SEMBRICH, Marcella: Victor Recordings 1908-19

The Polish-born soprano Marcella Sembrich (1858–1935) was an exceptional musician, renowned for her penetrating interpretations and exquisite taste. Following her operatic début in 1877, she became a favourite at London’s Covent Garden and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Her artistry was admired by Brahms, Joachim, Clara Schumann and Verdi, and her portrayal of Mimi in La Bohème was greatly praised by Puccini. This 2-CD set features all of Sembrich’s published Victor records made between 1908–12 as well as the unpublished recordings from 1919. Also included in this 2-CD set are Sembrich’s earliest records including the Columbia recordings from 1903 and Mapleson cylinders made during live performances at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1902 and 1903. This set also includes her only known Bettini cylinder recording from 1900.

Tracklist

Disc 1
Verdi, Giuseppe
Piave, Francesco Maria - Lyricist
1Rigoletto, Act III: Bella figlia dell'amore03:57
Donizetti, Gaetano
Cammarano, Salvadore - Lyricist
2Lucia di Lammermoor, Act II: Chi mi frena in tal momento04:01
Rossini, Gioachino
Rossi, Gaetano - Lyricist
3Semiramide, Act I: Bel raggio lusinghier04:03
Donizetti, Gaetano
Rossi, Gaetano - Lyricist
4Linda di Chamounix, Act I: O luce di quest'anima03:00
Verdi, Giuseppe
Scribe, Augustin-Eugène - Lyricist
Duveyrier, Charles - Lyricist
5I vespri siciliani, Act V: Merce, dilette amiche, "Bolero"03:33
Lehár, Franz
Stein, Leo - Lyricist
Leon, Victor - Lyricist
6Dolce amor (medley from Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow))04:10
Verdi, Giuseppe
Piave, Francesco Maria - Lyricist
7Ernani, Act I: Ernani, involami03:36
8La traviata, Act I: Ah, fors' e lui… Sempre libera04:12
9Rigoletto, Act II: Tutte le feste al tempio… Si, vendetta04:34
Strauss II, Johann
La Forge, Frank - Arranger
Betti, J. - Lyricist
10Storielle del bosco Viennese (Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald, Tales from the Vienna Woods), Op. 32504:38
Barbieri, Francisco Asenjo
Larra, Luis Mariano de - Lyricist
11El barberillo de Lavapies, Act III: Lo que esta de Dios03:55
Lillijebjorn, H.
12Nar jag blef sjutton ar (When I Was Seventeen)03:38
Strauss II, Johann
La Forge, Frank - Arranger
Betti, J. - Lyricist
13Storielle del bosco Viennese (Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald, Tales from the Vienna Woods), Op. 32504:30
Fall, Leo
Grünbaum, Fritz - Lyricist
Willner, Alfred Maria - Lyricist
14Die Dollarprinzessin: Waltz04:00
Straus, Oscar
Jacobson, Leopold - Lyricist
Dörmann, Felix - Lyricist
15Ein Walzertraum (Waltz Dream), Act I: Non sai mia bella: Leise, ganz leise klingt's durch den Raum04:40
Traditional
Traditional - Lyricist
16Comin' thro' the Rye03:16
Disc 2
Rubinstein, Anton
Heine, Heinrich - Lyricist
1Spring Song (Fruhlingslied), Op. 32, No. 301:24
Massenet, Jules
Robiquet, Paul - Lyricist
2Poemes d'amour: No. 3: Ouvre tes yeux bleus (Open your blue eyes)01:55
Manney, Charles Fonteyn
3Consecration (take 1)02:03
4Consecration (take 2)02:05
Fisher, William Arms
5I Heard a Cry, Op. 18, No. 101:40
Stebbins, George Waring
6No. 1: The Longest Day is in June (take 1)01:07
7No. 2: If the Apples Bloom (take 1)00:54
Rubinstein, Anton
8Now Shines the Dew (Es blinkt der Tau), Op. 72, No. 102:44
9Pretty Polly Oliver03:14
Manney, Charles Fonteyn
10Consecration (take 3)02:04
11Consecration (take 4)01:59
12Consecration (take 5)01:57
Fisher, William Arms
13I Heard a Cry, Op. 18, No. 1 (take 2)01:35
14I Heard a Cry, Op. 18, No. 1 (take 3)01:36
Stebbins, George Waring
15No. 1: The Longest Day is in June (take 2)01:02
16No. 2: If the Apples Bloom (take 2)00:53
17No. 1: The Longest Day is in June (take 3)01:05
18No. 2: If the Apples Bloom (take 3)00:53
Rubinstein, Anton
19Now Shines the Dew (Es blinkt der Tau), Op. 72, No. 1 (take 2)02:39
20Now Shines the Dew (Es blinkt der Tau), Op. 72, No. 1 (take 3)02:37
Massenet, Jules
Robiquet, Paul - Lyricist
21Poemes d'amour: No. 3: Ouvre tes yeux bleus (Open your blue eyes) (take 1)01:45
La Forge, Frank
22To a Messenger (take 1)01:20
Massenet, Jules
Robiquet, Paul - Lyricist
23Poemes d'amour: No. 3: Ouvre tes yeux bleus (Open your blue eyes) (take 2)01:44
La Forge, Frank
24To a Messenger (take 2)01:20
Paderewski, Ignacy Jan
Mickiewicz, Adam - Lyricist
25Moja pieszczotka (My Own Sweet Maiden), Op. 18, No. 301:52
Strauss II, Johann
Genée, Richard - Lyricist
Sembrich, Marcella (soprano)
26Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring), Op. 410 (original version for voice and orchestra)01:52
Sembrich, Marcella (soprano)
Sembrich, Marcella (soprano)
27Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring), Op. 410 (original version for voice and orchestra): Cadenza (excerpt)00:55
Sembrich, Marcella (soprano)
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Schikaneder, Emanuel - Lyricist
28Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K. 620, Act II: Der Holle Rache... (Queen of the Night)01:36
Verdi, Giuseppe
Piave, Francesco Maria - Lyricist
29La traviata, Act I: Sempre libera01:55
Donizetti, Gaetano
Bayard, Jean-François-Alfred - Lyricist
Saint-Georges, Jules-Henri Vernoy de - Lyricist
30La fille du regiment, Act I: A cet aveu si tendre, mon coeur01:05
Arditi, Luigi
31Parla Waltz (abridged)00:56
Donizetti, Gaetano
Bayard, Jean-François-Alfred - Lyricist
Saint-Georges, Jules-Henri Vernoy de - Lyricist
32La fille du regiment, Act I: Rataplan01:18
Verdi, Giuseppe
Piave, Francesco Maria - Lyricist
33Ernani, Act III: O sommo Carlo (take 1)02:00
34Ernani, Act III: O sommo Carlo (take 2)01:50
35Ernani, Act I: Ernani, involami (take 1)03:10
36Ernani, Act I: Ernani, involami (take 2)02:39
Strauss II, Johann
Genée, Richard - Lyricist
37Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring), Op. 410 (original version for voice and orchestra) (take 1)02:40
38Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring), Op. 410 (original version for voice and orchestra) (take 2)02:36
Verdi, Giuseppe
Piave, Francesco Maria - Lyricist
39La traviata, Act I: Ah, fors' e lui (take 1)02:53
40La traviata, Act I: Ah, fors' e lui02:38

Total Playing Time: 02:17:13