Hina Spani (soprano)
The Complete Recordings
La Scala Orchestra/Carlo Sabajno
rec. 1924-1931, Milan
Appendix: Giannina Arangi Lombardi (soprano) – Six Verdi Arias (1926-1933)
MARSTON 52077-2 [2 CDs: 161]
Despite an extensive and highly successful career at La Scala and the Teatro Colón spanning seventy operatic roles over twenty-five years, Argentinian spinto soprano Hina Spani (1890-1969*) was not especially active in the recording studio and her entire recorded legacy of thirty-eight tracks has been collected and remastered here by Ward Marston on his own label. In addition to performing a wide range of operatic roles, Spani had a vast concert repertoire, represented here by the fifteen tracks of songs on the second disc. Her comparative neglect today is mainly due to the fact that she never sang anywhere in the English-speaking world except on tour in Australia with company members of La Scala. As a bonus, we ae given six tracks by another of the greatest sopranos of that era, her spinto contemporary Giannina Arangi Lombardi.
We need to remember that we are listening here to discs made with technology now a hundred years old, at the end of the acoustic era and just at the start of the electrical system – the latter being still a hybrid process. That comparatively primitive technology was always better suited to capturing voices than orchestras and what we have here is, after remastering, pretty listenable, with a will…
I would echo the same faults and virtues Spani evinced as noted by J. B. Steane in his masterwork The Great Tradition: a sometimes rather wayward, fast, even tremulous vibrato, the absence of a proper trill and the occasional uncertainty of intonation are all apparent – but we also hear a formidable interpretative acumen, a slim, ductile, but penetrating tone of power and amplitude, and – here I will once again beat my lonely drum – a properly developed lower register which anchors her pure, almost disembodied top notes. There are moments in the more distraught sections of arias where she throws herself into the drama of the words and music in almost reckless fashion; she is never a bland singer. The same is true of the climaxes to the two Dvořák Gypsy Songs where she really lets rip.
Her ”Vissi d’arte” and “La mamma morta” are the most impressive arias here – such is the power of her spinto soprano that it creates a little distortion on loud, high notes in the latter; the climactic high B followed by the full lower-register low G are tremendously exciting. Butterfly was by all accounts a favourite role and she is one of those rare sopranos who can sound both girlish and sufficiently weighty to encompass the searing outpouring of despair in “Tu, tu, piccolo iddio”.
Zenatello, however, is appalling as Otello, as the notes, quoting the disapproving New York critic W.J. Henderson, point out; he is squeezed, hard and nasal, often devoid of a proper vibrato and incapable of singing softly. Her tenor in the Cavalleria duet is hardly much better – he, too, is nasal, bleaty and effete – entirely unsuitable as Turiddu. Clearly, despite my complaints about the decline evident in modern singing, not everything in the Golden Age was ideal. Apollo Granforte in the Pagliacci duet is so much better – true to his name in nominally determinative fashion, he is grand and often forte but also capable of singing tenderly. In many ways, I enjoy this track as much as anything here; unfortunately, the recording level is quite low.
Spani’s versatility is demonstrated by her poised and passionate singing of the two arias from Lohengrin – in Italian, it is true, but with the kind of Italianate legato Wagner himself hoped for.
The final section of the Spani recital encompasses songs from Caccini through Brahms and Dvořák to Spanish songs by such as Granados and contemporary Argentinian composers, sung with taste and delicacy. Perhaps the most familiar is Parisotti’s “Se tu m’ami” (previously attributed to Pergolesi), understandably favoured by divas of Spani’s era and many since. The slinky, languorous quality of the Spanish songs bring out the smoky mezzo tint to Spani’s soprano and the various chamber orchestra accompaniments to them come through more pleasingly than in the larger orchestral numbers.
Giannina Arangi Lombardi made four complete opera recordings which have long since been a gold standard; you may read my appraisal of her Elena, Gioconda and Aida in my surveys (Mefistofele; La gioconda; Aida). Only the latter is represented here by “Qui Rhadames verrà!” I quote from that Aida survey: “Giannina Arangi-Lombardi (teacher of Leyla Gencer) had one of the most beautiful voices of all time: a rich, velvety lower register (she retrained from mezzo) and sonorous top notes. She was a classically elegant singer, sometimes a tad placid but unfailingly musical. There is bell-like clarity to her sound without a hint of shrillness and the selection of arias in the recital following the opera is alone worth the modest price of the three discs. Her one fault is that she occasionally sings slightly flat but she has so many virtues, including a perfect trill.” I honestly consider her to be the greater singer – her pianissimi and crescendi are breath-taking and she has a proper trill – and there is certainly nothing placid about the conclusion to her “Morrò, ma prima in grazia” (Un ballo in maschera) which is, if anything, even better than Spani’s – and the same is true of the Aida aria, so these bonus “filler” arias are a very welcome addition.
