Palaeophonics' revised & remarkable 2-CD Edition of GEORGE GROSSMITH is here . . . as we await our forthcoming new titles from Yves St Laurent and Immortal Performances,

Palaeophonics' revised & remarkable 2-CD Edition of GEORGE GROSSMITH is here . . .

as we await our forthcoming new titles from

Yves St Laurent and Immortal Performances,

here is our special BOOK SALE –

our few remaining copies of important out-of-print

vocal books, in absolutely new condition . . .

and the ‘sale’ titles continue . . .

GEORGE GROSSMITH, Jr.: George Grossmith’s records for the Gramophone Company, incl. Songs & Duets from Theodore, Peggy, Our Miss Gibbs, The Sunshine Girl, Peggy, The Girl on the Film, The Cabaret Girl, Tonight’s the Night, Genevieve de Brabant, The Naughty Princess, Sally, No, No Nanette & Lady Mary; three additional songs plus the 1908-10 Jumbo Records. (England) 2-Palaeophonics 173A & 173B, recorded 1909-28. [Of note: This 2-CD Set of improved restoration replaces the earlier Palaeophonics issues Nos. 86 & 100], w.Elaborate 'The Play' 24pp. Brochure replete with numerous photos from various productions & biographies. Excellently transferred from the legendary Acoustic 78rpm rarities. [Beyond any doubt, this piece de resistance, Dominic Combe's most recent and elaborate production, is the ultimate of his delightful creations; the duet from GENEVIEVE DE BRABANT is among these priceless renditions!] (PE0364)

Critic Reviews

“Grossmith's first role in a musical was at the age of 18 in a small comic role in his father's collaboration with W. S. Gilbert, HASTE TO THE WEDDING. He next appeared in several small comic roles, including in THE BARONESS (1892). Grossmith's breakthrough came in MOROCCO BOUND (1893), where he made the most of the small role of Sir Percy Pimpleton by adding ad-libbed sight and word gags, becoming an audience favourite and establishing his style of playing ‘dude’ roles. This was followed by appearances in GO-BANG (1894 as Augustus Fitzpoop) and in George Edwardes's production of A GAIETY GIRL (1893 as Major Barclay). He also played in PICK-ME-UP at the Trafalgar Square Theatre in 1894 with Jessie Bond and Letty Lind. Edwardes then hired Grossmith to create the part of Bertie Boyd in the hit musical THE SHOP GIRL (1894). The 21-year-old actor wrote the lyrics to his character's hit song ‘Beautiful, bountiful Bertie’, which he popularised in both London and New York.

Grossmith left the musical stage for about three years, appearing in straight comedies, but he returned in 1898 to take over in the musical LITTLE MISS NOBODY and then as Mark Antony in the burlesque, GREAT CAESAR (1899), which Grossmith had written with Paul Rubens. The piece was not successful, but he wrote another (also unsuccessful piece), THE GAY PRETENDERS (1900), in which he included roles for both himself and his famous father, that played at the Globe Theatre with a cast also including John Coates, Frank Wyatt, Letty Lind and Richard Temple. Grossmith then returned to Edwardes' company as leading comedian, touring in Kitty Grey, and then starred in the Gaiety Theatre's hit THE TOREADOR (1901). Grossmith supplied some of his own lyrics but scored his biggest hit with Rubens' song ‘Everybody's Awfully Good to Me’. He then played in THE SCHOOL GIRL (1903) and subsequently toured America in the piece, but he mostly remained at the Gaiety for the next dozen years, starring in a number of hits and becoming one of the biggest stars of the Edwardian era. His roles in these hits included The Hon. Guy Scrymgeour in THE ORCHID (1903), Gustave Babori in THE SPRING CHICKEN (1905), Genie of The Lamp in THE NEW ALADDIN (1906), Otto, the prince, in THE GIRLS OF GOTTENBERG (1907), Hughie in OUR MISS GIBBS (1909), Auberon Blowand in PEGGY (1911) and Lord Bicester in THE SUNSHINE GIRL (1912). He often performed together with diminutive comic Edmund Payne.

