The most beautiful song recital - ever!!
Philips 400 015-2

Now fans, some of you probably don't have this magnificent album, it's been out of print for a while, but I urge you to still try to get it. I waited for years before a friend told me about an UK web site that had just a couple of copies left. But was it worth the wait!

There is an air of uncertainty that surrounds the Neapolitan Songs today, created, naturally, by our praised media. As a result, opera-goers are not sure how to proceed. Should they enjoy this form of singing or should it become another "guilty pleasure" like, say, ice cream? The lyrics (and even music) of these songs have often been dismissed by various critics as being too sappy or excessively whiny. They would have you believe this is not "serious art". Well, the only thing that I see there is these people's inability to have the emotions addressed in these songs. If a man has no place in his heart for feelings of sentiment for what once had been, or simple adoration for a woman, or awe for majestic scenery, then he is missing an internal part of being human and, yes, a real man. And, of course, women can find more beautiful things in these songs than they could hear from most of their suitors who "borrowed" their lines from popular movies.

I love the Neapolitan Songs, and I heard many of them before, largely thanks to old Gigli and Lanza recordings, and later to the 3-T concerts. But what I've heard on this CD far surpassed everything I've heard before, even Pavarotti's wonderful Passione album. For this recital, José Carreras selected the most melodious, romantic and exciting Neapolitan songs, and with Peter Hope's brilliant arrangements and Edoardo Muller's sensitive engaging conducting they became refreshingly different from other versions so often heard and overused. José's voice definitely deserves the highest praise. It's absolutely glorious, at its full bloom, note after note of pure joy.

From rhythmic and happy "Funiculi, funicula" to dreamy melancholic "Santa Lucia Luntana" he puts an enormous measure of feeling and passion into each flawlessly executed phrase (listen to the ending of "Core'ngrato" for an example of the longest vocal phrase imaginable.) So many song albums are put together in a haste, artists not quite having the same respect for songs as for arias. Not Carreras. He does sing them differently from the arias. Yet his approach is utmost serious and devoted. Even to such a "beat-up" songs as "O Sole Mio" or "Torna a Surriento" he brings real romantic feeling. In his careful hands, they become gorgeous serenades instead of the usual play-with-voice showpiece tunes. Even though they are all beautiful, my favorite would be "Dicitencello vuie." This song has very nice unusual lyrics; it first seems as if a young man is addressing his beloved's friend to convey to her his feeling because he is shy to do this himself. But the second verse reveals that she really IS his beloved as he asks to throw down the masks and speaks the truth about his passion. It is also worth mentioning that Philips never re-released this song on any of its compilation albums.

In my collection this album will always stand out as the one I listen to most often and the one that never fails to improve my mood. Do try to get it and I am sure it will give you many moments of delight.