Arturo Toscanini Collection, Volume 58: Giuseppe Verdi~Otello

Amazon.com essential recording
Ramon Vinay may not have the robust, focused top one yearns for in the title role of Otello, but his total immersion and unflagging involvement cannot be denied. Whereas Herva Nelli's Desdemona rarely rises above sweet- toned and contentious (not bad attributes to begin with), Giuseppe Valdengo brings more complexity to the evil, manipulative Iago. The glue that binds the performance together, of course, is the venerable Arturo Toscanini, who learned Otello from the horse's mouth, so to speak. The maestro's youthful enthusiasm, raw-nerve sensitivity to every nuance, dramatic acuity, and boundless imagination are as timeless as Verdi's music. Mono, schmono, you must own this. --Jed Distler

Arturo Toscanini Collection, Volume 58: Giuseppe Verdi~Otello,Giuseppe Verdi,Virginio Assandri,Leslie Chabay,Nan Merriman,Nicola Moscona,Herva Nelli,Arthur Newman,Ramon Vinay,NBC Synphony Orchestra,RCA,Classical,Classical Music,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

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Average customer rating: Come On Folks! Some say, "Ah, Bach.." I say "Ah, Vinay.." Otello as Verdi mend it to be This is my favorite Toscanini opera recording..... The meaning of "definitive".

Arturo Toscanini Collection, Volume 58: Giuseppe Verdi~Otello Nicola Moscona , Herva Nelli , Arthur Newman , Ramon Vinay , and NBC Synphony Orchestra Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Toscanini, Arturo | ( T ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Arturo Toscanini, Vol 12 - Verdi: Falstaff Wagner: Siegfried ASIN: B000003EXW Release Date: 1991-10-04

Tracks:

1. Act I: Una Vela! - NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini/Arthur Newman/Virginio Assandri/Giuseppe Valdengo/Leslie Chabay
2. Act I: Esultate! - Ramon Vinay/NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini/Giuseppe Valdengo/Leslie Chabay
3. Act I: Fuoco Di Gioia! - NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini
4. Act I: Roderigo, Beviam! - Giuseppe Valdengo/Virginio Assandri/NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini/Virginio Assandri/Leslie Chabay
5. Act I: Inaffia L'Ugola! - Giuseppe Valdengo/Virginio Assandri/Leslie Chabay/NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini
6. Act I: Capitano, V'Attende - Arthur Newman/Virginio Assandri/Leslie Chabay/NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini/Giuseppe Valdengo/Ramon...
7. Act I: Ola! Che Avvien? - Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo/Virginio Assandri/Arthur Newman
8. Act I, Love Duet: Gia Nella Notte - Ramon Vinay
9. Act I, Love Duet: Quando Narrravi - Ramon Vinay/Herva Nelli
10. Act I, Love Duet: Venga La Morte! - Ramon Vinay/Herva Nelli
11. Act II: Non Ti Crucciar - Virginio Assandri/Giuseppe Valdengo
12. Act II: Credo In Un Dio Crudel - Virginio Assandri
13. Act II: Eccola - Virginio Assandri
14. Act II: Cio M'Accora - Giuseppe Valdengo/Ramon Vinay
15. Act II: Dove Guardi Splendono - NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini/Giuseppe Valdengo/Herva Nelli/Ramon Vinay
16. Act II: D'Un Uom Che Geme - Herva Nelli/Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo/Nan Merriman
17. Act II: Desdemona Rea! - Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo
18. Act II: Ora E Per Sempre Addio - Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo
19. Act II: Era La Notte - Giuseppe Valdengo/Ramon Viany
20. Act II: Si, Pel Ciel - Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo

Tracks:

1. Act III: Intro - NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini
2. Act III: Le Vedetta Del Porto - Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo
3. Act III: Dio Ti Giocondi, O Sposo - Herva Nelli/Ramon Vinay/Ramon Vinay
4. Act III: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar - Ramon Viany/Giuseppe Valdengo/Virginio Assandri
5. Act III: Vieni, L'Aula E Deserta - Giuseppe Valdengo/Virginio Assandri/Ramon Vinay
6. Act III: Questa E Una Ragna - Virginio Assandri/Giuseppe Valdengo/Ramon Vinay
7. Act III: Come La Uccidero? - Ramon Vinay/Giuseppe Valdengo/NBC Chors/Arturo Toscanini
8. Act III: Viva Il Leon Di Dan Marco! - Nicola Moscona/Leslie Chabay/Giuseppe Valdengo/Herva Nelli/Nan Merriman
9. Act III: A Terra!..Si...Nel Livido Fango - Ramon Vinay/Herva Nelli/Nan Merriman/Virginio Assandri/Leslie Chabay/Nicola Moscona/NBC Chors...
10. Act IV: Era Piu Calmo? - Nan Merriman/Herva Nelli
11. Act IV: Mia Madre Aveva Povera Ancella (Willow Song) - Nan Merriman/Herva Nelli
12. Act IV: Ave Maria - Herva Nelli
13. Act IV: Chi E La? - Herva Nelli/Ramon Vinay/Ramon Vinay
14. Act IV: Calma Come La Tomba - Ramon Vinay/Nan Merriman/Herva Nelli
15. Act IV: Niun Mi Tema - Ramon Vinay/Virginio Assandri/Nicola Moscona/Arthur Newman