Grossmith co-wrote the successful HAVANA (1908), while he moved to another Edwardes theatre to play Count Lothar in A WALTZ DREAM. Grossmith was given writing credits for some of the Gaiety pieces, usually adaptations from French comedies (like THE SPRING CHICKEN) or collaborations with other writers (such as THE GIRLS OF GOTTENBERG), but he wrote the libretto to PEGGY on his own. His contributions in collaborative pieces were primarily to add in jokes. He adapted THE DOLLAR PRINCESS (1909) for America (but not London) and also co-wrote some of London's earliest ‘revues’ including the ROGUES AND VAGABONDS, VENUS, OH! INDEED, Empire Theatre's HULLO LONDON! (1910), EVERYBODY'S DOING IT, KILL THAT FLY!, EIGHT-PENCE A MILE, and NOT LIKELY. In addition to his writing and performing, he sometimes directed these musicals and revues.

In 1913, Grossmith starred in THE GIRL ON THE FILM first in London and then in New York, where he joined with Edward Laurillard, who had earlier produced his musical THE LOVE BIRDS, to produce plays and musicals. Grossmith established himself as a major producer with Laurillard, bringing POTASH AND PERLMUTTER, by Montague Glass, to London in 1914 for a long run at the Queen's Theatre. They then produced the successful TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT, based on the farce PINK DOMINOES, first at the Shubert Theatre in New York in 1914 and then moved it to the Gaiety Theatre, London in 1915. Back at the Gaiety Theatre, Grossmith wrote, produced and starred in the hit in THEODORE & CO (1916), based on a French comedy. Edwardes had died in 1915, however, and Grossmith was dissatisfied with the offer of the new management under Alfred Butt and Robert Evett, the executor of Edwardes' estate, and so he left the Gaiety and produced three successes, MR MANHATTAN, ARLETTE (1917), and YES, UNCLE! (1917) elsewhere. His OH! JOY (the British adaptation of OH, BOY!, 1917) was also successful. He also wrote the tremendously successful revue series, THE BING BOYS ARE HERE (1916), THE BING BOYS ARE THERE (1917) and THE BING BOYS ON BROADWAY (1918). Grossmith fitted his work on all these productions around his naval service in World War I.

Grossmith and Laurillard built their own theatre, the Winter Garden, on the site of an old music-hall in Drury Lane. They opened the theatre in 1919 with Grossmith and Leslie Henson starring in KISSING TIME (1919, with a star-studded cast, a book by P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton and music by Ivan Caryll), followed by A NIGHT OUT (1920). Grossmith and Laurillard also became managers of the Apollo Theatre in 1920 (they had produced THE ONLY GIRL there in 1916 and TILLY OF BLOOMSBURY there in 1919). But expanding their operation caused Grossmith and Laurillard to end their partnership, with Grossmith retaining control of the Winter Garden. Grossmith partnered with Edwardes' former associate, Pat Malone, to produce a series of mostly adaptations of imported shows at the Winter Garden between 1920 and 1926: SALLY (1921), THE CABARET GIRL (1922, with book by Wodehouse and music by Jerome Kern), THE BEAUTY PRIZE (1923, with Wodehouse and Kern), a revival of TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT (1923), PRIMROSE (1924, with music by George Gershwin), TELL ME MORE (1925, with words by Thompson and music by George Gershwin) and KID BOOTS (1926 with music by Harry Tierney), many of them featuring Leslie Henson. Grossmith co-wrote some of the Winter Garden pieces, directed many of his own productions and starred in several, notably as Otis in SALLY. Several of the later productions lost money, and Grossmith and Malone ended the partnership.

