HISTORIC MASTERS – TENTH ISSUE

PROSPECTUS (Notes by Stanley Henig)

A new issue of direct vinyl pressings from 78 rpm masters, produced in collaboration with Thorn EMI from materials in their archives, is now available. This is the tenth issue in the series begun by The British Institute of Recorded Sound. The complete HISTORIC MASTERS series now numbers 68 discs, or 135 sides – of which at least 39 had never previously been published in original form. We are proud to be continuing the work in publishing rare and desirable records which was so splendidly begun by IRCC and continued by the Historic Record and American Gramophone Societies.

As on previous occasions, we intended that this new set of records should consist of five double-sided discs. However, as a result of a generous gift by an anonymous donor, an additional record is being distributed with the other five making a set of six in all. This record, HMB 68, contains two important items from the opera Les Hugenots (for details see notes). HISTORIC MASTERS are extremely grateful to our anonymous benefactor and we feel sure this gratitude will be shared by all those acquiring the new series. As on previous occasions, the six discs will not be available separately and the run is limited to 250 copies.

When we published the Ninth Issue of Historic Masters we were forced by rising costs to make some increase in prices. Costs continue to rise but, fortunately, we are able to retain the same price for the new issue and postage will also be the same despite the inclusion of a sixth record. However, HISTORIC MASTERS remains dependent on support from record collectors.

HMB 63 and 64 – Dmitry SMIRNOV (1882-1949
Tosca (Puccini) – E lucevan le stelle (Act 3)
Meta SEINEMEYER (1895-1929)
Carl Martin OHMAN (1887-1967)
Tosca (Puccini) – Tosca/Cavaradossi duet, (Act 3) (three sides)

The long duet from the final act of Puccini’s Tosca recorded by Seinemeyer and Ohman has long been a fabled collectors’ item despite being sung in German. The final side has never been published in original form, but even the first two sides are extremely rare. These particular metals have proved exceedingly difficult for our engineers to work on, in producing acceptable vinyl pressings. Seinemeyer’s records have always been much sought after by collectors. She had a tragically short career, mostly in Germany, dying at the young age of 34. Karl Martin Ohman was one of her regular partners particularly at the Charlottenburg Opera in Berlin. The question of a ‘fill-up’ for the 4th (1st side) seemed almost unresolvable. There are no other extant Seinemeyer rarities. We finally decided to issue Cavaradossi’s Act 3 Aria to give a continuous piece of music in a very rare performance by the great Russian performer Dmitry Smirnov.

HMB 65 – Olimpia BORONAT (1867 – 1934)
Zabava Putiatishna (M.M. Ivanov)
Mireille (Gounod) – O legere hirondelle (Act 1)

Olimpia Boronat is another artist much beloved by collectors. Two of her records appeared as HMB 20 in the very first issue of HISTORIC MASTERS put out by The British Institute of Recorded Sound and we ourselves were responsible for another two in the Third Series (HMB 29). On this occasion we are issuing two more of her 1904 recordings. The aria from Zabava Putiatishna has long been regarded as one of Boronat’s most charming items. One factor of special interest in the recording of the Mireille aria is that the engineers clearly had some problems with the equipment: there is no doubt that the speed changes as the record proceeds! Our opinion is that this does not detract from the beauty of the performance.

HMB 66 – Natalya YUZHINA (1881 – 1937)
The Oprichnik (Tchaikovsky) – Little Nightingale (Act 1)
Natalya YUZHINA (1881-1937) David YUZHIN (1868 – 1923)
Aida (Verdi) – Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti (Act 3)

Relatively little seems to be known of the life of Natalya Yermolenko Yuzhina. However, from the recorded evidence she comes to us as one of the very greatest names from the legendary pre-First World War era at the opera companies in both St. Petersburg and Moscow. According to most references she made her debut at Kiev in the Queen of Spades when only 19 and moved to St. Petersburg the following year and to Moscow in 1905. She left Russia soon after the death of her husband David Yuzhin who likewise sang extensively in both Moscow and St. Petersburg. Little is known of any subsequent career by Yuzhina although she should still have been in her prime.

HMB 67 – Maria FARNETI (1878-1955)
La Wally (Catalan!) – Ebben?.. Ne andro lontana (Act 1)
Madama Butterfly (Puccini) – Un bel di vedremo (Act 2)

In our last issue we made available two recordings by Maria Farneti, one of the very greatest Italian dramatic sopranos of the verismo. To the best of our knowledge only two other metals of her recordings survive and we are now able to issue these. Farneti enjoyed a long career both in the opera house and in the recording studio. However, all her electric Columbias made after her retirement from the stage are impressive. The La Wally’ aria is a particularly effective piece of dramatic singing.

HMB 68 – Lev KLEMENTIEV (1868-1910)
Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer) – Plus Blanche (Act 1)
Eugenia BRONSKAYA (1882-1953) Lev SIBIRIAKOV (1869-1942)
Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer) – Valentine Marcel duet (Act 3)

This is the record made available as a result of the generous action of our anonymous benefactor. Klementiev was another of the legendary imperial Russian singers. His few records are incredibly scarce and most collectors have never even seen a copy. The style of his phrasing may prove controversial with some collectors, but there is an exciting authenticity to the performance.

The Valentine Marcel duet is one of the lesser known pieces from the opera, although it attracted a number of 78 rpm versions. Collectors of Historic Masters will need no introduction to Sibiriakov’s basso cantante. Bronskaya is perhaps best known for her series of Columbia records made in the U.S.A. Her Russian HMV records are exceedingly rare in original form and without doubt catch her beautiful lyric soprano to far greater effect.

---

This article was last updated Monday, 30 March 2009
This article is presented here for archival reference only. All information was accurate at time of printing, however, HM policies, fees/charges, details and availability of recordings are subject to change without notice. Copyrighted material – Historic Masters