[kappablanca]

I recently came across a remastering of Battistini's 1898 Edison cylinder recording of Wolfram's aria (he's 42 at the time of recording, the youngest we'll ever hear him). It's one of the most beautiful recordings I've ever heard. I don't think any further comments are necessary. Enjoy!

 

[ewilkros]

I recently came across a remastering of Battistini's 1898 Edison cylinder recording of Wolfram's aria (he's 42 at the time of recording, the youngest we'll ever hear him). It's one of the most beautiful recordings I've ever heard. I don't think any further comments are necessary. Enjoy!

This would appear to be the 1911 Milan recording (with orchestra), not the 1898 privately recorded cylinder (with piano, as far as can be heard, and which breaks off in mid-aria since the cylinder had only a 2-minute capacity), or the 1902 Milan G&T recording (with piano, and where Battistini makes a late entrance early on). Did you post the cut you meant to?

 

[PaulFranz]

As regards the actual 1898 recording, it shows something interesting: his low notes did worsen as he aged, and likely were not always as awful as they are in most of his commercial recordings. Lots of reviews talk about how great he is in rôles like Tannhäuser, whereas when he recorded the arias, he struggled with C half the time. Not ideal. He recorded Abendstern four times, and the cylinder is the lowest key he recorded it in.

Not perfect evidence, but it's what we have, and it is analogous with Ruffo's career.

 

[kappablanca]

This would appear to be the 1911 Milan recording (with orchestra), not the 1898 privately recorded cylinder (with piano, as far as can be heard, and which breaks off in mid-aria since the cylinder had only a 2-minute capacity), or the 1902 Milan G&T recording (with piano, and where Battistini makes a late entrance early on). Did you post the cut you meant to?

Thank you very much for the detective work. I was under the assumption that Battistini only recorded the aria twice, once in 1898 and once in the early 1920s. After I saw that the uploader described this one as and "cylindre d'Edisson" I just assumed it was the 1898 one, which I haven't listened to in a while. So, he's 55 in the recording I posted.

I have also found that Battistini was never as immune to the sands of time as many say he was. There is a very clear decay in his abilities throughout the years: his ability to keep his vibrato as consistent diminishes, as does his skill in all those gruppettos and grace notes.

I do wish I could buy that Battistini biography that Thomas Hampson wrote the forward to, but there is no way that's happening when the e-book sells for 150 dollars for no apparent reason.

 

[Bonetan]

I do wish I could buy that Battistini biography that Thomas Hampson wrote the forward to, but there is no way that's happening when the e-book sells for 150 dollars for no apparent reason.

Wonderful book! I picked it up during the pandemic and enjoyed it very much. I refer to it often. I hope you'll be able to find it cheaper.

 

[ewilkros]

I do wish I could buy that Battistini biography that Thomas Hampson wrote the forward to, but there is no way that's happening when the e-book sells for 150 dollars for no apparent reason.

For $150 one could buy two copies of Marston's 6-CD "Complete Battistini" set (CD 6 would run a bit short with only Battistini on it, so we get 10 Giuseppe Bellantoni tracks as a makeweight):

Marston Records | Home

Home page of Marston Records. New release, promotions, and the latest information of the company.

www.marstonrecords.com

(For free one can download all of Michael Aspinall's extensive liner notes from the same link)

 

[PaulFranz]

I do wish I could buy that Battistini biography that Thomas Hampson wrote the forward to, but there is no way that's happening when the e-book sells for 150 dollars for no apparent reason.

The English translation is available for free. If anyone can read French, I highly recommend the original, which differs in a number of ways from the translation. But I mean really read French--Chuilon writes quite literarily. Anyway, here's the English translation:

Mattia Battistini: King of Baritones and Baritone of Kings - PDF Free Download

Mattia Battistini King of Baritones and Baritone of KingsJacques Chuilon Translated by E. Thomas GlasowThe Scarecro...

epdf.pub

 

[PaulFranz]

I have also found that Battistini was never as immune to the sands of time as many say he was. There is a very clear decay in his abilities throughout the years: his ability to keep his vibrato as consistent diminishes, as does his skill in all those gruppettos and grace notes.

People often say that he showed no signs of age, which is absolutely preposterous, but we still need to give him his due: he may be the best-aged singer on record. Sometimes, when a recording comes on, I can't even tell whether it's from 1913 or 1921 or 1924. He has an outstanding Pour tant d'amour and Urna fatale at 68 years old! He has all his high notes all the way to his death, and hits a few G#s at 65. I can't name a single other singer that made so many recordings in their sixties of such demanding material, with a full dynamic, timbral, and pitch complement. And his vibrato only got truly dicey on some covered notes, which is amazing: no real slowness on anything open!

Many early singers aged well, but they sang less- and less-demanding material as they aged.

I also don't really think the gruppetti and grace notes suffered. His Vittoria, vittoria is blazingly fast, as an example of agility at 65 (while he badly misses the low notes).

 

[ScottK]

WoW !!!

 

[kappablanca]

The English translation is available for free. If anyone can read French, I highly recommend the original, which differs in a number of ways from the translation. But I mean really read French--Chuilon writes quite literarily. Anyway, here's the English translation:

Mattia Battistini: King of Baritones and Baritone of Kings - PDF Free Download

Mattia Battistini King of Baritones and Baritone of KingsJacques Chuilon Translated by E. Thomas GlasowThe Scarecro...

epdf.pub

This does not seem to be the most legal option available. Thank you for sending it, though; I will find the act of definitely avoiding the viewing or downloading of this PDF very insightful and intriguing.

 

[ewilkros]

As regards the actual 1898 recording, it shows something interesting: his low notes did worsen as he aged, and likely were not always as awful as they are in most of his commercial recordings. Lots of reviews talk about how great he is in rôles like Tannhäuser, whereas when he recorded the arias, he struggled with C half the time. Not ideal. He recorded Abendstern four times, and the cylinder is the lowest key he recorded it in.

Not perfect evidence, but it's what we have, and it is analogous with Ruffo's career.

I see that Marston has transferred all four "Abendstern" recordings as having been done up a half-step (in A). I trust Marston implicitly in these matters.

 

[PaulFranz]

I see that Marston has transferred all four "Abendstern" recordings as having been done up a half-step (in A). I trust Marston implicitly in these matters.

Check again. The earliest is up a half step, in Ab, and the next three are up a whole step, in A.

 

[ewilkros]

Check again. The earliest is up a half step, in Ab, and the next three are up a whole step, in A.

Quite. Dam' fine-print font.