Amazon.com essential recording

Ramon Vinay may not have the robust, focused top one yearns for in the title role of Otello, but his total immersion and unflagging involvement cannot be denied. Whereas Herva Nelli's Desdemona rarely rises above sweet- toned and contentious (not bad attributes to begin with), Giuseppe Valdengo brings more complexity to the evil, manipulative Iago. The glue that binds the performance together, of course, is the venerable Arturo Toscanini, who learned Otello from the horse's mouth, so to speak. The maestro's youthful enthusiasm, raw-nerve sensitivity to every nuance, dramatic acuity, and boundless imagination are as timeless as Verdi's music. Mono, schmono, you must own this. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Come On Folks!.......2002-09-26

Ok I know this might not have the big names many opera fans are used to. And I know that many of you who are reading this review have heard horror stories about Toscanini as an opera conductor. Much as I love the Maestro, I would usually agree with you. He often drives way too hard, fails to see nuances and views the work as a kind of vocal symphony. And yes his opera sets ARE usually poorly cast.
That being said, none of it holds here. Toscanini's feel for this entire score is almost uncanny. NOTHING seems the least bit out of place or miscalculated. It really does become terrifyingly good; one thinks of the old stories that Paganini sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his superhuman artistic abilities. I think a good example is the opening. Compare this performance with the one by Tulio Serafin. In the Serafin, everything is hanging out all over the place. All sounds nice but there is really no way of telling what is happening in this scene. It is just sort of "gone through". On the other hand Toscanini makes every single note count. Everything phrase is carefully (though quickly) unified and shot out like a cannon ball. From the opening crash, the listener gets a sense of urgency and frantic activity. The effect is spine-tingling. The tension builds without pause and becomes nearly unbearable till it is all finally disipated and released in the "Esultate!" Thrilling! This holds throughout this performance but Toscanini is able to slow down and linger when he needs to (the love duet for example). Orchestra and chorus respond brilliantly to the Maestro's demands. The sound is clear but tight (another reviewer somewhere pointed out that this tightness fits the drama perfectly). That critic was right, the sound gives the chilling effect of being strangled. Shakespeare's intentions are well served by this. I wonder if it was done on purpose.
The casting is first rate. Ramon Vinay is off the charts. He is not often pretty (Otello should NEVER be pretty anyway) but listening to his voice must be experienced. There is some strain on top but who cares, as almost everything else here it fits?! His voice has nobility, splendor, insanity, brute strength. The baritonal flavor is just what Verdi wanted (I understand Vinay also sang baritone and even bass roles). Combine all of this with his amazing conviction and histrionic ability and the effect is earth-shattering. His absorption here is a key ingredient in assuring that the tragedy of this story comes off. We feel Otello's decline and fall. This is truly the voice of one who loved not wisely but too well. Why Vinay was not better served on records I don't know. His was one of the unique voices of the century.
I never liked Herva Nelli much but either this part fit her or she just had a great few nights here. The quality of the voice is quite pleasant although nothing unusual. But she makes Desdemona into a real, vital human being. One feels her youth, inexperience but also her courage, unshakable love and bafflement at what is happening to her.
Giuseppe Valdengo gets an A+++++++! Thank god someone realized that Jago cannot sound like the Devil incarnate whenever he speaks! I love Tito Gobbi but any Otello (let alone Jon Vickers) would have had to be mentally deficient not to realize his friend was a monster with the way he sounds! Valdengo actually has a beautiful, lyrical baritone. And he uses it when Jago would need to. When he talks to Otello or Cassio even the listener can be fooled. He sounds like the typical baritone "best buddy". When alone though, his snarling rage and perverse imagination breaks forth. This Jago however is no Mephistopholes. He is a very sick MAN. In the "Credo" there is even (what sounds to me) like a moment of self-doubt. A case in point is the drinking song. He sounds so friendly, so happy. But there is this undercurrent of wickedness. And his little asides are truly chilling, enough to make you doubt just about anyone! The supporting cast is great (especially Virginio Assandri's well-voiced and rakish but charming and kind-hearted Cassio) and everyone works together as a team giving a real sense of theater.
To close, this must be the reference "Otello". You need it in your collection! Forget what you may have heard from others, this is something you must hear for yourself! Toscanini's work needs no further praise. The cast may not have the most "lovely" voices ever (although Vinay's is one of the most unique) and they may not be very famous but sense when is opera, especially this one, about that kind of thing? Conviction, power, and yes beauty (if a different kind of beauty) are here. The body of Orpheus is together. This is opera as music drama. If only it were always so! Enjoy!

