John McCormack - Collection 1906-42 (CD)

The Irish tenor John McCormack is widely regarded as one of the finest singers of the 20th century, rivalling other early greats like Enrico Caruso. From his early years in Irish church choirs, he graduated to training in Milan, and gave his first performance at Covent Garden in 1907, returning regularly until 1917. He also became extremely popular at New York's Metropolitan Opera, where he sang until 1918, also becoming an American citizen. He had a highly distinctive voice, and was renowned for his diction and breath control, that enabled him to sing 64 notes in one breath in the aria from Don Giovanni "Il Mio Tesori". He turned to recitals rather than grand opera, and, with his sweet tone and marvellous feel for a song, became one of the great balladeers of his time. He recorded prolifically from 1904 through to 1942, not long before his death in 1945, spanning the eras of cylinder, acoustic and electric recording. This great value 120-track 6-CD collection comprises material from his earliest acoustic recordings for Odeon in 1906, through acoustic recordings for HMV and Victor into the 1920s, and then electric recordings for the same labels up to 1942. It encompasses examples of his work across the range of operatic pieces, Irish songs, wartime favourites, and popular songs and ballads, including all the 70 or so titles which featured in the sheet music best-sellers of the era, presented in chronological order.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. The Boys of Wexford
2. Trottin' to the Fair
3. Killarney
4. Il Flor Che Avevi a Me - Flower Song from 'Carmen'
5. Una Furtiva Lagrima - from L'elisir D'amore'
6. Come Back to Erin
7. The Minstrel Boy
8. Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes
9. Annie Laurie
10. When Shadows Gather
11. Tu Che a Dio Spiegasti L'ali - from 'Lucia Di Lammermoor'
12. The Snowy Breasted Pearl
13. I Hear You Calling Me
14. Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms
15. I'm Falling in Love with Someone
16. Indiana Moon
17. Mother Machree
18. MacUshla
19. Del Tempio Al Limitar - in the Depths of the Temple - Duet from 'The Pearl Fishers'
20. Take, Oh Take Those Lips Away
21. The Wearing of the Green
22. Silver Threads Among the Gold
23. The Rosary

Disc: 2

1. Where the River Shannon Flows
2. I'll Sing Thee Songs of Araby
3. Molly Brannigan
4. The Foggy Dew
5. Mother O' Mine
6. The Low Backed Car
7. Goodbye
8. A Little Love, a Little Kiss
9. Nearer My God to Thee
10. Eileen Alanna
11. Say 'Au Revoir', But Not 'Goodbye'
12. Lullaby from 'Jocelyn' - Angels Guard Thee
13. Ave Maria
14. Ave Maria - from 'Cavalleria Rusticana'
15. Beautiful Isle of Somewhere
16. My Wild Irish Rose
17. Mary of Argyle
18. It's a Long Way to Tipperary
19. Somewhere a Voice Is Calling
20. Come Into the Garden Maude
21. Adeste Fideles
22. Serenata
23. A Little Bit of Heaven

Disc: 3

1. The Old Refrain
2. II Mio Tesoro - from 'Don Giovanni'
3. Belle Nuit - Oh Night of Love - Barcarolle from 'Tales of Hoffman'
4. Cradle Song
5. Love, Here Is My Heart
6. The Sunshine of Your Smile
7. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
8. The Star-Spangled Banner
9. Keep the Home Fires Burning
10. There's a Long, Long Trail
11. The Rainbow of Love
12. Send Me Away with a Smile
13. God Be with Our Boys Tonight
14. When You Look in the Heart of a Rose
15. Little Mother of Mine
16. Calling Me Home to You
17. Love's Garden of Roses
18. Dear Old Pal of Mine
19. When You Come Back
20. Roses of Picardy
21. Rose of My Heart
22. That Tumble Down Shack in Athlone
23. Somewhere
24. Thank God for a Garden

Disc: 4

1. Your Eyes Have Told Me So
2. When You and I Were Young, Maggie
3. Sweet Peggy O'Neill
4. The Barefoot Trail
5. When Night Descends
6. The Last Hour
7. Learn to Smile
8. Little Town in the Auld County Down
9. The Lost Chord
10. Love Sends a Little Gift of Roses
11. Somewhere in the World
12. Marcheta, a Love Song of Old Mexico
13. Come My Beloved - from 'Atalanta'
14. Before My Window
15. All Alone
16. Rose Marie
17. Moonlight and Roses
18. You Forgot to Remember
19. Just a Cottage Small
20. Just for Today
21. The Far Away Bells
22. Somewhere a Voice Is Calling
23. Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
24. Panis Angelicus
25. Kathleen Mavourneen

Disc: 5

1. Love's Old Sweet Song
2. By the Short Cut to the Rosses
3. Jeannine, I Dream of Lilac Time
4. The Rose of Tralee
5. Ireland Mother Ireland
6. The Garden Where the Praties Grow
7. The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls
8. Is She Not Passing Fair?
9. Bless This House
10. I Know of Two Bright Eyes
11. Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair
12. Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair
13. Terence's Farewell to Kathleen
14. The Londonderry Air - O Mary Dear
15. The Kerry Dance
16. The Old House
17. The Star of the County Down
18. I'll Walk Beside You
19. The Lass with the Delicate Air
20. The Bard of Armagh
21. The Meeting of the Waters
22. Oft in the Stilly Night
23. Praise the Lord
24. She Moved Thro' the Fair
25. Off to Philadelphia