Ah, yes. Thanks for that. Spotted the post, but failed to put two + two together . . .

The arrival of a DVD, a 4 CD set and a 100pp paperback 'The Unpublished Letters'; all under the umbrella of John McCormack (1884-1945), Icon of an Age, The Anthology; quickly set me spinning as it indicated a most inviting treasure trove.

Even sampling the recordings and browsing the paperback of Letters, I sensed that McCormack probably had the same performance qualities I so enjoyed in Carlo Bergonzi's platform and operatic work: an initial unassuming presence but, as soon as he sang, he became a natural communicator of the emotional sense - truth? - in a song or aria.  Stylistic grace, focussed tone along with a thrilling grasp of the power of the word in singing.   McCormack's eloquence here is absolute.   

In the last day or two, even the chore of raking leaves in my garden has been lightened as I hum the tunes of so many well known ballads.    John McCormack made literally hundreds of recordings but listening to Hugo Wolf's Anakreans Grab and Ganymed, I regret the shortfall in his Wolf recordings.   Walther von Stolzing's, Morgenlich leuchtend is also a treat and it was good to hear the sadness and irony in Off to Philadelphia.   I'll also dig into my vinyl collection to see whether there is a further selection of Handel.

CD 3 offers a selection of Unpublished Recordings and the final CD is a selection of Golden Voices:  Patti, Tamagno, Battistini, de Lucia, Melba, Bonci, Tetrazinni, Butt, Caruso, Zenatello, Garbin, Chaliapin, Gluck, Galli-Curci, Bori, Muzio (ah me!), Tauber, Plunket Greene, O'Sullivan and JC Doyle.

 JC Doyle is recipient and originator of postcards and letters with McCormack, covering the years 1906/07.    Indeed, the Dublin baritone shared a concert platform with John McCormack and James Joyce in 1904.   Joyce abandoned a singing career but included references to both in Ulysses.   

"When Leopold Bloom had brought breakfast up to his wife Molly he asked her what she intends singing.  'La ci darem with JC Doyle, she said, and 'Love's Old Sweet Song'.     In another passage when Leopold Bloom is asked by Mr Power, 'Have you good artists?'  Bloom replies, 'O yes, we'll have all topnobbers.  JC Doyle and John MacCormack (sic) I hope and.  The best, in fact"     McCormack was also the model for Shaun the Post in Finnegan's Wake.

I'm now saving the DVD for the weekend but this is already a rare package; such a treat.

I am UTTERLY ignorant of the music of Tippett, not having heard A SINGLE NOTE of any of his works. Think I would I like it?

r,

A very wise choice, particularly as if Mr Dish cares to inspect a consignment sent in his direction a few weeks back, he might well discover that someone else had independently reached the same conclusion, and furnished him with a performance of this very work...

That would have been my second choice. Also much to be said for King Priam if you like that kind of thing (ie. opera) (thank you time_is_now).

NS: Smetana - Ma vlast (Norrington)

(the waterlooish location of my temporary place of work yesterday enabled me to take advantage of Gramex's 50%-off-everything sale, at which I became a little too enthusiastic, to the point of inadvertently acquiring two recordings of Schnittke's 8th symphony)

Which one, Bryn? 'Ma' or 'vlast'? (Oh we are all being horrible to you tonight aren't we!)

PS You're welcome, richard barrett.

Try and redefine that one, Kitty.