Carlo Bergonzi possessed one of the most refined Italian tenor voices of his generation. Although not a powerhouse, he brought great skill and beauty to a wide variety of operatic roles. He was wonderfully convincing in Verdi, Puccini, and the verismo school as well as in Donizetti and Bellini. The present recital presents him in Italian song (with the bonus of an aria from the tenor's complete recording of Puccini's 'Edgar') where the only real complaint is that it is too short, being constrained by the limitations of the original length of the LP release. Italian song is very different from either the German lied or the French mￃﾩlodie. In these comparative trifles by Bellini, Verdi, Rossini and others, the music is most often strophic, with the emphasis usually on charm. They make considerable demands on the singer to characterize the words and to reinterpret the unchanging music to the individual situation of each verse. In this, Bergonzi and his estimable accompanist, John Wustman, need fear no comparisons with the legends of the past or present. These 1977 recordings catch him towards the end of his major career but in fully in command of this enchanting repertoire.

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Carlo Bergonzi possessed one of the most refined Italian tenor voices of his generation. Although not a powerhouse, he brought great skill and beauty to a wide variety of operatic roles. He was wonderfully convincing in Verdi, Puccini, and the verismo school as well as in Donizetti and Bellini. The present recital presents him in Italian song (with the bonus of an aria from the tenor's complete recording of Puccini's 'Edgar') where the only real complaint is that it is too short, being constrained by the limitations of the original length of the LP release. Italian song is very different from either the German lied or the French mￃﾩlodie. In these comparative trifles by Bellini, Verdi, Rossini and others, the music is most often strophic, with the emphasis usually on charm. They make considerable demands on the singer to characterize the words and to reinterpret the unchanging music to the individual situation of each verse. In this, Bergonzi and his estimable accompanist, John Wustman, need fear no comparisons with the legends of the past or present. These 1977 recordings catch him towards the end of his major career but in fully in command of this enchanting repertoire.