Auto accidents, Car accidents, Truck accidents, Motorcycle accidents are all happening around us. We try to drive our vehicles as carefully as possible but it is always the other drivers' that we have to worry about - right?
How else can we cope with the potential of an accident. Being aware of everything around you when you drive and not be distracted by cell phones, dvd players, gps systems etc. Of, course its easy for me to say all of this, but you know that what I'm writing is true.
Get rid of the distraction and the concentratoin is more on driving, and then being able to deal more speedily with the other driver's bad driving.
Caruso singing La Donna e Mobile from Verdi's Rigoletto for Victor in 1907. The correct playing speed is 75 rpm which I did not know when I uploaded this record. I played it at 78.26 rpm. Some of Caruso's earlier records played at much slower speeds and I have adjusted those postings accordingly.
Another specific Gigli request. Beniamino Gigli singing Mi Par D'Udir Ancora from Act 1 of Bizet's Pearlfishers, recorded for HMV in 1931. Interesting to compare with the Tino Rossi version I posted previously. Totally different. I'm not going to offer an opinion other than to say that it is beautiful singing
The Mills Brothers performing Hold That Tiger and I Ain't Got Nobody in 1932. The 2nd song has been posted before but the video and sound quality of the earlier posting is not so good. I hope the Youtuber is not offended.
A request. John McCormack singing Champs paternels from Mehul's opera Joseph. Recorded for Victor in 1917 when McCormack was in his prime. Also, an early picture of McCormack when he was thin.
Two very brief bits from a 1932 film. Bing Crosby singing Please with Eddie Lang on the guitar and then Dinah. Lang and Crosby were very close. Lang died soon after this film was made during a routine operation. Crosby was devastated by the loss. This is Crosby at his zenith.
The Jimmie Lunceford Orch. playing Nagasaki. My guess is that this was probably filmed around 1934. The middle trumpeter is Sy Oliver, one of the greatest jazz arrangers of all time. The talent here is extraordinary, Where can you find players today who can match those in this band?
My last Gigli post for today. Beniamino Gigli singing Una Furtiva Lagrima from Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore for Victor in 1930. Now I feel guilty for criticizing him in my Tosca post. However, the run at the very end of this record is really sloppy - but the beauty of his voice compensates.
The Coleman Hawkins Swing Four performing The Man I Love for Signature in the mid 1940's. Hawkins on tenor sax, Eddie Heywood on piano, Shelly Manne on drums and Oscar Pettiford on bass.
Tino Rossi (1907-1983) singing an aria from Bizet's Pearlfishers in 1936. A small but extraordinarily beautiful voice. He was immensely popular as a pop singer from the early 30's until his death.
Now something completely different. Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962) reading from her most famous poem The Land. Recorded by Columbia in 1931 for the International Education Society. Wonderful voice and especially good sound for 1931. Check the Wikipedia entry for her. She lead an extraordinary life.
![Gigli - Pearlfishers - Nadir\](http://img.youtube.com/vi/Pn5XnM5Fg9E/2.jpg "Gigli - Pearlfishers - Nadir\")
![Mills Bros. - Hold That Tiger & I Ain\](http://img.youtube.com/vi/aTyKPP2-B5k/2.jpg "Mills Bros. - Hold That Tiger & I Ain\")