Grossmith also co-produced Oscar Asche's conception of EASTWARD HO! (1919), BABY BUNTING (both in 1919) and FAUST ON TOAST (1921) at other theatres during this period. At the same time, in the early 1920s, while appearing less frequently in his own Winter Garden shows, he continued to appear in other producers' shows, including THE NAUGHTY PRINCESS (1920) and as Billy Early in Joe Waller and Herbert Clayton's original hit British production of NO, NO, NANETTE (1925). Around this time, Grossmith also worked as a programme advisor to the BBC, particular involved in comedy programming. He also negotiated on behalf of the BBC with theatre managers over their boycott on songs from plays, when provincial theatre managers had threatened to cancel tour contracts if excerpts from the new plays had already been broadcast by the BBC.

After 1926, Grossmith stopped producing, but he continued to perform, playing King Christian in Albert Szirmai's PRINCESS CHARMING (1926) for producer Robert Courtneidge in New York, and Britain in THE FIVE O'CLOCK GIRL and LADY MARY (1928). In New York in 1930, and later in London (where it flopped), he starred in Ralph Benatzky's MY SISTER AND I (aka MEET MY SISTER). He also appeared in at least ten films for London Film Productions Ltd. in the 1930s. In 1930, he appeared in a 20th Century Fox film, ARE YOU THERE?

In 1931-1932, Grossmith was appointed managing director of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, producing THE LAND OF SMILES and CAVALCADE, but he resigned in 1932 to devote himself to cinema. In the 1930s, Grossmith appeared in (and wrote the screenplay, in two cases, for) a number of films. In 1933, he played Touchstone in a production of AS YOU LIKE IT in the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. Also in 1933, he wrote a memoir called G. G.”

- Z. D. Akron

“If you are interested in what original audiences of early 20th century English operetta and musical comedy heard, there is a great source for such recordings – the record label Paleophonics. Dominic Combe prepares CDs for them from his huge collection of shellacs and a few cylinders.

I came across these somewhat hard-to-find CDs on the website of the mail-order company NORBECK, PETERS AND FORD, (norpete.com) which is specialized in historical performances from the beginning of recorded sound all the way through to the 1960s.

There are now over fifty Paleophonics CDs, and more are being prepared or scheduled for future release. Each CD comes with a lavishly illustrated program booklet with reviews, information about the shows and fantastic publicity photographs, and artwork from the original London productions, in the form of reproductions of the magazine PLAY PICTORIAL.”

- Thomas Krebs,

OPERETTA RESEARCH CENTER - PALEOPHONICS -

A JOURNEY TO THE DAWN OF RECORDED SOUND IN MUSICAL COMEDY, 1 July, 2020

FRANCO CORELLI AND A REVOLUTION IN SINGING: FIFTY-FOUR TENORS SPANNING 200 YEARS, Vol. 3 (Stefan Zucker). New York, Bel Canto Society, 2018. 358 pp. Index; Bibliography; Exhaustive Chronology; Printed on top-quality paper and features 139 rare photographs, the majority provided by the Met Archives; DJ. This volume contains interviews with Corelli, Bergonzi, Kraus and Alagna, among others. (B1867)

Critic Reviews

“Stefan Zucker’s first two volumes were fascinating and informative, however Volume 3 can now be considered a ‘must’ and is compulsive reading….He now begins gradually to wind up his analysis of how both Corelli and Del Monaco, possessors of potent vocal material, blocked each other’s careers….Questioned about female partners on stage [Corelli] mentions some colleagues with whom he had experiences, both problems and pleasure in working with. These included Birgit Nilsson, Maria Callas, Giulietta Simionato and Zinka Milanov….There is an interesting interview with Carlo Bergonzi, considered to be a paragon of style, who, as Stefan Zucker points out, also exhibited the virtues of musicianship by observing the composer’s directions and demonstrating an ability to sing a good legato, with clarity of enunciation….

To conclude, and in bringing his survey very much up to date, Stefan Zucker discusses vocal placement, timbre, musicianship, artistry and strengths and weaknesses by classifying and reviewing in great detail some recordings….

