Jussi Bjorling - The Swedish Caruso (2008) (5 CD Box Set)

This 5 CD set covers the best of Björling’s EMI solo recordings and includes highlights from three complete operas:

CD 1 contains Opera and Oratorio Arias and Songs in their original language recorded between 1936 and 1941.

CD 2 covers similar repertoire from 1941 to 1950.

CD 3 goes back to the period from 1929 when Björling was still a local Swedish artist and recorded all his material in Swedish. The CD opens with the two recently discovered test recordings that Björling made for EMI Sweden on 4 September 1929: ‘For You Alone’ and ‘Mattinata’, both sung in Swedish.

CD 4 contains a selection of Lieder and Songs, all sung in their original language, recorded between 1939 and 1959.

CD 5 contains a generous selection of highlights from Björling’s three complete EMI operas: La bohème, Pagliacci and Madama Butterfly. He is partnered in all three recordings by the soprano Victoria de los Angeles. All tracks, except those from Pagliacci and Madama Butterfly on CD 5, have been transferred and digitally remastered at Abbey Road Studios from the best available source material in the EMI Archives by the award-winning audio restoration engineer Andrew Walter.

Tracklist:

CD 1 [73:25]
Opera and Oratorio Arias and Songs (1936 – 1941)
Giuseppe VERDI (1813 – 1901)
Aida:
1. Se quell guerrier … Celeste Aida [4:21]
Rigoletto:
2. La donna è mobile [2:08]
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858 – 1924)
La bohème:
3. Che gelida manina [4:14]
Tosca:
4. Recondita armonia [2:45]
5. E lucevan le stele [2:49]
La fanciulla del West:
6. Ch’ella mi creda [2:21]
Amilcare PONCHIELLI (1834 – 1886)
La Gioconda:
7. Cielo e mar! [4:09]
Giacomo MEYERBEER (1791 – 1864)
L’africaine:
8. Mi batti il cor … O paradiso [3:10]
Francesco Paolo TOSTI (1846 – 1916)
9. Ideale [3:19]
Eduardo di CAPUA (1865 – 1917)
10. O sole mio [3:12]
Rudolf FRIML (1879 – 1972)
The Vagabond King:
11. Only a Rose [2:48]
Henry Ernest GEEHL (1881 – 1961)
12. For You Alone [1:59]
Jules MASSENET (1842 – 1912)
Manon:
13. Instant charmant … En ferment les yeux [3:40]
Georges BIZET (1838 – 1875)
Carmen:
14. La fleur que tu m’avais jetée [3:48]
Charles GOUNOD (1818 – 1893)
Faust:
15. Salut! demeure chaste et pure [4:35]
Friedrich von FLOTOW (1812 – 1883)
Martha:
16. M’appari tutt’amor [3:20]
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792 – 1868)
Stabat Mater:
17. Cujus animam [4:09]
Giuseppe VERDI
Messa da Requiem:
18. Ingemisco [4:02]
Il trovatore:
19. Ah si, ben mio [3:04]
20. Di quella pira [1:35]
21. Ah si, ben mio [3:14]
22. Di quella pira [1:35]
Rigoletto:
23. Questa o quella [2:05]

Orchestras / Nils Grevillius
rec. December 1936 (1-4); September 1937 (5-12); August 1938 (13, 14); October 1938 (17-20); July 1939 (15, 16, 21, 22); June 1941 (23)

