Carlo Galeffi - Il balen del suo sorriso [Il trovatore] - 1911 version

Yes, his 1926 recording of "Il balen" is legendary. In my view—and not *just* mine but that of many connoisseurs over the past 100 years—it is the finest recording of the aria in the history of recorded sound.

In the earlier version, though, made on Edison Amberol cylinder (30043), we get a clue as to the quality of his voice before he spent 4 years in the trenches of WWI, how his voice sounded when he first arrived in America (where he was especially lauded in Chicago), and a basis of comparison for what features of his interpretation were well formed in his younger years and which he developed over time. But present in both recordings are his stunningly velvety tone, incisive "diction" (which is really just a result of a keen ear and imagination on top of a profoundly free and efficient mechanism and technique), easy high notes that ring out like a bell no matter the volume/dynamic. Unlike the 1926 version, though, we get to enjoy the opening recitative.

Galeffi is easily in my top 3 most loved and most listened-to baritones of all time. He is the Verdian baritone in excelsis. I encourage aficionados and voice students alike to dive into his discography; it is a universe apart from whatever people think they mean when they say "Verdi baritone" today.

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This channel is primarily about vocal emission—aural examples of basically correct singing, correct impostazione—chiaroscuro, vowel clarity, firm and centered pitch, correct vibrato action, absence of throatiness or thickness, sounds free from constriction and from the acoustic noise that accompanies it—with occasional video examples that demonstrate what the body, face, mouth, jaw, and tongue look like when used with correct impostazione—the vocal emission of the one and only Italian school.

Caveat: I'm biased in favor of baritones and baritone literature, but if you want to learn about and listen to all the greatest singers in the old-school tradition, explore this spreadsheet (voice parts are separated by tabs): https://bit.ly/2W4qmE3

#Baritones #Opera #BelCanto

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