A clean upload with no cue 'blip'. The sound, for its age, is quite good though it is variable. Having said that, it's worth exploring for the interpretations. Many thanks for this historic valuable sound document.
Bruno Walter, il quale anziano eseguiva il Ballo in Maschera con una varietà di idee, di dinamica e rapidità di ritmo che prima di lui solamente Toscanini aveva dimostrato possedere
After hearing the Met's most recent mostly mediocre broadcast of this beautiful opera (2/17/24), this outstanding performance is a gift from heaven despite any minor flaws.
This Metropolitan Opera Broadcast from January 15th of 1944 is similar to the other complete recordings of Un Ballo in Maschera from the early 1940's: BRUNO WALTER's conducting elicits both more beauty and more drama from the score than Panizza's rather commonplace time beating (1940); but lacks the elegant lyricism and idiomatic ambience of Serafin's fine work in the EMI studio recording (1943). JAN PEERCE (born Jacob Pincus Perelmuth in 1904) was a very capable singer with excellent breath control. He could not only do justice to Don Ottavio's "Il mio tesoro", but could also sing a fine Florestan in his 57th year conducted by Knappertsbusch (very slowly). He had an extended range, well integrated registers, and a good sense of pitch and rhythm. Unfortunately, his voice had neither the plangent excitement of Martinelli and Björling, or the languid beauty of Gigli and di Stefano. It had a reedy, nasal timbre - rather like a French oboe. If you don't object to that unusual and unidiomatic vocal characteristic (as Toscanini obviously didn't), his elegance and precision make for an enjoyable performance. As in the 1940 opening night broadcast with Björling, MILANOV's technical flaws (excessive portamenti, uncertain pitch, unsteady tone, lack of control) that would bedevil her later career are not overly much in evidence here; and her virtues (floating pianissimi, elegant crescendi, a rich, plush voice with an excellent range, and an exciting delivery) are considerably enhanced by the freshness of youth (I am presently of an age where 38 seems young; you may disagree.) She is an exciting and dramatic Amelia, who (like that other exciting and dramatic Amelia, Maria Callas) could cause occasional winces. Her "Morrò, ma prima in grazia" is outstanding. The young LEONARD WARREN (1911-1960) is a considerable improvement over Bechi (Serafin) and especially Sved (Panizza) as Renato. His voice is not as innately attractive as their voices, but there is a real intelligence visible in his characterization and phrasing. He and Milanov seemed to play off each other emotionally and he follows her "Morrò..." with a great "Eri tu". As Ulrica, the fine Swedish contralto Kerstin Thorborg (1896 - 1970), sings attractively and injects considerable character. She had an extended upper range, a focused and steady tone, and even, well integrated registers. She lacks the idiomatic quality and richly textured voice of Barbieri (Serafin). Frances Greer, the Oscar, had an attractive voice, but doesn't handle the high tessitura and the coloratura as well as Andreva (Panizza) and Ribetti (Serafin). Moscona & Cordon repeat as Sam & Tom; they and the supporting singers are all slightly better than average. The major flaw in this recording is the audio quality. Much of it is only slightly worse than the 1940 performance; but there are patches (unfortunately in important parts) where the quality is poor. There are also several places where the sound drops out entirely for several seconds (Preludio). I have listened to this performance on both "The 40's Label" and the MYTO recordings. They both have mediocre audio quality. Of the two, the audio quality on the hard-to-find "The 40's Label" is slightly superior and avoids the occasional drop-outs of the MYTO, but lacks the commentary of Milton Cross on the latter.
_thomas florio ::_ _thank you for the great background knowledge._ _i know this is off-topic, but i have seen zinka milanov's reaction to marilyn horne's rendition of delilah's aria, but no where is it explained. would you know why ? I've read that milanov was not always nice._
Timeline: 0:00 Preludio Atto 1 03:45 Posa in pace, a' bei sogni ristora 06:48 La rivedrà nell'estasi 10:56 Alla vita che t'arride 15:02 Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle 17:32 Ogni cura si doni al diletto 19:44 Invocazione: Zitti... l'incanto non dessi turbare 21:12 Re dell’abisso, affrettati 34:25 Di' tu se fedele 39:15 È scherzo od è follia Atto 2 46:35 Preludio 50:05 Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa 55:25 Teco io sto / Non sai tu che se l'anima mia 1:06:58 Odi tu come fremono cupi 1:11:16 Ve', se di notte qui con la sposa Atto 3 1:16:36 A tal colpa è nulla il pianto 1:18:31 Morrò, ma prima in grazia 1:24:42 Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima 1:37:37 Di che fulgor, che musiche Finale Terzo 1:40:09 Forse la soglia attinse 1:42:34 Ma se m'è forza perderti 1:48:29 Saper vorreste 1:56:56 Ella è pura, in braccio a morte -------------------------------------
The masterly Bruno Walter conducts Verdi: Here is a splendid "Ballo" with Zinka Milanov, Jan Peerce, and Leonard Warren in their prime! Kerstin Thorborg, Frances Greer, Norman Cordon, and Nicola Moscona are the excellent supporting singers in this memorable Matinée. Fine performance in mediocre sound
The orchestra almost catches fire
in Bruno Walter's soaring lines and explosive accents...
A clean upload with no cue 'blip'. The sound, for its age, is quite good though it is variable. Having said that, it's worth exploring for the interpretations. Many thanks for this historic valuable sound document.
