# Trying to identify an old Traviata recording



## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

Growing up, I sometimes listened to some of the 78s that were part of a set my mother had from somewhere.
The set was part of La Traviata, Acts 1 and 2 through Pere Germont's "Di Provenza". I presume we never had the corresponding set with the rest of the opera.

I have been wondering what recording I was listening to back then, but the online discographies do not jog my memory, and I have no idea who the singers were. That " Di Provenza" has always stayed with me, however.

The only thing I can remember is the cover illustration, which showed furniture that would have been typical of 19th century France, in a graphic style similar to this Rubinstein cover









Anyone have any ideas as to what the recording was ( even if as is likely it was never issued on LP or CD).


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

> The only thing I can remember is the cover illustration, which showed furniture that would have been typical of 19th century France, in a graphic style similar to this Rubinstein cover


Check this set of 1,000+ vinyl thumbnail pix at Discogs..........something will jog your memory 

https://www.discogs.com/search/?limit=250&q=traviata&type=release&style_exact=Opera


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## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

DarkAngel said:


> Check this set of 1,000+ vinyl thumbnail pix at Discogs..........something will jog your memory
> 
> https://www.discogs.com/search/?limit=250&q=traviata&type=release&style_exact=Opera


Sigh....not there. Most likely it is one of the ones represented by a picture of the 78, and not an actual cover.

Interesting how many of those recordings have the name Callas attached to them.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

DarkAngel said:


> Check this set of 1,000+ vinyl thumbnail pix at Discogs..........something will jog your memory
> 
> https://www.discogs.com/search/?limit=250&q=traviata&type=release&style_exact=Opera


As so many times, you just made my day:


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Jeffrey Smith said:


> Growing up, I sometimes listened to some of the 78s that were part of a set my mother had from somewhere.
> The set was part of La Traviata, Acts 1 and 2 through Pere Germont's "Di Provenza". I presume we never had the corresponding set with the rest of the opera.
> 
> I have been wondering what recording I was listening to back then, but the online discographies do not jog my memory, and I have no idea who the singers were. That " Di Provenza" has always stayed with me, however.
> ...


What about narrowing down the dates and then looking for baritones singing at that time. The 'di Provenza' of your search might come up on YouTube or you could check these baritones' discographies.

Just a thought and good luck with your search.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Jeffrey Smith said:


> Growing up, I sometimes listened to some of the 78s that were part of a set my mother had from somewhere.
> The set was part of La Traviata, Acts 1 and 2 through Pere Germont's "Di Provenza". I presume we never had the corresponding set with the rest of the opera.
> 
> I have been wondering what recording I was listening to back then, but the online discographies do not jog my memory, and I have no idea who the singers were. That " Di Provenza" has always stayed with me, however.
> ...


If it was on 78s, then there wouldn't have been that many around. According to *The Metropolitan Guide to Recorded Opera*, these were the pre LP recordings.

Capsir, Cecil, Galeffi, La Scala Orch & Chor; Molajoli (EMI 1928)
Rosza, Ziliani, Borgonovo, La Scala Orch & Chor; Sabajano (EMI 1930)
Albanese, Peerce, Merrill, NBC Symphony Orch & Chor; Toscanini (RCA 1946)
Guerrini, Infantino, Silveri, Rome Opera Orch & Chor; Bellezza EMI 1946)

LPs were introduced in 1948, but it is conceivable that the next two recordings also appeared on 78s, I suppose.

Noli, Campora, Tagliabue, Unidentified orch & chor; Berretoni (Remington 1952)
Callas, Albanese, Savarese, RAI Turin Orch & Chor; Santini (Cetra 1953)

Maybe that will help?


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Are you sure they were 78s and not LPs? Sorry if that's a silly question, it's just that 78rpm albums didn't usually have illustrated covers. (I don't know about 78s post 1950 as I don't have many of those- and the cover you posted does look very attractively fifties in style.)

This is the best online discography I've found, apologies if it's one of those you've already checked:

http://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVETRAV.HTM#20


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Figleaf said:


> Are you sure they were 78s and not LPs? Sorry if that's a silly question, it's just that 78rpm albums didn't usually have illustrated covers. (I don't know about 78s post 1950 as I don't have many of those- and the cover you posted does look very attractively fifties in style.)
> 
> This is the best online discography I've found, apologies if it's one of those you've already checked:
> 
> http://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVETRAV.HTM#20


It it was on LP, this one might fit the bill.


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

GregMitchell said:


> If it was on 78s, then there wouldn't have been that many around. According to *The Metropolitan Guide to Recorded Opera*, these were the pre LP recordings.
> 
> Capsir, Cecil, Galeffi, La Scala Orch & Chor; Molajoli (EMI 1928)
> Rosza, Ziliani, Borgonovo, La Scala Orch & Chor; Sabajano (EMI 1930)
> ...


