John McCormack Acoustic Recordings 1916-18
Naxos CD

THIS seventh CD of Naxos’ very rewarding John McCormack recordings is a mixed bag of marvellous items representing the considerable range of the legendary Irish’s tenor art. Born in Athlone in 1884, as an adolescent, he sang in the Palestrina Choir of Dublin Cathedral and then at the St Louis World Fair 1904. He sang a few major operatic roles at Genoa, Covent Garden and New York, mainly in Puccini and Verdi (with Tetrazzini and Melba).

However, McCormack was not really comfortable on the operatic stage. He was gradually building a tremendous reputation as a concert soloist and was soon unrivalled in this sphere. His reputation was certainly comparable with any of today’s musical celebrities and he was soon earning $1 million a year giving concerts with standing room only. He was known as the “Irish Caruso” and had a natural, sweet light voice, combined with sensitive musicianship, magnificent control of his breathing and a charming sense of how to turn a phrase. The clarity of his diction is phenomenal.

His concert programmes were in themselves works of art. He would begin with a few Handel or Mozart arias; then move on to a selection of Lieder and reach a climax with sentimental ballads and extremely polished renditions of Irish songs that always tugged at the audience’s hearts. A few examples would demonstrate McCormack’s complete mastery and range. No tenor has ever eclipsed his rendition of Don Ottavio’s  “Il Mio Tesoro Intanto” in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, where he sings the celebrated coloratura passages in one breath. He was unmatched in the majesty and vocal deportment of Handel. The warmth and commitment of McCormack’s Italian arias had enough heart and warmth as necessary, but had no hint of the sigh or the sob that so frequently damage the tenor performances in Verdi and Puccini. Of course, no one has ever approached him as far as traditional Irish songs are concerned.

This disc offers you McCormack in opera – Wagner (“The Prize Song” from The Mastersingers), items from Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann, Balfe (The Bohemian Girl – a favourite opera of Sir Thomas Beecham’s), as well as a super arrangement of “The Star Spangled Banner” (McCormack became an American citizen), some Faure and Mehul, as well as a good sprinkling of Irish and some sentimental numbers (‘There’s a Long, Long Trail a Winding” and “Keep the Home Fires Burning”). We may recognise his supremacy in oratorio from his singing of Allitson’s “The Lord is My Light”. And who can resist ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”?  While some of the arrangements are bit schmaltzy (one of them ennobled by the playing of Fritz Kreisler), that is fine – in moderate doses.

One thing is quite clear from this disc. McCormack always gave his best and had his heart in all that he did. He always said that he only ever sang music that he wanted to sing. And the great thing about these acoustic recordings is that you can really truly appreciate his wonderful voice. Pope Pius XI made him a count in appreciation of his work for Roman Catholic charities. John McCormack was a true aristocrat of song.

Robert Giddings