Here’s the first in a projected 13-volume series of the complete recordings of the legendary bass, a project that promises to be a recording landmark. First, there’s the voice itself–a seamless web of tonal richness, from the subterranean bottom notes to the gorgeous floating head-voice highs. There’s the interpretive genius that phrases to perfection, communicates emotions through careful vocal shadings, erases the line between speech and music, exhibits masterly legato, and introduces subtle dynamic variations that heighten effects. There’s the powerful emotional impact of his vocal acting, perhaps over the top in some of his later work but always irresistible. Finally, there’s the sheer Russianness of the man, not simply in his repertory but also in the open emotionalism of his singing.
This first volume of the Chaliapin Edition includes his earliest recordings–from 1902-08–drawn from the Vladimir Gurvich Collection, the most complete private source of Chaliapin’s work. The dates tell you that in honest, straightforward transfers like these, the crackles and roars of 78 rpm surface noise will be prominent. If that’s a turnoff, forget it. But experienced listeners of historical fare will listen through the background (actually the foreground in some of the early tracks) and settle in for some great singing.
The “Ave Signor”, from Boito’s Mefistofeles Prologue, for example, is sung with such commanding power we easily understand why Boito exclaimed that until Chaliapin, he only had “poor devils.” Gounod’s devil gets his due in the 1907 Faust “Le veau d’or” and the “Serenade”, both sung in Russian with unforced brio the likes of which we rarely get these days. The Russian opera arias are done to perfection, as is the 1908 version of a long-time specialty, Rossini’s “La calumnia” from Barber of Seville, less frantic than it later became but made brilliant through his XXL-sized voice and high spirits.
It’s hard to pick out highlights when everything is never less than interesting, but some of the obscure Russian songs are lovely, like the unaccompanied 1907 folk songs retrieved from test records. In one of the best of these, “Eh, Vanka”, Chaliapin infuses his voice with mournful regret and closes in a ravishing pianissimo head voice. Suffice it to say that this is an indispensable CD for collectors, as much for its contents as for the promise of greater glories to come. One important note: Arbiter provides full texts and translations for all of the songs and arias here, an amazing feat for a small company to undertake and one that should shame other labels that specialize in historical recordings. [2/7/2001]
