CLAUDIA MUZIO 1934 Songs REFICE REGER Donaudy Deubssy78

$

25

WEEK 4 of 4 weeks of great auctions

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I am currently selling a series of great Richard Wagner and classic European 78 rpm orchestral recordings on all the great European labels:

This is the great Album called Claudia Muzio Song Recital Columbia MM 289 where she does a delightful series of lesser known charming songs, among them two songs by Priest Licinio Refice, who composed a whole Opera - Sta Cecilia - for her. These are her final recordings shortly before her untimely death recorded in Rome in 1934 - 35 

*Cond Lorenzo Molajoli: Pergolesi Se Tu M Ami/ Max Reger: Mariae Wiegenlied (La Ninna-Nanna della Viergine)

*Cond Lorenzo Molajoli: Debussy Beau Soir/ Delibes Bonjour Suzon

Cond Lorenzo Molajoli: Donaudy Del Mio Amato Ben/Pergolesi Se Tu M Ami

cond  Recife: Ave Maria/ Umbra di Number

Cond Lorenzo Molajoli: Delibes Les Filles de Cadix/Bainbridge Crist C'est Mon Ami

*2x 10" green label 3x 12" Blue silver label Columbia 78 rpm records with original album and notes

Condition: EXCELLENT  one faintest scratch on C'est, need cleaning, album great

CHECK MY OTHER AUCTIONS For the MUZIO OPERATIC ARIAS companion Album !!!

How can one even try to put into words the phenomenon of Claudia Muzio.

The greatest singer-actress of her time (think about Callas without the histrionics and a much better voice)

The best evidence is when you read from other singers of her time: there are always singers, and then there is MUZIO on a godess-like pedestal. Singers and audience alike always went gaga over her passionate impersonations of the famous opera heroins.

To present a quote from my favorite website - cantabile-subito.de, where you will also find soundfiles:

The tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi wrote of Muzio “singing with that unique voice of hers made of tears and sighs and restrained interior fire.” The best years, around 1930, were probably her best, precisely the years in which she did not record! Between 1924 and 1934 there is a ten-year gap. The missing period would seem to be the very one in which her interpretations had matured while her voice was still in prime condition. The early records may lack the intensity and creativeness of her later recordings, and in the famous Columbias one is aware of some physical limitations (uneasy high notes, flatness, mannerisms in style and enunciation, vowels!), but there is a pathos, an inner committment and charm in her singing that is immensely moving and touching. Only a few sopranos equalled her in this aspect of emotional involvement.

To learn more about Muzio, read the delightful accounts of Muzio's companion May Higgings in Following a Star (opens a pdf file)

http://www.mrichter.com/opera/files/follstar.pdf#search='Claudia%2520Muzio%2520Higgins'

Unfortunately, because of personell politics, she never had a big career at the Met, but excelled in Chicago and San Francisco. That in part prevented her from a major recording career.

We are fortunately enough that someone put her performance of Act I Tosca at the 1932 opening of the new built SF opera house on disc. Other than that, precious little has Muzio recorded: There are a smattering of early Pathes, some great 1920 Edisons (on auction now), then nothing for a long time, and then a year before her death about 20 sides recorded in Rome (in auction now).

Unbelievable as it is, Muzio did not record after 1920, and only a year before her death, in 1934/35 did she record a few electric sides in Rome.

Italian soprano, 1889 - 1936

Biographical notes:

Her father was a stage director at Covent Garden and the Met, her mother a chorus singer. Among her teachers was Annetta Casaloni, Verdi’s first Maddalena in Rigoletto, who probably helped her to obtain engagements at Turin in 1911/13/14. She made her debut in Massenet’s Manon (Arezzo 1910). In the Covent Garden summer season she attracted considerable attraction in some of her best roles as Desdemona, Margherita in Mefistofele, Tosca and Mimì, but was never to return to that theatre. In the USA, however, she quickly became a much admired member, first of the Met company (debut there as Tosca), where she remained for seven seasons and reappeared briefly in 1934 (and where she sang Giorgetta in the premiere of Puccini’s Trittico). She also appeared at the Chicago Opera where she made her debut as Aida in 1922 to which she returned for nine seasons.  During  this period she was also much in demand in the principal South American opera houses. In Italy she made some notable appearances under Toscanini at la Scala in 1926/27, but thereafter sang mostly in Rome.  Muzio’s repertory embraced all the leading Verdi and Puccini roles, as well as those of the verismo school. Her stage presence must have been most impressive. In private life she was dignified and withdrawn. It was a widely held belief that she had no private life but was devoted wholly to her work. On stage she was the great tragedienne, the Duse of the lyric theatre. Muzio died at an early age of 47. Various sources speak of heart desease, suicide, cancer, kidney-desease and even poison...

 Comment:

The tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi wrote of Muzio “singing with that unique voice of hers made of tears and sighs and restrained interior fire.” The best years, around 1930, were probably her best, precisely the years in which she did not record! Between 1924 and 1934 there is a ten-year gap. The missing period would seem to be the very one in which her interpretations had matured while her voice was still in prime condition. The early records may lack the intensity and creativeness of her later recordings, and in the famous Columbias one is aware of some physical limitations (uneasy high notes, flatness, mannerisms in style and enunciation, vowels!), but there is a pathos, an inner committment and charm in her singing that is immensely moving and touching. Only a few sopranos equalled her in this aspect of emotional involvement.

Claudia Muzio as Tosca (Act 2)
 

Claudia Muzio and Giuseppe de Luca in Giordano’s Andrea Chénier

My favorite recordings:

Pathé recordings 1917/1918:

- Suicidio! (Title role in La Gioconda / Ponchielli)

- O patria mia (Title role in Aida / Verdi)

- Teneste la promessa...Addio  del passato (Violetta in La Traviata / Verdi)

Edison recordings 1920 - 1925:

- La mamma morte (Maddalena in Andrea Chénier / Giordano)

- Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (Title role in La Wally / Catalani)

- Ammogliato...Dir che ci sono al mondo (Title role in Zazà / Leoncavallo)

- Doven son? (Title role in La Wally / Catalani)

- L’altra notte in fondo al mare (Margherita in Mefistofele / Boito)

- Sorgi, o padre (Bianca in Bianca e Fernando / Bellini)

 - O madre, dal cielo soccorri al mio pianto (Giselda in I Lombardi / Verdi)

- Mercè, dilette amiche (Elena in I Vespri Siciliani / Verdi)

Columbia recordings 1934/1935:

 Per amor di Gesù porgete il core (Refice)

 - Colombetta (Buzzi-Peccia)

- Mi chiamano Mimì (Mimì in La Bohème / Puccini)

- Teneste la promessa...Addio  del passato (Violetta in La Traviata / Verdi)

- Poveri fiori (Title role in Adriana Lecouvreur / Cilea)

 Quick NOTE ON GRADING AND SHIPPING:

As you can see from my feedback, I try hard to earn your POSITIVE FEEDBACK and FIVE STAR RATINGS.

If for any reason your transaction was NOT SATISFACTORY, pls contact me and I will work something out with you. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A REASON TO GIVE ME A NEGATIVE RATING or a LOW STAR RATING.

Quick note on grading:

The Grade (Excellent to Fair, I don't give Mint) refers to the WEAR of the record. Any other defects are stated separately, when prefaced with "HOWEVER" or "BUT" they will be significant.

When I listen to a record, I may also give it an aural grade (again E to F), and make a SUBJECTIVE judgment of the pressing quality for hiss and surface noise.
"SUPERQUIET" is basically noiseless, like a vinyl pressing.
"VERY QUIET" is an exceptionally quiet record for a given pressing.
"Quiet" is a record that is a great example without undue noise for a give pressing.

These judgments are SUBJECTIVE and will depend one the styli, phonograph etc. you use on your own equipment.