The 36-page booklet, liberally laced with portrait photographs, contains extensive, highly informative and well-written notes by Tully Potter and Michael Aspinall on the lives and recorded legacies of both the artists featured here; proper essays rather than the puffs and blurbs which sometimes try to pass for guidance in some recent, glossy issues from the big labels. (A small listing issue: track 8 of CD 1 is listed as “Sombre forêts” which is bad French; it should be the singular “forêt”, but Arangi Lombardi is in any case singing the Italian version, “Selva opaca”. The same goes for the aria from Massenet’s Manon; it is not “Adieu notre petite table” which is sung, but “Addio, o nostro piccol desco”.)
Ralph Moore
*some sources give her birth date as 1896 but in typical diva fashion, Spani took six years off her age.
Availability: Marston Records
Contents
CD 1:
COLUMBIA GRAMOPHONE COMPANY
1. UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Morrò, ma prima in grazia (Verdi) 1924, Milan; B342 (D 5165)
2. AIDA: O patria mia (Verdi) 1924, Milan; B338 (D 5165)
3. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Tu qui, Santuzza … No, no, Turiddu (Mascagni)
with Paolo Masini, tenor; 1924, Milan; B333 and B334 (D 9455)
4. MANON LESCAUT: In quelle trine morbide (Puccini) 1924, Milan; B340 (D 9461)
5. TOSCA: Vissi d’arte (Puccini) 1924, Milan; B332 (D 9462)
6. MADAMA BUTTERFLY: Un bel dì (Puccini) 1924, Milan; B336 (D 9462)
7. ANDREA CHÉNIER: La mamma morta (Giordano) 1924, Milan; B331 (transferred from a unique unpublished test pressing)
THE GRAMOPHONE COMPANY, LTD., 1926–1931
8. GUILLAUME TELL: Sombre forêt (Selva opaca) (Rossini)
La Scala Orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 7 July 1931; 0F168-3 (HMB 138)
9. LOHENGRIN: Einsam in trüben Tagen (Sola nei miei primi anni) (Wagner)
with orchestra; 10 April 1928; CF1628-1 (DB 1164)
10. LOHENGRIN: Euch Lüften, die mein Klagen (Aurette a cui si spesso) (Wagner)
Conservatorio, Milan; La Scala Orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 15 March 1927; CK2016-2 (DB 1164)
11. FAUST: Il m’aime (Ei m’ama) (Gounod)
La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 3 April 1928; CF1625-2 (DB 1163)
12. UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Ma dall’arido stelo (Verdi)
La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 11 March 1927; CK2008-3 (DB 1045)
13. IL TROVATORE: Come d’aurato sogno … Tacea la notte (Verdi)
Conservatorio, Milan; La Scala Orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 15 March 1927; CK2015-3 (DB 1045)
14. IL TROVATORE: D’amor sull’ali rosee (Verdi)
La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 10 April 1928; CF1629-2 (DB 1503)
15. OTELLO: Quando narravi l’esule tua vita (Verdi)
Giovanni Zenatello, tenor; La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno;
3 December and 9 November 1926; CK1918-4 and CK1919-2 (DB 1006)
16. OTELLO: Piangea cantando nell’erma landa (Verdi)
La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 3 April 1928; CF1626-2 (HMB 138)
17. MANON: Allons! il le faut!…Adieu, notre petite table (Ah sì, lo degg’io…Addio, nostro piccolo desco) (Massenet)
Conservatorio, Milan; orchestra conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 3 May 1929; CM854-1 (DB 1503)
18. PAGLIACCI: Decidi il mio destin … No, tu non m’ami (Leoncavallo)
Apollo Granforte, baritone; Conservatorio, Milan; La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 12 March 1927; CK2010-1 and CK2011-2 (DB 1046)
CD 2:
THE GRAMOPHONE COMPANY, LTD., 1926–1931 (continued)
1. MANON LESCAUT: In quelle trine morbide (Puccini)
La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 10 March 1927; BK2005-1 (DA 879)
2. LA BOHÈME: Donde lieta uscì (Puccini)