Some say, "Ah, Bach.." I say "Ah, Vinay..".......1999-08-28

Many moons ago, as a youngster, I had the honour of singing at an arms lenght from Mr. Vinay. I was then a member of the PR University Chorus, along with some who went on to become some of today's great voices: Pablo Elvira and Justino Diaz, to name a few.

Not a day goes by that I do not think of the most beautiful soprano in the UPR chorus, Darysabel Isales: if angels do exist, that is what they would look like; sound like. Love makes me digress: I am quite an avid opera fan... Yet I still have to hear such power, stage appearance (please do not forget, I saw Mario Del Monaco performing Otello,) great sense of humour and camaraderie as Mr. Vinay showed us, the little people. The man was quite a Gentle Man...

Mr. Vinay, wherever you are, I thank you for great memories. Darysabel, know my heart still beats for you...

Ron

Otello as Verdi mend it to be.......1999-08-12

Although I do posses several fine Otello recordings, which do all have their own benefits (Serafin, Karajan, Levine, Furtwängler), the "old" Toscanini is my favourite recording of my favourite Verdi opera. Of course the main reason for that is Arthuro Toscanini himself. His exact tempi, his very "strict", even sometimes aggressive conducting is the backbone of this performance. But how strange; despite the way of conducting, or one must maybe say due to, suddenly the whole opera comes to live in a vivid and sparkling way. I do think this is what Verdi had in mind while composing. The result is that even after all these years (the recording is from '47) this recording is still a unique document, not surpassed by "modern" ones. Ramón Vinay does a "honorable" Otello, quite the opposite of a Mario del Monaco. Giuseppe Valdengo is a real villain (Iago). But my personal favourite is Herva Nelli. She performs a unique Desdemona; no one after her got close, not Rysanek, not Scotto and even not Tebaldi. Nelli's Desdemona is extremely sensitive, fragile and serene. I get shivers from her listening to her willow song (Mia madre aveva una povera ancella). The sound of the recording is a good, fair mono one.

This is my favorite Toscanini opera recording............1999-07-16

and along with the Callas "Tosca",perhaps the greatest Italian opera recording ever made,at least in mono. Toscanini not only lives up to his reputation as the greatest conductor of the 20th century,but shows himself to be an excellent "director" in helping the singers create their characters. Unlike Placido Domingo,(another great Otello) Ramon Vinay has a rough edge to his voice underlying its velvety surface,and the roughness highlights the fact that Otello may have a barbaric side which can easily be manipulated into murder. Iago is magnificently sung by Giuseppe Valdengo,who deliberately gives his beautiful baritone an ominous,creepy,snake-like quality,and Herva Nelli purposefully makes her normally strong,loud soprano voice sound small,with an innocent,almost frail quality. Toscanini manages to bring this live broadcast performance (audience applause is totally omitted) in at two hours and four minutes,15 to 20 minutes shorter than the usual "Otello",without cutting anything and WITHOUT MAKING ANYTHING SOUND RUSHED. He scrupulously observes the score at moments when other conductors do not--a few examples: Vinay's opening "Esultate!",which isn't dragged out as it is traditionally for emphasis,and the three appearances of the "kiss" theme, at moderate speed (instead of slow) in the Love Duet, and getting increasingly slower each time it reappears,until it is played very slowly in the final Death Scene. The NBC Symphony Orchestra is amazingly expressive -i.e. the ominous chords representing Iago at the beginning of Act II. Whatever your opera tastes are,don't make the mistake of passing up this "Otello" just because Domingo has three different recordings of it available,or because you don't recognize the names of the singers.

The meaning of "definitive"........1998-12-31

Along with the first Callas "Tosca", the Furtwaengler "Tristan", the Solti "Rhiengold", this is the greatest opera performace on record. James Levine considers it the greatest. It is not golden age singing, but it is great, nevertheless. The sound is tight (a la 8-H), but clear and with tremendous presence. The listener is enthralled from beginning to end and experiences a genuine emotional catharasis.

Meditation Music:

1. Arturo Toscanini Collection, Volume 62: Arrigo Boito/Giuseppe Verdi
2. Auber: Les diamants de la couronne (Diamonds of the Crown) / Edmon Colomer [Box set]
3. Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes, Op. 33
4. Berlioz Odyssey · LSO Live ~ Béatrice et Bénédict / Shkosa · Tarver · Gritton · Mingardo · Wilson-Johnson · Naouri · D. Robinson · Sir Colin Davis
5. Birthday of the Infanta Complete Opera
6. Boito: Mefistofele
7. Carl Loewe: Lieder & Balladen
8. Charpentier: Médée / Christie, Les Arts Florissants
9. Cherubini: Medea
10. Covent Garden On Record: A History, Volume I [Box set]

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Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt [Import]

Blue Wild Angel: Live at the Isle of Wight [Live]

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