CD 2 [74:53]
Opera Arias and Songs (1941 – 1950)
Giacomo PUCCINI
La bohème:
1. O soave fanciulla [4:06]
Giuseppe VERDI
Rigoletto:
2. È il sol dell’anima [3:19]
(1 & 2 w. Hjördis Schymberg, soprano)
3. Questa o quella [2:09]
Un ballo in maschera:
4. Di tu se fedele [3:12]
Giacomo PUCCINI
Turandot:
5. Nessun dorma [3:22]
Umberto GIORDANO (1867 – 1948)
Andrea Chenier:
6. Come un bel di di maggio [3:13]
Fedora:
7. Amor ti vieta [2:00]
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863 – 1945)
Cavalleria rusticana:
8. Mamma! quell vino è generoso [3:49]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857 – 1919)
Pagliacci:
9. Recitar! … Vesti la giubba [3:39]
10. Mattinata [2:16]
Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797 – 1848)
L’elisir d’amore:
11. Una furtiva lagrima [4:08]
Georges BIZET
Les Pêcheurs de perles:
12. Je crois entendre encore [3:35]
Charles GOUNOD
Roméo et Juliette:
13. Ah! lève-toi, soleil! [3:21]
Jules MASSENET
Manon:
14. Je suis seul! … Ah! fuyez, douce image [4:31]
Francesco CILEA (1866 – 1950)
L’arlesiana:
15. È la solita storia [3:52]
Pietro MASCAGNI
Cavalleria rusticana:
16. O Lola [2:33]
Giacomo PUCCINI
Manon Lescaut:
17. Donna non vidi mai [2:23]
Tosca:
18. Recondita armonia [2:51]
19. E lucevan le stelle [3:09]
La bohème:
20. O soave fanciulla [3:37]
Charles GOUNOD
Roméo et Juliette:
21. Ange adorable [4:24]
(20 & 21 w. Anna-Lisa Björling, soprano)
Benjamin GODARD (1849 – 1895)
Jocelyn:
22. Concealed in this retreat [2:53]
Francesco Paolo TOSTI
23. L’alba separa dalla luce l’ombra [2:22]

Orchestras / Nils Grevillius
rec. June 1941 (1, 2); March 1944 (3-10); September 1945 (11-14); November 1947 (15); September 1948 (16, 17); August 1949 (20-23); September 1950 (18, 19)

CD 3 [76:42]
Opera and Operetta Arias and Songs in Swedish (1929 – 1941)
Henry Ernest GEEHL
1. För dig allén [2:13]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO
2. Mattinata [2:12]
Charles GOUNOD
Roméo et Juliette:
3. Höj dig, du klara sol [3:12]
Giuseppe VERDI
Rigoletto:
4. O, I kvinnor [1:51]
Raoul LAPARRA (1876 – 1943)
L’illustre Frégona:
5. Fylld av vemod sänker sig natten [3:20]
Alexander BORODIN (1933 – 1887)
Prince Igor:
6. Dagen gick långsamt till ro [3:12]
Giacomo PUCCINI
Tosca:
7. Det sköna står att finna [2:41]
8. Jag minns stjärnorna lysa [2:34]
Giuseppe VERDI
Rigoletto:
9. Ack, som ett fjun så lätt [2:06]
Il trovatore:
10. Skyhögt mot himlen [1:37]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO
Pagliacci:
11. Spela komedi! … Pudra ditt anlet [2:47]
Pietro MASCAGNI
Cavalleria rusticana:
12. O Lola [2:24]
Giacomo PUCCINI
La fanciulla del West:
13. Låt henne tro [2:29]
Kurt ATTERBERG (1887 – 1974)
Fanal:
14. I männer över lag och rätt [3:01]
Nicolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844 – 1908)
Sadko:
15. I söderns hav [3:09]
Jacques OFFENBACH (1819 – 1875)
La Belle Hélène:
16. Uti en skog på berget Ida [3:23]
Johann STRAUSS II (1825 – 1899)
Der Zigeunerbaron:
17. Vem oss har vigt? [3:08]
Karl MILLÖCKER (1842 – 1899)
Der Bettelstudent:
18. Skall jag tala … Antag det fall [3:16]
(17 & 18 w. Hjördis Schymberg, soprano)
19. Nu är jag pank och fågelfri [1:40]
Wilhelm PETERSON-BERGER (1867 – 1942)
20. När jag för mig själv i mörka skogen går [2:12]
21. Bland skogens höga furustammar [2:44]
Swedish Folk Songs
22. Ack, Värmeland, du sköna [3:14]
23. Allt under himmelens fäste [3:11]
Carl SJÖBERG (1861 – 1900)
24. Tonerna [3:13]
Mogens SCHRADER (1894 – 1934)
25. Sommarnatt [3:11]
Wilhelm STENHAMMAR (1871 – 1927)
26. Sverige [2:48]
Ragnar ALTHÉN (1883 – 1961)
27. Land, du välsignade [2:35]
Eric WIDE (Ragnar WIDESTEDT) (1887 – 1954)
28. Nämner du Sverige [3:08]

