The Mapleson Cylinders - Jean de Reszke in L ´Africaine

[superwhooper69]

Its dreadful.

Why do you bother posting such nonsense.

[gmmix]

It's astounding how much orchestra can be heard every so often. Considering the distance from recording horn to the vocalists it's a wonder he captured any singing at all. The recordings where you can really hear the artists were probably cut using a properly warmed-up cylinder. As they cooled, there was a loss of volume. Consequently, some of the cylinders were louder near the beginning of the recording.

[librarybob1958]

It's interesting that, during his first couple years in America, Enrico Caruso always maintained that he was essentially fighting a ghost, following De Reszke's retirement two years earlier. "Everytime I open my mouth to sing," Caruso wrote, "one of these critics will say, 'Oh, yes. Beauty, firm tone, everything which is to be expected in an ITALIAN voice. BUT JEAN!'"

Going by what evidence there is, Caruso had little to worry about. Both men succeeded on their own terms. Apples and oranges.

[explosionsfrommybutt]

AM I really the only person who loves this surface noise? Stuff is crazy!

[AulicExclusiva]

An experienced listener of such hisorical material can get a good idea of what these fabulous singers, who never recorded commercially, sounded like. Especially, here, the unique Lucienne Bréval, a real, and very great, French dramatic soprano.

She is buried at the Parisian cemetery of Passy, not far from Gabriel Fauré.

[njtenor57]

this is truly historical stuff here....from those of us who would have given anything just to hear his speaking voice...now actually can hear his singing voice...thank you much for posting this!

[inter215]

It should also be noted that Lucienne Breval never made a commercial record. So these live recording by Mapleson are the only documented recordings of her voice. Despite the enormous amount of surface noise what thrilling singing still comes through from both singers in this performance.

[Kievest]

Thank you for this great archival treasure!

The surface noice is daunting but the

glory of the singing cannot be denied!

Priceless to hear even a fragment of

the immortal Jean deReszke!

[alainwilliam]

thanks i have heard Edouard de reske-Victor MaurelTamagno -Adelina Patti before but never before Jean de Reske Thanks Gracias

[stevevandien]

The surface noise is annoying, but what a THRILL to hear the full, live MET orchestra in 1901. Not to mention what we can hear of de Reszke and Breval. I'm a techno-dummy:).  But there must be some way, using digital or other contemporary technology, to cut the surface noise and make the voices more prominent. Not that the result would be high fidelity -- just better than the original:) --

[jaaaaaayynnee]

Well done for uploading this for posterity!

Subscribe to me because there is a possibility I can get another recording of Jean.

Thanks!

[eddunbar]

this and the other Mapelsons .... is all there is of one of the most famous tenors of all times ...

[angelparsifal]

What do you think about that?