beloved has changed.
From that mouth where flowers came out
now it's worms coming out, Oh, how desolating! Oh uncle of mine, you as a parishioner, take care of her (Part1/2)
Richardironheart 3 years ago
I meant "worms" not "works"! It's hard to translate this, because the words are not in Italian but from Neapolitan dialect, which is quite different from Italian. Theinkbrain, you did a pretty good translation, actually. I just corrected some parts.
lakecomoitaly 3 years ago
i just saw this - than you most kindly.
theinkbrain 2 years ago
lakecomoitaly 3 years ago
theinkbrain 3 years ago
forgive me, i am not a scholar of italian or neapolitan, but here is my attempt at a translation. corrections will be welcomed.
i first heard this song sung by the late great giuni russo. her voice and these lyrics made an indelible impression on my heart.
theinkbrain 3 years ago
Thank you very much !
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
thankyou very much im from mexico and i love to the wonderful voice of enrico gretins to everyone
caramonmajere780817 3 years ago
You are very welcome, caramonmajere780817.
And greetings from Denmark.
Cheers, Tom
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
.. Well, thanks to our Argentinian friend Gabriel - roeslerswiss.
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
SECOND PART...
Addio fenesta, rèstate 'nzerrata
ca nénna mia mo nun se pò affacciare...
Io cchiù nun passarraggio pe' 'sta strata:
vaco a lo camposanto a passíare!
'Nzino a lo juorno ca la morte 'ngrata,
mme face nénna mia ire a trovare!...
roeslerswiss 3 years ago
Thanks roeslerswiss for the 'translation'! - I've put it up 'more info' with a reference to you. Tom
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Tommy thans and as you can see I don´t wright any language very well.Mine is all did as autodidact lerning.
Do you understand the lyrics from mapolitan to italian? I should try to translate it to english,isn´t hard
Your comments make me feel very,very happy beacause that little thing was worth for you!
Thank you Tommy!!
Gabriel from Argentina
(A guy with a heavy mix of central eureopean races,may be that´s why I understand any quiqckly)
roeslerswiss 3 years ago
Dear Gabriel! The most important thing about languages is that people understand it. Not if it is perfect!
Unfortunatly I do not speak Italian - much less Neapolitan... - But aside from Danish, German and English I speak Swiss German - do you have Swiss ancestors?
If you could translate the text into English, that would be absolutely great!- Maybe you could send it to me as a message? I would then correct any spelling errors and post it under 'more info'.
Cheers, Tom
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
roeslerswiss 3 years ago
Say, did you take this from some available CD? I need to have it!!!
AlexLegionOfFate 3 years ago
Thank you, Tom. Dorothy Caruso told Jussi Bjorling, that his voice was perhaps the closest to her husband's in his generation, & that he was the only tenor who could carry Enrico's mantle. This is interesting, because their respective voices at first, seem polar opposites. Jussi's voice was brilliant, with a profusion of high overtones. Caruso's sounds dark by comparison. Imagine then, the brilliance & radiance of his high overtones that the tin horn couldn't capture!
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Exactly ! Someone whose relatives had heard Caruso live wrote that they said half of the nuances were lost in the recordings.
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
I truly believe, Tom, that to truly appreciate Caruso's voice, It is necessary to have an educated ear. You have to try to conjure up in your mind the tones & nuances that you are NOT hearing, as well as the ones that you can. For example, if you can't hear consonants in his singing, then it stands to reason that you're missing a huge proliferation of vocal harmonics too. Both higher ones, that give a soaring penetrative edge, & lower ones, that give body, sonority & sweetness to the voice. Cont
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Absolutely. I myself go into a trance-like state. Another fellow wrote that he imagines being in Caruso's throat :-)
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Lol. I know what you mean about going into a trance, Tom. Listening to the great singers is like being transfixed to the spot. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. By the way, if you have it, could you please post a video of Caruso singing 'O tu che in seno agli angeli'. It is for me, the greatest singing I have ever heard. Thank you in anticipation, Tom. John
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
I'll see if I have it :-)
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Cont, I find it particularly instructive, that basso's of the period sound thin & anaemic. Also baritones of great stature sound almost tenor like. Soprano's sound like young girls. & huge tenor voices like Lauri-Volpi, Martinelli, & Zanatello, lack the sonority, richness, & the sheer power of Caruso throughout their range. & Zanatello started as a baritone! Yet Caruso has great weight, ring & authority throughout. Just how incredible must his live voice have been??