Orchestras / Nils Grevillius, except tracks 1 & 2: Hjalmar Meissner (piano)
rec. September 1929 (1, 2); September 1930 (3, 4, 20, 21); March 1933 (5, 6); November 1933 (7, 8); December 1933 (9, 11); March 1934 (10, 12); March 1935 (13, 14); October 1936 (15, 22-25); January 1937 (26, 27); April 1938 (17); May 1938 (16, 18, 19, 28)

CD 4 [75:34]
Lieder and Songs (1939 – 1959)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770 – 1827)
1. Adelaide [6:50]
Richard STRAUSS (1864 – 1949)
2. Morgen! [3:21]
3. Cäcilie [1:57]
Gustaf NORDQVIST (1886 – 1949)
4. Bön i ofredstid [2:44]
5. Bisp Thomas frihetssång [2:06]
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873 – 1943)
6. In the Silence of the Night [2:57]
7. Lilacs [2:12]
Stephen FOSTER (1826 – 1864)
8. Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair [3:14]
Guy d’HARDELOT (1858 – 1936)
9. Because [2:06]
Oley SPEAKS (1874 – 1948)
10. Sylvia [3:03]
Louis CAMPBELL-TIPTON (1877 – 1921)
11. A Spirit Flower [3:40]
Amy Marcy Cheney BEACH (1867 – 1944)
12. Ah, Love, But a Day [3:17]
Carl SJÖBERG
13. I Bless Ev’ry Hour [3:07]
Gustaf NORDQVIST
14. Till havs [2:14]
Sven SALÉN (1890 – 1969)
15. Sången till havet [2:36]
16. Visa kring slånblom och månskära [2:48]
Wilhelm PETERSON-BERGER
17. Jungfrun under lind [2:45]
August SÖDERMAN (1832 – 1876)
18. Kung Heimer och Aslög [7:16]
19. Trollsjön [4:43]
Hugo ALFVÉN (1872 – 1960)
20. Så tag mit hjerte [3:52]
Jean SIBELIUS (1865 – 1957)
21. Demanten på marssnön [3:31]
Adolph ADAM (1803 – 1856)
22. Julsång (O Holy Night)

1-3: Harry Ebert (piano); 10-13: Ivor Newton (piano); the rest with orchestras conducted by Sune Waldimir (4 & 5); Nils Grevillius (6-9; 18-22) and Bertil Bokstedt (14-17)
rec. July 1939 (1-3); April 1944 (4, 5); November 1947 (6, 7); September 1948 (8, 9); November 1952 (10-13); September 1953 (14-17); January 1957 (18); February 1959 (19-22)

CD 5 [73:53]
Three Classic Operas (1953 – 1959)
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO
Pagliacci
1. Mi accordan di parlar? … Un grande spettacolo … Un tal gioco [5:15]
2. Recitar! … Vesti la giubba [3:55]
3. A stanotte … Coraggio! … No, Pagliaccio non son [8:15]
Jussi Björling (Canio); Victoria de los Angeles (Nedda); Leonard Warren (Tonio); Paul Franke (Beppe); Robert Merrill (Silvio); Robert Shaw Chorale, RCA Victor Orchestra/Renato Cellini
Giacomo PUCCINI
La bohème
4. Non sono in vena … Che gelida manina [9:35]
5. Ehi! Rodolfo … O soave fanciulla [4:59]
6. Marcello, finalmente … Donde lieta usci … Dunque è proprio finita [15:06]
7. In un coupe? … O Mimi, tu più non torni [4:28]
Jussi Björling (Rodolfo); Victoria de los Angeles (Mimi), Lucine Amara (Musetta); Robert Merrill (Marcello); John Reardon (Schaunard); Giorgio Tozzi (Colline); RCA Victor Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham
Madama Butterfly
8. Dovunque al mondo … Amore o grillo [7:16]
9. Viene la sera … Bimba dagli occhi [14:57]

Victoria de los Angeles (Madama Butterfly); Jussi Björling (Pinkerton); Miriam Pirazzini (Suzuki); Mario Sereni (Sharpless); Piero de Palma (Goro); Orchestra e Coro del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma/Gabriele Santini
rec. 1953, 1956 and 1959