I look at this photo of Amelita Galli`Curci and she’s in my grandparents home. I have photographs of many Hollywood parties here in my grandparents house with so many famous faces attending. My grandfather Genaro Mario Curci was her opera coach besides her brother in law. The history of my family is very interesting. Much talent this woman had. My grandfather saw that and fine tuned her talents for the world to enjoy for music like this never loses it impact. My grandfather wrote many broadway plays and coached other famous people besides Amelita. I was born too late to have enjoyed those times personally but I’m thankful for these people who gave me such a lush heritage of artistry by the masters! All the art work and furnishing in this photo were passed on so they are very familiar to me. It makes me very happy to read such wonderful comments by intelligent people who know the difference between god given talent and no talent created and hyped up by Hollywood’s studio electronically enhanced music industry of today. That made sense I hope? The hairs stand up on my arms when I hear this wonderful legends voice. And see that still today many people appreciate such beautiful music.
Absolument magnifique, un somptueux joyau! Quelle merveilleuse diction et une ligne de chant exceptionnelle! Mille merci. Absolutely magnificent, pure gem! What a wonderful diction and an exceptional singing line! Thank you so much.
If I was a mighty potentate who lived in a palace built of marble, full of perfumed gardens and cascading fountains, if my life was filled with everything I could ever hope to have in earthly measure, and if I should pause to think what else my life is lacking; then I would think of this song. I would search the planet for another Amelita Galli-Curci. And then I'll send a galley full of gold and bring her to sing this breathtaking song like it was sung in the year of 1917. It was the year before the First World War ended. Think of about it. Caro mio ben. What do the words say? They are simple yet profound, as the greatest of songs should often be. It was a year that young girls would have been longing for their dear beloved, hoping that they would return home soon. My dear beloved, believe me at least, without you my heart languishes. Your faithful one always sighs; cease, cruel one, so much punishment!
Very beautiful. An angelic voice. I also listened to some recordings of Rosa Ponselle. Could it be that sopranos in the old days didn't scream as much as today's sopranos?
She was certainly devoted to the classic Italian, on-the-mask, on-the-breath, style. Her registers are perfectly blended: there isn't even a hint of a break. Some may find it a trifle bland but, as she climbs into the upper middle, the sound is so gorgeous: pure Italianate. Like a 17th Century madrigal singer.
requinte e lirismo nesta foto em preto e branco.Oh!...que saudades das telas com trinta e cinco milímetros com o excepcionais JOHN FORD,WILLIAN WYLER, FRED ZINNEMANN, BILLY WILDER, FRITZ LANG, ALFRED HITCHCOCK!!!
Her voice is REALLY WELL PLACED in the middle-upper range here, as I noticed a couple of weeks ago on another recording she made around the same time.........why didn't she "place" her voice similarly in other instances?? She actually sounds BEAUTIFUL here much of the time - not the least bit coquettish, not the least bit common or plebeian, but actually PURE and RADIANT!!
Her voice DOES falter most distinctly when the pitch descends though - namely while trying to sustain the ends of phrases that are lower pitched, to the point where she virtually goes OFF-PITCH on those notes.....as I also noticed on some of her other recordings, such as "The Last Rose of Summer". Her lower notes do sound great on "La serenata" though - where it was her MIDDLE-UPPER range that, ironically, I despised!! The total *INVERSE* of what I find on "Caro mio ben", almost....curiously.
The moral of the story I guess, is that I've yet to hear Galli-Curci's voice UNIFORMLY well-placed in the lower, middle AND upper ranges - THROUGHOUT a song/aria/recording - as Melba customarily did. Her 3 registers were just probably not nearly as balanced as Melba's in her prime, thus resulting in her voice being better placed in ONE register over the others - either the lower, middle, or upper, depending on the nature of a given piece, and the trajectory required by the melody.
Then: the voice of an Angel; now, an Angel's voice. Perfection.
I look at this photo of Amelita Galli`Curci and she’s in my grandparents home. I have photographs of many Hollywood parties here in my grandparents house with so many famous faces attending. My grandfather Genaro Mario Curci was her opera coach besides her brother in law. The history of my family is very interesting. Much talent this woman had. My grandfather saw that and fine tuned her talents for the world to enjoy for music like this never loses it impact. My grandfather wrote many broadway plays and coached other famous people besides Amelita. I was born too late to have enjoyed those times personally but I’m thankful for these people who gave me such a lush heritage of artistry by the masters! All the art work and furnishing in this photo were passed on so they are very familiar to me. It makes me very happy to read such wonderful comments by intelligent people who know the difference between god given talent and no talent created and hyped up by Hollywood’s studio electronically enhanced music industry of today. That made sense I hope? The hairs stand up on my arms when I hear this wonderful legends voice. And see that still today many people appreciate such beautiful music.