I didn't realise, or had forgotten, that LPs were introduced so long ago. According to Operadis, my favourite Traviata CD, conducted by Alexander Orlov in 1947, was originally issued by Melodiya on LP, not 78 as I always assumed. I don't think this can be the one Jeffrey remembers anyway, as Pavel Lisitsian's Di Provenza is in Russian, along with the rest of the recording! (My other fave Traviata is the 1912 Pathé one with the bass baritone Henri Albers: we can probably rule that out too, as the OP would remember if his '78s' played from the centre outwards at around 90 rpm!)


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Figleaf said:


> Are you sure they were 78s and not LPs? Sorry if that's a silly question, it's just that 78rpm albums didn't usually have illustrated covers. (I don't know about 78s post 1950 as I don't have many of those- and the cover you posted does look very attractively fifties in style.)
> 
> This is the best online discography I've found, apologies if it's one of those you've already checked:
> 
> http://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVETRAV.HTM#20


That's a good point. I remember my parents having some early opera sets, which were issued on separate LPs in paper sleeves. The below recording of *Carmen* rings a bell.


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

GregMitchell said:


> That's a good point. I remember my parents having some early opera sets, which were issued on separate LPs in paper sleeves. The below recording of *Carmen* rings a bell.


That's a very nice Carmen. I wish my parents had had that instead of Barry Manilow and Status Quo. Ah well. Perhaps that LP Traviata you found will prove to be the one. I've just listened to Leonard Warren's Di Provenza on YouTube (not sure if it comes from that same LP) and I can see how it would stick in the mind, although I prefer the more smoothly sung style of a Battistini or Lisitsian.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Figleaf said:


> I didn't realise, or had forgotten, that LPs were introduced so long ago. According to Operadis, my favourite Traviata CD, conducted by Alexander Orlov in 1947, was originally issued by Melodiya on LP, not 78 as I always assumed. I don't think this can be the one Jeffrey remembers anyway, as Pavel Lisitsian's Di Provenza is in Russian, along with the rest of the recording! (My other fave Traviata is the 1912 Pathé one with the bass baritone Henri Albers: we can probably rule that out too, as the OP would remember if his '78s' played from the centre outwards at around 90 rpm!)


I had a very nice LP collection but when in a day from yesteryear, I moved out of my parents' house in a huff, my mother had a fit and threw them all out!
I've replaced most of the good ones on CD.


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## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

GregMitchell said:


> If it was on 78s, then there wouldn't have been that many around. According to *The Metropolitan Guide to Recorded Opera*, these were the pre LP recordings.
> 
> Capsir, Cecil, Galeffi, La Scala Orch & Chor; Molajoli (EMI 1928)
> Rosza, Ziliani, Borgonovo, La Scala Orch & Chor; Sabajano (EMI 1930)
> ...


Given my mother's musical knowledge, it would certainly be the 1946 Toscanini. She knew who Peerce was, nice Jewish boy that he was, and Merrill, singing partner of that other nice Jewish boy, Tucker....and of course Toscanini. The other names would be unknown to her...most are unknown to me!

That assumes my mother was the one who got it and that it was not something passed around or bargain binned and forgotten until 11 year old me found it in the closet. (But she valued it enough to include among all the things packed up when we moved from Boston to Miami.)

Additionally, if it was on RCA, the cover art would be presumably from the same artistic stable that produced that Rubinstein cover.


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## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

Figleaf said:


> Are you sure they were 78s and not LPs? Sorry if that's a silly question, it's just that 78rpm albums didn't usually have illustrated covers. (I don't know about 78s post 1950 as I don't have many of those- and the cover you posted does look very attractively fifties in style.)
> 
> This is the best online discography I've found, apologies if it's one of those you've already checked:
> 
> http://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVETRAV.HTM#20


Definitely 78s, given disc timing (one aria per disc, for example) and weight.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Jeffrey Smith said:


> Given my mother's musical knowledge, it would certainly be the 1946 Toscanini. She knew who Peerce was, nice Jewish boy that he was, and Merrill, singing partner of that other nice Jewish boy, Tucker....and of course Toscanini. The other names would be unknown to her...most are unknown to me!
> 
> That assumes my mother was the one who got it and that it was not something passed around or bargain binned and forgotten until 11 year old me found it in the closet. (But she valued it enough to include among all the things packed up when we moved from Boston to Miami.)
> 
> Additionally, if it was on RCA, the cover art would be presumably from the same artistic stable that produced that Rubinstein cover.




Although this cover says LP 33.3, it could have been originally released as 78 and later in the improved LP format (or both formats for a period of time) as per GMs post above.....complete 1946 recording on youtube


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## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

DarkAngel said:


> Although this cover says LP 33.3, it could have been originally released as 78 and later in the improved LP format (or both formats for a period of time) as per GMs post above.....complete 1946 recording on youtube


Yes, thank you. I have a CD incarnation wishlisted...


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