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New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 656, 1 February 1952, Page 5

Sir-lIn the present correspondence on Lanza and Caruso I find there is a letter signed "Vesti la Giubba," which makes two unfounded assertions. First, your correspondent claims that Caruso at Lanza’s age cracked on the high B flat, Whether he meant that Caruso cracked continually or just on one occasion we do. not know. Presumably he meant the former. Has your correspondent heard any of the wonderful recordings made by Caruso between 1902 and 1906, when his voice was considered to be at the height of its lyrical beauty? In 1902 Caruso was 29 and these recordings are literally studded with high B flats. We also find B naturals and high C’s. I suggest that your correspondent makes a point of hearing recordings such as "Cielo e Mar" and "Spirito Gentil," made during the above period. They well prove my point, and incidentally will prove the remarks of W. S. Flint to be wrong. — "Vesti la Giubba" then claims that Lanza and Bjorling are the only tenors in the world who can sing the high D flat. Either your correspondent has made an intensive study which would almost involve a personal interview with all the world’s tenors, or he is only guessing, I presume that Bjorling is included because of his recording of "Cujus Animam." That, of course, proves that Bjorling can sing the note in questich, but it would take a lot to prove that nobody else in the world can do it. If the singing of extreme high notes is the main qualification for a tenor, why not introduce Martini into the discussion? He is the only tenor to sing "I Puritani" in the original key since the legendary Rubini. He can soar to the dizzy height of F in alt.

QUESTO O QUELLA

(Auckland).