CRQ CD131-132 – Percy Pitt conducts Vol. 4

Percy Pitt conducts Vol. 4 – the vocal recordings for HMV. This includes all except two of the singers with whom Pitt recorded, and also includes examples of Pitt as piano accompanist. The first CD is devoted  to international stars and Wagner, and the second to singers from the British Empire and the USA. Also included is the only example of Pitt as a concerto conductor, leading the Air from Goldmark’s Violin Concerto with Francis MacMillen plus several purely orchestral items. CD1 begins with a recording from Pitt’s first Gramophone company session, and CD2 ends with one from his last.

All recordings are from HMV records with Percy Pitt conducting an unnamed orchestra, unless otherwise noted. CD1 tracks 1, 3, 14, CD2 tracks 1-5 are from original transfers by Jolyon Hudson.

CD1 – International singers and Wagner

  1. Verdi – Rigoletto – Caro nome – Luisa Tetrazzini, soprano
    (Gramophone Monarch 053101, 2170f, 20th December 1907)
  2. Tosti – Aprile – Luisa Tetrazzini, soprano; Percy Pitt, piano
    (Gramophone Monarch 053229, 3103f, 2nd June 1909)
  3. Verdi – Il Trovatore – D’una zingara è costume… Giorni poveri – Maria Gay, mezzo-soprano
    (2-053011, 3804f, 5th November 1909)
  4. Ponchielli – La Gioconda – Là attesi e il tempo… L’amo come il fulgor del creato – Emmy Destinn, soprano; Louise Kirkby-Lunn, contralto
    (2-054020, 5144f, 6th July 1911)
  5. Rossini – Il Barbiere di Siviglia – Oh il meglio mi scordavo – John McCormack, tenor; Mario Sammarco, baritone
    (VB 33, 2-054022, 5206f, 18th July 1911)
  6. Donizetti – La Favorita – Vien Leonora, a piedi tuoi – Titta Ruffo, baritone
    (2-052075, z 6933f, 24th December 1912)
  7. Mozart – Le nozze di Figaro – Giunse alfin il momento… Deh vieni non tardar – Graziella Pareto, soprano
    (DB 567, 2-053176, HO 4430af-II, 10th June 1920)
  8. Méhul – Joseph – Champs paternel! – Fernand Ansseau, tenor
    (DB 482, 2-032057, HO 4447af-II, 29th June 1920)
  9. Massenet – Thais – Qui te fait si sévère? (Act 1) – Marie Louise Edvina, soprano
    (VA 48, Bb 32-2, 2nd April 1921)
  10. di Capua – Maria Mari! – Dmitri Smirnov, tenor
    (7-52174, Bb 89-1, 22nd April 1921)
  11. Schumann – The Two Grenadiers – Feodor Chaliapin, bass
    (DB 102, 2-022007, Cc 556-I, 11th October 1921)
  12. Wagner – Die Walküre – Wer bist du, sag – Minnie Saltzmann-Stevens, soprano; Peter Cornelius, tenor
    (044107, 2819f, 15th February 1909)
  13. Wagner – Die Walküre – Seek not, o maid, my spirit to vanquish
    – Minnie Saltzmann-Stevens, soprano; Clarence Whitehill, baritone
    (04041, 2812f, 12th February 1909)
  14. Wagner – Siegfried – Forest Murmurs – Symphony Orchestra
    (D 561, Cc 212-II, Cc 213-I, 3rd June 1921)
  15. Wagner – Siegfried – Awaken, Brünnhild – Minnie Saltzmann-Stevens, soprano; Peter Cornelius, tenor
    (D 305, 044111, 2820f, 15th February 1909)
  16. Wagner – Götterdämmerung – Siegfried’s journey to the Rhine – Symphony Orchestra
    (D 559, Cc 133-II, Cc 132-I, 6th May 1921)
  17. Wagner – Götterdämmerung – Here sit I on guard (Hagen’s Watch) – Robert Radford, bass
    (D704, 3-0857, Cc 1586-I, 29th June 1922)
  18. Wagner – Lohengrin – With charmed links did Heav’n to thee unite me… Say dost thou breathe (Love Duet part 2) – Florence Austral, soprano; Tudor Davies, tenor
    (D931, 3-0867, Cc 2271-2, 14th December 1922)
  19. Wagner – Lohengrin – My trusty swan (Lohengrin’s farewell) – Walter Hyde, tenor
    (D 598, 02931, Cc 769-II, 12th December 1921)
  20. Wagner – Tannhäuser – Dear Hall of Song (Elisabeth’s Greeting) – Miriam Licette, soprano
    (03648, HO 3651af, 13th March 1919)

