Soprano Nellie Melba: HAMLET ~ Mad Scene / Distance Test & Full Studio Recording (1910)

Australian soprano Nellie Melba (1861-1931) / Distance Test (excerpts from Ophelia's Mad Scene) / Hamlet (Shakespeare; Thomas) / Recorded: May 11, 1910 / FULL studio recording of commercially issued disc (abbreviated version of Ophelia's Mad Scene: Des larmes de la nuit / Recorded: August 25, 1910)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Coloratura
• Soprano
• Nellie
• Melba
• Hamlet
• Ophelia
• Mad
• Scene
• 78
• rpm
• Phonograph
• Silhouette
• CurzonRoad

[vstasov]

Wonderful archiving - many thanks for this historically important recording.

[CurzonRoad]

Thank you, Stasov, indeed very, VERY much! Doug --

[Kievest]

One of the most astounding interpreta- tions of madness or psychological rock bottom I have had the privilege to hear! Melba employs her astonishing vocal technique in service to Ophelia's stream of deranged consciousness. She fashions wistful threads of sound, unholy barks, exquisite lyricism and poignancy into a spellbinding tour de force! The score by Thomas is the bedrock of this brilliant recording. Thank you for honoring us with this treasure!

[CurzonRoad]

Dear Kievest: WOW! Thank YOU very, very, V-E-R-Y much!

[vstasov]

Kievest, you leave such erudite comments, art in themselves.

[CurzonRoad]

I second this comment.... truly art in themselves!

[rupepill]

@andyrawn

All three of these people - Melba, Muzio and Matthau - interest me greatly, for various reasons. Would you mention which Muzio recording Mr Matthau left on your answering machine, plase? Thank you.

[rupepill]

Reportedly, a fellow Australian enthusiastically described her voice as being, "strong as a bullocky's" - a reference to the power needed by a driver to catch the attention of draft bullocks.. The attendant problem for sound engineers with recording such a robust voice was its likelihood to cause blasting/damage to the groove walls. So, for Melba, it was always a case of compromise; in mind, her artistic Mother Mathilde, urging a ringing, even when soft tone, while engineers pleaded otherwise.

[minacciosa]

She would be a giant even today.