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Very interesting point you make here and how right you. His voice life must have out of this world. I find it particularly fascinating to read the comments about his voice from contemporary artist. For my Caruso website I collected a number of these and will give you some samples in the next post.
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Continued...
John McCormack in his biography:
'36 years later that voice still rings in my ears, the memory of it will never die.'
Richard Strauss in excitement after hearing Caruso the first time in Berlin:
'He sings the soul of the melody!'
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Cont.
The Geraldine Farrar writes in her biography that she, the first time she stood on stage with Caruso, forgot to sing as she had broken into tears from the beauty of Caruso's voice.
Dr. Marafioti in his book Caruso's Method of Voice Production:
'Caruso was a born singer, and a perfect one, by almost divine and superhuman will. He obeyed the call of his heart rather than technical influences, his sentiment being his only guide in singing. Everything in him was instinctive and intuitive.'
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Thank you, I have Marafoti's book too. I also have the quote from Farrar, except that my qoute is taken from a book by Henry Pleasants, ;The great singers. I think Enrico perfected his technique through trial & error more than technical knowledge as such. He once said; 'Listen to yourself, your own ear will tell you what sounds you've been making'. Caruso was blessed with correct tone concepts. He instinctively understood the sounds that agree with natures law, & which sounds don't.
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Cont.
At a party an overdressed flamboyant woman persisted in demanding answers from Giovanni Martinelli to questions in a loud voice to attract attention. Finally she said, 'Come now, Mr. Martinelli, tell us the truth Caruso was never as good as his press made him to be, is that not the truth? Martinelli swung around and faced his tormentor. 'Madame, put Gigli, Lauri-Volpi and me together make us one tenor and we would not be fit to kiss Carusos shoe tops.' 'Does that answer you?'
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Giovanni Martinelli was a wonderful man. He visited my teacher Benvenuto Finelli in the early 60's when he came to London. He expressed great delight & amazement that Ben could sing freely & easily the high F in Puritani. He was a very humble man, as most of the prodigiously gifted often are. I love the story of McCormack spotting Enrico in a hotel lobby. 'Morning Maestro, & how is the worlds greatest tenor this morning?' Enrico replied, 'And since when John, did you become a baritone?' lovely.
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Leo Blech, conductor and director of the Berlin Staatsoper in the preface to the book Recollections of Caruso (German):
He was beyond all techniques. There was but sonorous spirit manifesting itself in unforgettable dynamic nuances and voice colours.
Great Caruso, beyond the grave I thank and honour you. You brought heavenly sound and glory into our lives.
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Sorry, I meant to mention that I was refering to artists when they recorded using the same process as Caruso.
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Got it!
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
To appreciate the true greatness of Caruso's voice, bear in mind that this was recorded singing into a tin horn scratching vibrations onto a wax cylinder. The resulting recording was then replayed in the 1930's in a large room & re-recorded to pick up sympathetic echo that was missing originally. But none of it captures the incredible overtones, richness, & squillo of his voice, because it was missing from the original recording in the first place. This then is a faint echo of that voice.
hiyadroogs 3 years ago
Thank you for these interesting details.
There is no doubt about his status as The Golden Voice of The Century.
I just read that when the MET visited Paris in 1910 it was decided that no one could get a ticket for Caruso's performances unless they also bought at seat for Otello or Falstaff (conducted by Toscanini, but without Caruso) !
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
Good God,
I truly have never head something like this!!!
It brings tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for uploading
AlexLegionOfFate 3 years ago 2
wow! very memorable for its strength and poinancy.
billjhyt 3 years ago
Who on earth can sing like this?
Definitely by far the best!!!
ywn3 3 years ago 4
...Maybe nobody can sing like this today!
tomfroekjaer 3 years ago
in questa bellissima canzone Caruso e' irragiungibile da tutti.
placido1967 3 years ago
bellisimo
SAMLPCD 3 years ago
gracias por compartir esta melodia con esa voz potente del maestro caruso.
branrobert 3 years ago