Enrico Caruso-Bella figlia dell’amore-1908 and 1917

Please see my video of this quartet from last week for subtitles.

Enrico Caruso made his Met debut as Il Duca in “Rigoletto” in 1903. Interestingly, Caruso recorded the quartet in both 1908 and 1917. Later in his career, Caruso’s voice took on more of a baritonal quality. I wanted to show how his voice changed from 1908 to 1917, so I am posting the two recordings side by side in this post. You will definitely hear a more hefty sound in the second recording. In addition, the second recording has different singers singing with Caruso which also makes it interesting. The most famous of those singers was the baritone Giuseppe De Luca, who was a leading Rigoletto at the Met, and who also taught the famous baritone Leonard Warren. The pitch is slightly lower in the second recording, but it does not sound transposed to me. Enjoy.

[SimonTBam]

It is amazing how much darker in color Caruso's second recording is. It is obvious that the three packs of Egyptian Prettys a day plus cigars has had an effect on his voice, and his breathing. Although his voice sounds more powerful in the second recording. In some of his recordings from 1920 he sounds almost as if he is gasping for air...

[pianoconvoce]

So beautiful!! Love these old recordings! 🎶❤️