As with the first two volumes, this book is lavishly illustrated with many unusual photographs and is printed on superior paper, and surely…is the most comprehensive and illuminating survey of tenor singing technique ever published….it will be read for decades to come by devotees of operatic singing and of the most popular voice, that of the tenor.”

- Alan Bilgora, THE RECORD COLLECTOR, 2018

GIACOMO LAURI-VOLPI, un Tenore dall’800 - A Biography (Maurizio Tiberi). Roma, TIMA Club, 2012. 691pp. Index; Exhaustive Chronology, 1914-77; Discography; Filmography; Repertoire; List of Lauri-Volpi’s writings; Numerous Photos, many never before in print; Illustrated with concert & opera program reproductions, newspaper articles & reviews, plus Fono Roma, Disco Nacional, LVDP, HMV, Victor & Italian, USA & South American Brunswick advertisements. (Italian Text) (Pictorial thick paper covers) Extremely Limited Edition. (B0743)

CRITIC REVIEWS

“This book is almost as valuable to those who do not read Italian as to native speakers because it is less a conventional biography than a compendium of Volpiana. Notable are the numerous photographs, frequently from the tenor’s own archives….Listed are his books, films, television appearances, musical compositions, decorations and hundreds of miscellaneous writings….The Discography, generously illustrated with comntemporary advertising material, includes commercial, non-commercial, radio and private recordings….Lauri-Volpi enthusiasts should not hesitate to buy this book which, like the 5–CD [TIMAClub] set…is unlikely to be available for long.

- Michael E Henstock, THE RECORD COLLECTOR, 2013

“Every self-respecting collector of vocal recordings has known Maurizio Tiberi of course for years. A pioneer in the preservation of the vocal legacy of Italy’s legendary opera singers, Tiberi has been responsible for numerous interesting LP and CD releases, often with splendid booklets, in most cases with complete biographies. Several of them are sold out completely, others are still available, and I urge our readers to acquire them before they also will disappear forever. In the past he published the only biography of Lina Pagliughi and more recently he was responsible for the only and definitive GIOVANNI MARTINELLI biography. A ‘must-have’ book for every tenor fan. Another ‘must-have’ book is Tiberi’s book on the vocal miracle which was GIACOMO LAURI-VOLPI. This 691 page opus is a remarkable achievement not only because of its many years of research but also for its unique iconographic material. Literally hundreds of rare photos are included not only of the great tenor but also of his colleagues, theatre programmes, movie stills, cartoons, record sleeves etc. A goldmine!

The biography itself is a marvel of research, seasoned with anecdotes, reviews, contracts and letters (Callas included). Tiberi doesn’t eschew Lauri-Volpi’s relationship with Mussolini –which makes fascinating reading - and he tackles in depth the 1929 clash between the tenor and Toscanini in Berlin. Tiberi also gives the final answer as to whom Puccini really wanted as his first Calaf and he devotes several pages on the ‘friendship’ between the tenor and Franco Corelli including two rare photos. Moreover, the narrative is seasoned with several biographies of important colleagues of Lauri-Volpi. So for the price of this book one also gets a rather extended biography of Antonio (Toto) Cotogni, Lauri-Volpi’s teacher but also other biographical thumbnail biographies including Guido Volpi, Carmelo Alabiso, Emma Carelli, Rosina Storchio, Gilda dalla Rizza and many others.

Maurizio Tiberi is to be complemented for his heroic efforts (don’t forget this is a one- man enterprise) to preserve the heritage of Italian vocal art.”

