The Great Gigli Sings Scarlatti's "O Cessate di Piagarmi."

[EdmundStAustell]

@NMEnrique Yes, true, and his first "role" if you can call it that, was as a woman, when he was 15:-) Great training. I don't think he ever altered his technique much from his childhood days as a child chorus singer.

[minnie888444]

Beautiful interpretation, with a better sense of style here than a recording of Ombra mai fu by him, which was too influenced by operatic Romanticism.

It's good to compare Gigli's melancholic, introspective version of O Cessate with Gobbi's more dramatic one with great pianissimi. Very different, both wonderful renditions. Now I'm going to Tebaldi's.

Thanks for posting this rare jewel.

[EdmundStAustell]

@minnie888444 And thank YOU, my friend, for most articulate, and well informed comment! Always appreciated.

[tenorschofield]

What a sweet and ballanced voice he had!!!. I like very much Gigli, but to be honest is very hard to understand fully what he is doing.He adviced his students not to imitate him. The experts described him as an extremly elastic and round voice, that even mantaining a fullness in his sound, also achieved "angelical" touchs, with a rare charm, never surpased by none. Thanks for sharing as always, and contribuiting to musical culture. Truly yours my friend.

[EdmundStAustell]

@tenorschofield @tenorschofield Thank you very much indeed for your comment! Yes, there is not much "method" there. Basically, he started singing as a child--a boy soprano--and continued singing that way all his life. His first role, on stage, was at age15 portraying a female. He voice was so high, he sounded like a young woman. If you are interested, I wrote a piece on Gigli on my blog, GREATOPERASINGERSdotBLOGSPOTdo­tCOM under November 2, 2009 in the right hand side-bar. Edmund

[meltzerboy]

Beauty of tone and color, musical line, and dynamic and emotional expression are interwoven in Gigli's singing. His voice and singing are instantly recognizable and individual; he is a complete and supreme artist, one of the truly greatest lyric tenors on record. Thanks for sharing, Edmund.

[EdmundStAustell]

@meltzerboy Amen. I couldn't agree more. Probably my favorite all time tenor. He had it all, as you so rightly indicate.