This is lovely.
She sings as beautiful as a bird: absolute perfection!
Absolument magnifique, un somptueux joyau!
Quelle merveilleuse diction et une ligne de chant exceptionnelle!
Mille merci.
Absolutely magnificent, pure gem!
What a wonderful diction and an exceptional singing line!
Thank you so much.
Such clarity and diction in her voice ......A truly wonderful singer and a credit to her homeland.....Greets from Ireland.
If I was a mighty potentate who lived in a palace built of marble, full of perfumed gardens and cascading fountains, if my life was filled with everything I could ever hope to have in earthly measure, and if I should pause to think what else my life is lacking; then I would think of this song. I would search the planet for another Amelita Galli-Curci. And then I'll send a galley full of gold and bring her to sing this breathtaking song like it was sung in the year of 1917. It was the year before the First World War ended. Think of about it. Caro mio ben. What do the words say? They are simple yet profound, as the greatest of songs should often be. It was a year that young girls would have been longing for their dear beloved, hoping that they would return home soon.
My dear beloved,
believe me at least,
without you
my heart languishes.
Your faithful one
always sighs;
cease, cruel one,
so much punishment!
Beautiful comment, Herman, as is the exquisite singing of Galli-Curci.
***** Thanks for enjoying her spine-chilling voice with me! :-)
Thank You Herman. A few pearles surely lost in the usual confab. You really contribute. Again, TNX.
My favourite singer in one of the first songs I learned at Music College. She sings it exquisitely. Thank you.
Veramente straordinaria. Magnifico "caro mio ben"
Thanks a lot for this beautiful song.
oh mio dio, cosa sentono le mie orecchie!?
A beautiful work sung by an equally beautiful voice. Thanks for posting.
simply beautiful!
Very beautiful. An angelic voice. I also listened to some recordings of Rosa Ponselle. Could it be that sopranos in the old days didn't scream as much as today's sopranos?
Bel Canto, where everything is up and back and spinning. No pushing, no working. Sweet.
Welcome, welcome... she is so very special. Thank you! Doug --
Beautiful singing ! Thank you for posting :)
Wonderful!!!!
Beautiful.
calli-curci war eine der besten kolleratursängerinnen des vorigen Jahrhunderts.a first Lady of singing.
@ioSonoCallas
Thank YOU... very much!
She was certainly devoted to the classic Italian, on-the-mask, on-the-breath, style. Her registers are perfectly blended: there isn't even a hint of a break. Some may find it a trifle bland but, as she climbs into the upper middle, the sound is so gorgeous: pure Italianate. Like a 17th Century madrigal singer.
Beautiful!
requinte e lirismo nesta foto em preto e branco.Oh!...que saudades das telas com trinta e cinco milímetros com o excepcionais JOHN FORD,WILLIAN WYLER, FRED ZINNEMANN, BILLY WILDER, FRITZ LANG, ALFRED HITCHCOCK!!!
Nevertheless, I like her "Caro mio ben" almost immeasurably more than most of her other recordings, for the reasons I outlined at the outset.
AGC does not need to sing fast with trills etc. She has a voice and musicality of a special sort.
@bodiloto
Sublime, indeed... thank you!
perfection
Me gusto mucho
A true example of singing on the breath. Caro Mio Bene is deceptively difficult to sing
Perhaps so, perhaps so... thank you!
Her voice is REALLY WELL PLACED in the middle-upper range here, as I noticed a couple of weeks ago on another recording she made around the same time.........why didn't she "place" her voice similarly in other instances?? She actually sounds BEAUTIFUL here much of the time - not the least bit coquettish, not the least bit common or plebeian, but actually PURE and RADIANT!!
Her voice DOES falter most distinctly when the pitch descends though - namely while trying to sustain the ends of phrases that are lower pitched, to the point where she virtually goes OFF-PITCH on those notes.....as I also noticed on some of her other recordings, such as "The Last Rose of Summer".
Her lower notes do sound great on "La serenata" though - where it was her MIDDLE-UPPER range that, ironically, I despised!! The total *INVERSE* of what I find on "Caro mio ben", almost....curiously.
pure io mi chiamo curci
The moral of the story I guess, is that I've yet to hear Galli-Curci's voice UNIFORMLY well-placed in the lower, middle AND upper ranges - THROUGHOUT a song/aria/recording - as Melba customarily did.
Her 3 registers were just probably not nearly as balanced as Melba's in her prime, thus resulting in her voice being better placed in ONE register over the others - either the lower, middle, or upper, depending on the nature of a given piece, and the trajectory required by the melody.
This should be required listening for all vocal students.
Lovely.