- Rudi van den Bulck, OPERA NOSTALGIA

GIANNA PEDERZINI – Biography (Maurizio Tiberi). Roma, 2-TIMA Club, 2016. 439pp. in Two Volumes; Index; Exhaustive Chronology, 1923-72; Discography, 1928-49; Repertoire; copious Photos, many never before in print; Illustrated with concert & opera program reproductions, newspaper articles & reviews, plus delightful caricatures. (Italian Text) (Pictorial thick paper covers) (B1861)

Critic Reviews

“[Pederzini’s] tone production, enunciation and acting skills were in perfect balance for many years and were enhanced by a vivid imaginative identification with each of the seventy characters that she performed, ranging chronologically from Mozart to Poulenc….[She employed] a fascinating grasp of character highlighted by an exceptionally expressive enunciation unmatched by any Italian mezzo in recent decades….the female equivalent of Tito Schipa….[this pair of books presents] a detailed chronology and discography (which includes live recordings) in volume two, [plus] numerous and often rare illustrations….Fernando de Lucia immediately recognized her talent and provided her with a technique with which she could fully exploit the potential of a voice that was less naturally endowed in volume and rich overtones than those of her contemporaries Ebe Stignani and Bruna Castagna….The books contain indices of names for both the career chronology and main text and is every bit as recommendable as Tiberi’s earlier volumes on Giovanni Martinelli [B0120] and Giacomo Lauri-Volpi [B0743].”

- Stephen Hastings, THE RECORD COLLECTOR, 2017

HEDDLE NASH, Singing Against the Tide. Eleanor Allen. UK, Jubilee House Press, 2010. 264pp.; Index; Bibliography; Numerous Photos. (Pictorial thick paper covers) Long out-of-print, Final New Copy! (B0731)

Critic Reviews

“I am especially gratified to see this beautifully-researched biography, which leans heavily not only on many libraries, newspapers and archives, but also on the Nash family archive for authentic information….Nash was one of this country’s busiest singers….the author has succeeded in bringing the man to life….there is no attempt at a discography or discussion of the recordings….It is most heartily recommended to his many admirers as a thoroughly entertaining and informative read.”

- Larry Lustig, THE RECORD COLLECTOR, June, 2011

. . . REPEATED . . .

FROM THE RECENT PAST . . .

LICIA ALBANESE - A Tribute, incl. LA TRAVIATA, w.Cesare Sodero Cond. Met Opera Ensemble; Licia Albanese, Richard Tucker, Leonard Warren, etc., Live Performance, 23 March, 1946; TOSCA, w.Dimitri Mitropoulos Cond. Met Opera Ensemble; Licia Albanese, Daniele Barioni, Leonard Warren, etc., Live Performance, 23 March, 1957; Arias and scenes from Mefistofele, Adriana Lecouvreur, Suor Angelica, Louise, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale (with Giuseppe de Luca), Manon Lescaut (with Richard Tucker) & La Traviata (with Guy Richard Gordon). (Canada) 4-Immortal Performances IPCD 1154, w.Elaborate 52pp. Booklet. Transfers by Richard Caniell. Notes by William Russell & Richard Caniell. (V2692)

EILEEN FARRELL - Tribute, incl. OTELLO (Rossini), w. Arnold Gamson Cond. American Opera Society Ensemble; Eileen Farrell, Thomas Hayward, Hugh Thompson, Loren Driscoll, Martha Lipton, Chester Watson, etc., Live Performance, 11 Oct., 1957, Carnegie Hall; TRISTAN UND ISOLDE - Act II IP Complete, w. Steinberg Cond. Boston S.O.; Eileen Farrell, James King, Nell Rankin, Robert Hale, etc., Live Performance, 21 April, 1972, Symphony Hall, Boston, w.Broadcast Commentary & Curtain Calls; TRISTAN UND ISOLDE - Liebestod, w.Bernstein Cond. NYPO; Eileen Farrell, Live Performance, 26 Feb.,1969, Philharmonic Hall; EILEEN FARRELL: Arias & Duets w. Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill, Mildred Miller & Jerome Hines, from Alceste, Forza & Cavalleria Rusticana, Live Performances from the Met Opera, 1961 & 1964. (Canada) 3-Immortal Performances IPCD 1155, w.Elaborate 47pp. Booklet. Transfers by Richard Caniell. Notes by William Russell & Richard Caniell. (V2691)