CD2 – Singers of the British Empire and USA

  1. Wolf-Ferrari – I Gioielli della Madonna: Intermezzo after Act 2 – Imperial Philharmonic Orchestra
    (0758, HO 225ai, 22nd August 1912)
  2. Wolf-Ferrari – I Gioielli della Madonna: Intermezzo after Act 3 – Imperial Philharmonic Orchestra
    (0759, HO 226ai, 22nd August 1912)
  3. Goldmark – Violin Concerto in A, Op.28 – Air
    – Francis MacMillen, violin. New Symphony Orchestra
    (07924, 4260f, 30th June 1910)
  4. Verdi – Rigoletto – Ah, why recall in misery (Deh non parlare al misero Act 1) – Nora d’Argel, soprano; William Samuell, baritone
    (04140, HO 1154ac, 25th October 1915))
  5. Verdi – Rigoletto – Daughter, come let me comfort ye – Piangi, fianciulla (Act 2) – Nora d’Argel, soprano; William Samuell, baritone
    (04141, HO 1155ac, 25th October 1915)
  6. Puccini – La Bohème – They call me Mimi – Jeanne Brola, soprano
    (03464, HO 1219ac, 10th November 1915)
  7. Puccini – Tosca – The Prayer: Love and music (Vissi d’arte) – Jeanne Brola, soprano
    (D 198, 03449, HO 1217ac, 10th November 1915)
  8. Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro – Twilight (Silently blending – Voi che sapete) – Jeanne Brola, soprano
    (D 198, 03603, HO 2426ac, 5th January 1917)
  9. Gounod – Faust – The hour is late – Eveline Matthews, soprano; John Harrison, tenor
    (04147, HO 1308af, 30th November 1915)
  10. Leoncavallo – Pagliacci – To act… On with the Motley – John Harrison, tenor
    (D 237, 02810, HO 3406af, 26th July 1918)
  11. Gounod – Romeo and Juliet – Song, jest, perfume and dances (Waltz Song) – Miriam Licette, soprano
    (D 113, 03482, HO 1727ac, 4th April 1916)
  12. Balfe – The Arrow and the Song – Phyllis Lett, contralto
    (D 251, 03521, HO 2049af, 27th July 1916)
  13. Arditi – Se saran rose – Flora Woodman, soprano
    (D 465, 2-053170, HO 3815af, 16th June 1919)
  14. Bizet – Carmen – Séguidille: Près des remparts de Séville – Louise Kirkby-Lunn, contralto
    (DA 436, 7-33013, HO 2061ab, 11th November 1915)
  15. Bizet – Carmen – Bohemian Love Song – Olga Haley, contralto
    (E 20, 2-3352, HO 4975ae, 30th June 1919)
  16. Donizetti – Lucia di Lammermoor – Regnava nel silenzio… Quando rapito in estasi – Stella Power, soprano
    (D 54, 2-053166, HO 4208-Iaf, 23rd December 1919)
  17. Wallace – Maritana – Oh, Maritana – Rosina Buckman, soprano; Walter Hyde, tenor
    (D 119, 04217, HO 3005af, 11th December 1917)
  18. Ronald – O lovely Night – Rosina Buckman, soprano; Walter Hyde, tenor; Percy Pitt, piano
    (D 119, 04249, HO 3009af, 11th December 1917)
  19. Puccini – La Bohème – Yes, they call me Mimi – Rosina Buckman, soprano
    (03632, HO 3450af, 12th September 1918)
  20. Offenbach – Tales of Hoffmann – Thou art flown – Rosina Buckman, soprano
    (D 599, 03772, Cc 821-II, 21st December 1921)
  21. Mendelssohn – On Wings of Song – Rosina Buckman, soprano
    (D 599, 03771, Cc 822-I, 21st December 1921)
  22. Borodin – Prince Igor – I hate all things that do not bring me joy… If to rule I were elected (Galitsky’s Song) – Robert Radford, bass
    (D 648, 02960, Cc 1586-I, 29th June 1922)
  23. Wallace – Lurline – Gentle troubadour – Edna Thornton, contralto
    (E 298, Bb 2412-III, 19th January 1923)