Enrico Caruso sings Niedermeyer's Sacred Aria Pietà, Signore

The sacred aria "Pietà, Signore" by Louis Niedermeyer (1802-1861), recorded by Caruso 26. September 1918.

More Caruso info here: http://www.enricocaruso.dk


Text Italian:

Pieta, Signore,
di me dolente!
Signor, pieta,
se a te giunge
il mio pregar:
non mi punisca
il tuo rigor
Meno severi,
clementi ognora,
volgi i tuoi sguardi
sopra di me.
Non sia mai
che nell'inferno
sia dannato
nel fuoco eterno
dal tuo rigor.
Gran Dio, giammai
sia dannato
nel fuoco eterno
dal tuo rigor.


English Translation:

Have mercy, Lord,
on me in my remorse!
Lord, have mercy
if my prayer'rises to you:
do not chastise me
in your severity.
Less harshly,
always mercifully,
look down
on me.
Never let me
be condemned
to hell
in the eternal fire
by your severity.
Almighty God, never let me
be condemned
to the eternal fire
by your severity.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• religious
• arias
• caruso
• niedermeyer
• niedermayer
• pieta
• signore

[santisimas1]

ive sung and studied this song for years and am very greatful to have youtube to review my pieces, and more greatfur for this particular version, as his expression, breath, and level of intention, is what i am hopeing for when i sing it at the end of march. many thanks to the kind person who posted this.

[tomfroekjaer]

@santisimas1: you are very welcome. Tom - the "kind person" who posted this :-)

[31operafan]

What emotion! I think this is the best version of "Pieta, signore" I have ever heard. Ironically, this was sung by Fernando de Lucia at Caruso's funeral three years after this recording was released.

[tomfroekjaer]

@31operafan: didn't know that de Lucia sang this at Caruso's funeral. Thanks !

[paulostroff99]

Can it get any better than this! Bravo!

[maldoror26]

Pure perfection! Thanks!

M.

[GinaxRose]

This piece is by Alessandro Stradella in the 17th century but the recording is fascinating!

[31operafan]

@tomfroekjaer Yes. De Lucia would be considered a rival of Caruso, since he had a strikingly similar voice. I have heard one or two of his recordings, and I couldn't believe how similar his voice was to Caruso's.

[31operafan]

Beautiful. The sound quality is fantastic for a 92-year-old recording. Caruso's voice is just ringing through my headphones right now. And I had the volume cranked up as I'm typing this. XD Thanks for posting these precious recordings. The legacy of Enrico Caruso will live on right up until the world ends, long after every one of us dies. So will the legacy of other great singers.

[coralrabida]

Pero por diosss!!! esta pieza es de la ópera San Juan Bautista de Alessandro Stradella!!!

[tomfroekjaer]

Yes, he did that before La Juive, but also in Hamburg and Berlin before the War. Gershon Sirota's version is really fantastic - just listened to it. Gigli's is good too.

[alainwilliam]

yes he did what before singing La Juive the role of Eleazar there is recording of this Aria by GIGLI to