MELBA, Nellie: American Recordings, Vol. 3 (1907-1916)

This volume is the third of a series of three Naxos discs containing all the known recordings Melba made for the Victor Talking Machine in Camden, New Jersey and in New York. Although Melba’s 1910–1916 American sessions offer sonically improved repeat recordings of Desdemona’s arias from Otello and the second of her two published versions of Vissi d’arte, the later sessions also offer new operatic material and selections from her concert repertoire. Of particular note are the Aubade (originally for tenor) from Lalo’s Le roi d’Ys, which Melba transforms into a veritable showpiece, crowned with a fine trill, as well as a selection of art-songs and ballads that were a popular feature of Melba’s vocal recitals.

Tracklist

Lalo, Édouard
Blau, Edouard - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
1Le roi d’Ys, Act III: Puisqu’on ne peut flechir...Vainement, ma bien aimiee03:28
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Puccini, Giacomo
Illica, Luigi - Lyricist
Giacosa, Giuseppe - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
2Tosca, Act II: Vissi d’arte03:14
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Verdi, Giuseppe
Boito, Arrigo - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
3Piangea cantando nell’erma landa, "Willow Song"04:21
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
4Ave Maria, piena di grazia04:20
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Tosti, Paolo
Whyte-Melville, George John - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
5Goodbye05:03
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Ronald, Landon
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
6Summertime: No. 4. O Lovely Night04:00
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Wetzger, Paul
Lemmone, John (flute)
Melba, Nellie (piano)
7Am Waldesbach (By the Brook), Op. 3304:20
Lemmone, John (flute)
Melba, Nellie (piano)
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Metastasio, Pietro - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
8Il re pastore, K. 208, Act II: L’amero saro costante04:47
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Gounod, Charles-François
Bible - New Testament - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Kubelík, Jan (violin)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
9Ave Maria04:32
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Kubelík, Jan (violin)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Lehmann, Liza
Kingsley, Henry - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
10Magdalen at Michael’s Gate04:02
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Debussy, Claude
Verlaine, Paul-Marie - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
11Mandoline01:28
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Debussy, Claude
Bourget, Paul - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
12Romance02:16
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Charpentier, Gustave
Favart, Charles-Simon - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
13Louise, Act III: Depuis le jour (1st take)04:48
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
14Louise, Act III: Depuis le jour (2nd take)04:30
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Foster, Stephen C.
Foster, Stephen C. - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
15Old Folks at Home03:08
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
White, Maude Valerie
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
16John Anderson, My Jo03:56
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Traditional
Traditional - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
17Comin' thro' the rye01:52
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Bemberg, Herman
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
18Les anges pleurent02:09
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
19Chant venitien01:33
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Lapierre, Gabriel (piano)
Traditional
Lehmann, Liza - Arranger
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
20Annie Laurie (arr. L. Lehmann)03:02
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Dvořák, Antonín
Heyduk, Adolf - Lyricist
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
21Zigeunermelodien (Gypsy Melodies), Op. 55: IV. Songs My Mother Taught Me (1st take)02:28
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
Studio orchestra (Orchestra)
Rogers, Walter B. (Conductor)
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
St. Leger, Frank (piano)
22Zigeunermelodien (Gypsy Melodies), Op. 55: IV. Songs My Mother Taught Me (2nd take)02:27
Melba, Nellie (soprano)
St. Leger, Frank (piano)

Total Playing Time: 01:15:44