Search - Roeckel, Michael William Balfe, Irish Traditional :: John McCormack Rare Recordings 1904-42

John McCormack - Rare Recordings 1904-1942

Phil Stewart | Battle Creek, MI United States | 02/15/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD was most welcome to my collection. I have a fair number of McCormack originals, mostly from 1910 - 1927. It is especially interesting to be able to hear the extremes, beginning and end. McCormack was probably THE singer of his age in that he sang well, everything from Sonny Boy to Il Mio Tesoro. One critic wrote that he never stooped to material that was beneath him, but raised it to his level. It was interesting to me that he did not spring from his singing master's loin, fully developed, but spent seven years as a professional singer developing his skills. We see his promising beginning with the 1904 sessions. If I have a complaint about the set, it is with these transfers. Paul Wolf, in his John McCormack Home Page, discusses the debate between playing the G.T.&T. records at 72 or 76.6 rpm. I would guess that this set uses the slower speed. If this is so, Mr. Worth is indeed right. They sound too slow, almost to the point of slurred speach. Unfortunately, these are the only first recordings which I have been able to find on the market. The rest of the collection is fine and includes many rarities, including unissued test pressings from McCormack's personal collection. As he aged, his voice diminished while his skill as a singer increased. Even at the end of his career, he did not make a bad record. Despite my complaint, I would not deny myself this album, nor should anyone who wants to hear the beginning and conclusion of an incredible career."