Mccormack,John 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.

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 24. Where the River Shannon Flows 25. I'll Sing Thee Songs of Araby 26. Molly Brannigan 27. The Foggy Dew 28. Mother O' Mine 29. The Low Backed Car 30. Goodbye 31. A Little Love, a Little Kiss 32. Nearer My God to Thee 33. Eileen Alanna 34. Say 'Au Revoir', But Not 'Goodbye' 35. Lullaby from 'Jocelyn' - Angels Guard Thee 36. Ave Maria 37. Ave Maria - from 'Cavalleria Rusticana' 38. Beautiful Isle of Somewhere 39. My Wild Irish Rose 40. Mary of Argyle 41. It's a Long Way to Tipperary 42. Somewhere a Voice Is Calling 43. Come Into the Garden Maude 44. Adeste Fideles 45. Serenata 46. A Little Bit of Heaven 47. The Old Refrain 48. II Mio Tesoro - from 'Don Giovanni' 49. Belle Nuit - Oh Night of Love - Barcarolle from 'Tales of Hoffman' 50. Cradle Song 51. Love, Here Is My Heart 52. The Sunshine of Your Smile 53. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling 54. The Star-Spangled Banner 55. Keep the Home Fires Burning 56. There's a Long, Long Trail 57. The Rainbow of Love 58. Send Me Away with a Smile 59. God Be with Our Boys Tonight 60. When You Look in the Heart of a Rose 61. Little Mother of Mine 62. Calling Me Home to You 63. Love's Garden of Roses 64. Dear Old Pal of Mine 65. When You Come Back 66. Roses of Picardy 67. Rose of My Heart 68. That Tumble Down Shack in Athlone 69. Somewhere 70. Thank God for a Garden 71. Your Eyes Have Told Me So 72. When You and I Were Young, Maggie 73. Sweet Peggy O'Neill 74. The Barefoot Trail 75. When Night Descends 76. The Last Hour 77. Learn to Smile 78. Little Town in the Auld County Down 79. The Lost Chord 80. Love Sends a Little Gift of Roses 81. Somewhere in the World 82. Marcheta, a Love Song of Old Mexico 83. Come My Beloved - from 'Atalanta' 84. Before My Window 85. All Alone 86. Rose Marie 87. Moonlight and Roses 88. You Forgot to Remember 89. Just a Cottage Small 90. Just for Today 91. The Far Away Bells 92. Somewhere a Voice Is Calling 93. Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal 94. Panis Angelicus 95. Kathleen Mavourneen 96. Love's Old Sweet Song 97. By the Short Cut to the Rosses 98. Jeannine, I Dream of Lilac Time 99. The Rose of Tralee 100. Ireland Mother Ireland 101. The Garden Where the Praties Grow 102. The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls 103. Is She Not Passing Fair? 104. Bless This House 105. I Know of Two Bright Eyes 106. Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair 107. Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair 108. Terence's Farewell to Kathleen 109. The Londonderry Air - O Mary Dear 110. The Kerry Dance 111. The Old House 112. The Star of the County Down 113. I'll Walk Beside You 114. The Lass with the Delicate Air 115. The Bard of Armagh 116. The Meeting of the Waters 117. Oft in the Stilly Night 118. Praise the Lord 119. She Moved Thro' the Fair 120. Off to Philadelphia