Bruno Walter, il quale anziano eseguiva il Ballo in Maschera con una varietà di idee, di dinamica e rapidità di ritmo che prima di lui solamente Toscanini aveva dimostrato possedere
After hearing the Met's most recent mostly mediocre broadcast of this beautiful opera (2/17/24), this outstanding performance is a gift from heaven despite any minor flaws.
This Metropolitan Opera Broadcast from January 15th of 1944 is similar to the other complete recordings of Un Ballo in Maschera from the early 1940's: BRUNO WALTER's conducting elicits both more beauty and more drama from the score than Panizza's rather commonplace time beating (1940); but lacks the elegant lyricism and idiomatic ambience of Serafin's fine work in the EMI studio recording (1943).
JAN PEERCE (born Jacob Pincus Perelmuth in 1904) was a very capable singer with excellent breath control. He could not only do justice to Don Ottavio's "Il mio tesoro", but could also sing a fine Florestan in his 57th year conducted by Knappertsbusch (very slowly). He had an extended range, well integrated registers, and a good sense of pitch and rhythm. Unfortunately, his voice had neither the plangent excitement of Martinelli and Björling, or the languid beauty of Gigli and di Stefano. It had a reedy, nasal timbre - rather like a French oboe. If you don't object to that unusual and unidiomatic vocal characteristic (as Toscanini obviously didn't), his elegance and precision make for an enjoyable performance.
As in the 1940 opening night broadcast with Björling, MILANOV's technical flaws (excessive portamenti, uncertain pitch, unsteady tone, lack of control) that would bedevil her later career are not overly much in evidence here; and her virtues (floating pianissimi, elegant crescendi, a rich, plush voice with an excellent range, and an exciting delivery) are considerably enhanced by the freshness of youth (I am presently of an age where 38 seems young; you may disagree.) She is an exciting and dramatic Amelia, who (like that other exciting and dramatic Amelia, Maria Callas) could cause occasional winces. Her "Morrò, ma prima in grazia" is outstanding.
The young LEONARD WARREN (1911-1960) is a considerable improvement over Bechi (Serafin) and especially Sved (Panizza) as Renato. His voice is not as innately attractive as their voices, but there is a real intelligence visible in his characterization and phrasing. He and Milanov seemed to play off each other emotionally and he follows her "Morrò..." with a great "Eri tu".
As Ulrica, the fine Swedish contralto Kerstin Thorborg (1896 - 1970), sings attractively and injects considerable character. She had an extended upper range, a focused and steady tone, and even, well integrated registers. She lacks the idiomatic quality and richly textured voice of Barbieri (Serafin).
Frances Greer, the Oscar, had an attractive voice, but doesn't handle the high tessitura and the coloratura as well as Andreva (Panizza) and Ribetti (Serafin). Moscona & Cordon repeat as Sam & Tom; they and the supporting singers are all slightly better than average.
The major flaw in this recording is the audio quality. Much of it is only slightly worse than the 1940 performance; but there are patches (unfortunately in important parts) where the quality is poor. There are also several places where the sound drops out entirely for several seconds (Preludio).
I have listened to this performance on both "The 40's Label" and the MYTO recordings. They both have mediocre audio quality. Of the two, the audio quality on the hard-to-find "The 40's Label" is slightly superior and avoids the occasional drop-outs of the MYTO, but lacks the commentary of Milton Cross on the latter.
_thomas florio ::_
_thank you for the great background knowledge._
_i know this is off-topic, but i have seen zinka milanov's reaction to marilyn horne's rendition of delilah's aria, but no where is it explained. would you know why ? I've read that milanov was not always nice._
@@cliffgaither here you'll find 251 comments/explanations: ua-cam.com/video/Mo5v3aeSigc/v-deo.html
Registrazione eccezionale visto che ha quasi 76 anni, cast stellare direzione ai limiti della perfezione cosa volere di più?
I have never heard Bruno Walter conducting Italian opera.
Timeline:
0:00 Preludio
Atto 1
03:45 Posa in pace, a' bei sogni ristora
06:48 La rivedrà nell'estasi
10:56 Alla vita che t'arride
15:02 Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle
17:32 Ogni cura si doni al diletto
19:44 Invocazione: Zitti... l'incanto non dessi turbare
21:12 Re dell’abisso, affrettati
34:25 Di' tu se fedele
39:15 È scherzo od è follia
Atto 2
46:35 Preludio
50:05 Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa
55:25 Teco io sto / Non sai tu che se l'anima mia
1:06:58 Odi tu come fremono cupi
1:11:16 Ve', se di notte qui con la sposa
Atto 3
1:16:36 A tal colpa è nulla il pianto
1:18:31 Morrò, ma prima in grazia
1:24:42 Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima
1:37:37 Di che fulgor, che musiche
Finale Terzo
1:40:09 Forse la soglia attinse
1:42:34 Ma se m'è forza perderti
1:48:29 Saper vorreste
1:56:56 Ella è pura, in braccio a morte
-------------------------------------
The masterly Bruno Walter conducts Verdi: Here is a splendid "Ballo" with Zinka Milanov, Jan Peerce, and Leonard Warren in their prime! Kerstin Thorborg, Frances Greer, Norman Cordon, and Nicola Moscona are the excellent supporting singers in this memorable Matinée.
Fine performance in mediocre sound
1944 live recording with primitive technique. So, what can you expect?
Magnifique en soi, mais pratiquement inécoutable : le son est VRAIMENT atroce !