Pls check my other auctions for more great records and phonograph items:

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Multiple item shipping: I am happy to combine items for shipment in one parcel.

If you win multiple items, pls send me an INVOICE REQUEST to calculate the correct postage. Ebay check out will not give you the multiple item discount!

Records will be packed safely between corrugated cardboard in a sturdy box with plenty of padding for safe shipment.

Shipment is usually Media Mail, unless another service is requested. Shipping is at your risk, I will be happy to insure items at your cost.

I charge actual postage plus a small fee for packing materials

As always, I guarantee your satisfaction. If you don't like the item, just return it, and I will refund the full purchase price.

If you are in the San Francisco area, I encourage pick-up in person.

EBAY NOW CHARGES 9% on all SHIPPING CHARGES
Also, USPS has increased postal rates. Since I am always shipping at cost, I am sorry to say that after keeping my shipping rates stable for 5 years, I unfortunately now have to increase the prices.

However, if you are interested in lowering you shipping cost, pls send me a message, and I may be able to arrange for better rates !!!

Here a quick breakdown of my costs, you see that due to the new Ebay policy you will pay anywhere from $.50 to $.80 in additional Ebay fees on the first record

US Domestic Shipping:

Here is a guideline for US Media Mail Shipping:

Prices below are for regular 78 rpm records. Up to about 5 records, I will ship Edison Discs for the same rates. Albums from Album Sets count as 1 record. Above that and for international shipments, it will be actual weight plus a small packing charge (1-3$ depending on size of shipment)

1 record: 4.75$

2 records: 5.75$

5 records: 7.50$

10 records: 9.50$

MANY MORE RECORDS: Don't worry. I safely ship 40 - 50 pounds of records double boxed in moving boxes, and even then Media Mail will probably not exceed 30$.

The numbers above include the 9% Ebay fee on shipments.
Pls ignore the automatically calculated prices on the ebay site, as I will weigh every parcel and charge based on actual weight.

Please send me a message if you would like to lower your shipping rates!

International Buyers:

All'attenzione degli acquirenti italiani:

ATTENTION TO ITALIAN BUYERS:

Due to rare problems with delivery in ITALY, I will NOT GUARANTEE delivery of parcels sent by US Postal Service First Class and Priority Mail. If you prefer secure delivery, I will be happy to quote you either Registered Mail or shipment by FEDEX

I am very happy to ship records worldwide.

Prices below are for regular 78 rpm records. For Edison Discs in  international shipments, it will charge for the actual weight plus a small packing charge (1-2$) - for small quantities, it will not be much different from the charge for regular 78s.

Pls contact me for a shipping estimate, or send me an invoice request after close of auction.

Be aware that US Postal Rates can be high. Here are some examples.

Your best bet is the Large Priority box, everything that fits into a 12"x12"x5 1/2" box up to 20 pounds ships for 60$ (35$ Canada) worldwide.

However, I can get competitive rates from FedEx and the US Postal service for any kind of parcel weight

Africa, Eastern Asia and Japan as well as Europe

1 record = 2 lbs $25 - $28

4 lbs = $37

20 lbs or all that fits into a 12"x12"x 5 1/2" box ((12" albums won't fit)= $60

I may be able to get some better FedEx rates.
Pls email with your address for an estimate.

Canada

1 record = 2 lbs $ 11 - $13

4 lbs = 22$
20 lbs or all that fits into a 12"x12"x 5 1/2" (12" albums won't fit)= $38
I may be able to get some better FedEx rates.
Pls email with your address for an estimate.

To estimate your shipment, pls go to

http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home_header&page=calculatepostage

My zip code is 94107.

Assume 1 pound per record plus 1 pound for packing.

AND AGAIN -THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST

As you can see from my feedback, I take great care in presenting, grading and shipping your items. I really want you to be happy with the purchase. If you feel that anything is wrong with the item or the shipping, contact me and we will work it out !!!

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Thank you very much, and good luck bidding !!!