While I’m thinking about my next painting, it’s a good time to mention another art form that’s probably as important to me (if not more so) than graphic arts. I’m a music fanatic, and I’d like to chat about a recent find.
I stumbled across this CD of Caruso’s Italian songs that is my most played music at the moment. This is a noteworthy release for a few reasons. Someone took the old early 20th century recordings, cleaned them up, took out the old orchestra and dubbed a modern orchestra in it’s place.
The results are magical. Caruso sounds alive, in a modern sonic setting. His voice is a bit tinny, but all the hiss and pop have been removed, giving him a remarkable presence. The orchestra is sympathetic and compatible to this approach. This mix makes Caruso’s music accessible in a way that the old 78s could not.
The other thing this CD introduced me to is Italian song. I would have never thought this genre would appeal to me, but the music is beautiful. Besides favorites like ‘O Sole Mio’ & ‘Santa Lucia’, there’s marvels like ‘Tu Can Nun Chiagne’ (my favorite on the album).
To me, this CD is a perfect marriage of art and technology. It resurrects a voice from the past and make it relevant to modern ears.
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