DON CARLO, Live Performance, 15 April, 1961, w.Verchi Cond. Met Opera Ensemble; Franco Corelli, Mary Curtis-Verna, Mario Sereni, Jerome Hines, Hermann Uhde, Irene Dalis, Martina Arroyo, etc. [Truly humbling to realize how we simply took for granted performances of this grandeur some 60 years ago! Corelli is at his glorious peak in this performance, with the under-rated Curtis-Verna, Dalis, Sereni & Hines equally in his league - all captured in glorious, opulent sound in the warm acoustic of the venerated Old House!] (Canada) 2-St Laurent Studio YSL T-973. (OP3345)

TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, Live Performance, 16 April, 1938, (replete with Milton Cross' commentary), w.Bodanzky Cond. Met Opera Ensemble; Kirsten Flagstad, Lauritz Melchior, Karin Branzell, Julius Huehn, Emanuel List, etc.; KIRSTEN FLAGSTAD: BBC's 1992 'Vintage Years' Tribute to Kirsten Flagstad - singing Brahms, Grieg, and Wagner. (Canada) 3-Immortal Performances IPCD 1151. Notes by Dewey Faulkner & Richard Caniell. Transfers by Richard Caniell. Elaborate Edition features numerous lovely photos & 52pp. booklet. (OP3440)

JORGE BOLET: My Joys (Chopin-Liszt); w.John Eliot Gardiner Cond. Orchestre national de Lyon: Wanderer Fantasy (Schubert-Liszt), Live Performance, 21 Aug., 1987, Montpellier; w.Erich Leinsdorf Cond. Boston Symphony Orch.: Fantasie uber Motive aus Beethoven's Ruinen von Athen (Liszt); Parergon on Symphonia Domestica (Strauss), Live Performance, 9 Aug., 1964, Tanglewood. [An exceptionally unexpected Bolet treasure of equally rarified programming!] (Canada) St Laurent Studio YSL T-1265. Transfers by Yves St Laurent. (P1416)

BOOKS ON SALE

“Books have become our lonely stepchildren! By spending so many hours constantly revising our thousands of CDs we realize we have paid scant attention to our BOOKS ON SALE, thus many have been added (with more appearing), accompanied by greatly reduced prices! Have a glance at our SALE section - for BOOKS!

[many sealed copies of

numerous out-of-print additions:

The Record Collector, Naxos, VRCS, Issues of

Symposium's Harold Wayne series,

Romophone, GOP &

many Met Opera broadcasts &

operas from Moscow's Aquarius, plus

numerous lesser-known operas have been added

throughout our listings, in appropriate categories. .

out-of-print books [many biographies,

Record Catalogue-Discographies . . .

numerous CDs are added each week] . . .

Once again . . .

Welcome to our new bookshop & list of Original Cast LPs, www.norpete.com where you will see a vast array of excellent, used out-of-print books. You're sure to find many books of interest which may have long eluded you, so now is your opportunity to fill in missing gaps. Our online bookshop includes composer and performer autobiographies and biographies. Soon we will include musical criticism, theory and history, plus histories of symphony orchestras, opera houses and festivals. In addition, we shall offer quite an array of vocal scores, many of which are most rare and unusual.

Take a look at our exciting array of Broadway & Off-Broadway Original Cast and London Original Cast LPs, all in superb condition.

We carry splendid CD offerings from Yves St Laurent, VRCS, The Record Collector, Marston, Palaeophonics, Immortal Performances (Canada), Malibran, Aquarius, Truesound Transfers, Walhall, Bongiovanni, Clama and many other labels.

As always, please contact us with any special requests.

Please remember that we can take your order over the telephone from 10:00am to 6:00pm (EST), thereby providing you with the most current status of your order. Should you order by email or shopping cart and do not receive a timely acknowledgement of your order, please telephone.