Our guide to the life and recordings of a soprano who exercised an almost mystical hold on the imaginations of those who heard her, the great Lilli Lehmann. Though not perhaps among the immortals, mezzo-soprano Susan Metcalfe Casals is certainly worthy of remembrance. First wife of the great Catalan cellist, conductor and composer, she was for some years a much-admired artist in her own right. Contributor Richard W. Hornbeck provides a fascinating re-assessment of her musical legacy.
Staying with the vocal arts, this quarter’s Curiosity Shop examines a peculiar 1930s ad campaign launched by the day’s leading writing implement maker, the Parker Pen Company, that involved the posthumous endorsement of composer Giacomo Puccini. Another intriguing footnote in American musical history concerns 1930s/40s entrepreneur Jack L. Caidin, the focus of this quarter’s Soundings. Selling 78s by mail order, a NYC brick-and-mortar shop, collectible discs, independent label founder and Caruso discographer, Caidin was a harbinger of numerous trends that would become commonplace during the post-war years.…
Read more from the Editor’s Notes here.
220 Pages, 141MB downloadable PDF and in-browser reader.