Conservatorio, Milan; La Scala Opera Orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 12 March 1927; BK2009-2 (DA 879)
3. TOSCA: Vissi d’arte (Puccini)
Conservatorio, Milan; La Scala Opera orchestra conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 3 May 1929; BM851-1 (DA 1060)
4. MADAMA BUTTERFLY: Tu, tu, piccolo iddio (Puccini)
Conservatorio, Milan, La Scala Opera orchestra conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 6 May 1929; BM856-2 (DA 1060)
5. LA WALLY: Ebben ne andro` lontano (Catalani)
La Scala Opera orchestra conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 3 April 1928; CF1627-1 (DB 1163)
6. Amarilli (Caccini)
Conservatorio, Milan; string octet, conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 1 July 1929; BM995-3 (AV 15)
7. Fanciullina (Ciampi)
Conservatorio, Milan; string octet, conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 1 July 1929; BM996-2 (AV 32)
8. Se Florindo è fedele (Scarlatti)
Conservatorio, Milan; string octet, conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 1 July 1929; BM997-2 (AV 15)
9. Quel ruscelletto (Paradies)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 14 April 1930; BM1574-2 (AV 23)
10. Se tu m’ami (authorship unknown; previously attributed to Pergolesi)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 14 April 1930; BM1575-2 (AV 23)
11. O primavera (Tirindelli)
La Scala Opera orchestra, conducted by Carlo Sabajno; 14 March 1931; 0F173-2 (DA 1246)
12. Sandmännchen (Il mago sabbiolino),
No. 4 from VOLKS-KINDERLIEDER, WoO 31 (Brahms)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 15 April 1930; BM1577-1 (AV 24)
13. Alte Liebe (Antico amore), Op. 72, No. 1 (Brahms)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 22 April 1930; BM1576-4 (AV 24)
14. Struna naladeˇna, No. 5 from GYPSY SONGS, Op. 55 (Dvorˇák)
Conservatorio, Milan; chamber orchestra conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 19 April 1929; BM827-3 (DA 1246)
15. Dejte klec jestrˇábu, No. 7 from GYPSY SONGS, Op. 55 (Dvorˇák)
Conservatorio, Milan; chamber orchestra conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 19 April 1929; BM827-3 (DA 1246)
16. El majo discreto, No. 6 from TONADILLAS (Granados)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 2 May 1930; BM1600-2 (AV 25)
17. Montañesa, No. 4 from VEINTE CANTOS POPULARES ESPAÑOLES (Nin)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 2 May 1930; BM1599-2 (AV 25)
18. Dia de fiesta, No. 2 from BALADAS ARGENTINAS (Floro Melitón Ugarte)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 17 April 1930; BM1584-2 (DA 1226, AV 33)
19. Canción del carretero (López Buchardo)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 17 April 1930; BM1585-2 (AV 32)
20. Coplas de curro dolce (Obradors)
Conservatorio, Milan; double quintet conducted by Gino Nastrucci; 22 April 1930; BM1598-2 (DA 1226, AV 33)
Appendix
A selection of Verdi arias sung by Giannina Arangi Lombardi (1891–1951)
ITALIAN COLUMBIA, 1926-1933
21. IL TROVATORE: D’amor sull’ali rosee (Verdi) 30 April 1927; WBX 131-1 (D 18028)
22. LA FORZA DEL DESTINO: La vergine degli angeli (Verdi) chorus; 6 March 1926; WBX 20-2 (D 14658)
23. UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Morrò, ma prima in grazia (Verdi) 7 December 1933; CBX 1323 (GQX 10704)
24. I LOMBARDI ALLA PRIMA CROCIATA: Te, vergin santa, invoco (Verdi) 9 December 1933; CBX 1327 (GQX 10702)
25. I LOMBARDI ALLA PRIMA CROCIATA: Salve, Maria! O madre, dal cielo … Se vano è il pregare (Verdi) 9 December 1933; CBX 1328 (GQX 10702)
26. AIDA: Qui Rhadames verrà! … O cieli azzurri (Verdi); 15 November / 14 November 1928; WBX 403-3/WBX 400-2 (D 14507/D 14508)
Tracks 1-13 and 21-26 sung in Italian; tracks 14 and 15 sung in Czech; tracks 16-20 sung in Spanish
