Cielo e Mar

[Derek McGovern]

Cielo e Mar: Sky and Sea! I love this aria, and would give anything to have been at Mario's first Chicago concert (Grant Park, 1946), where according to the notoriously-hard-to-please Claudia Cassidy, he sang the aria taking "the soaring climax like a veteran". Was this the only time he sang the aria in public? (Such a crowd-pleaser would have made a great choice for his Hollywood Bowl debut the following year.) Probably not - which only makes it all the more frustrating that we don't have a definitive Lanza performance of the aria.

But what we do have, of course, is one exciting 1952 Coke performance --- a recording that critic Delcie C. Howard rightly praises in one of our review pages here as containing "real sensitivity and a feeling for atmosphere" - and one 1950 commercial recording with some stunning touches (especially on the title words at the beginning), but marred by several instances of truly piercing sharpness. (Mario was having a notably "sharp night", with other numbers he recorded that evening --- e.g., Addio alla Madre & O Holy Night - slightly marred by the same mispitching. I put it all down to exuberance!)

While I've long preferred the Coke take (which, incidentally, has never been released on CD; the 1967 LP Mario Lanza Sings His Favorite Arias has been its only outing), lately I've been coming around to the commercial take as well - especially as heard on one of the Naxos CD releases, which features warmer sound (ex-LP) than on the harsher-sounding BMG CDs. This helps to mitigate some of the sharpness. If one can hear past the sharpness, it's actually quite a musical performance. Yes, there should have been a retake (as even Mario's father acknowledged to Armando about some of Lanza's RCA operatic recordings), but it's not half bad.

Curiously, the only reviews of the commercial Cielo e Mar I've read don't even mention the obvious sharpness. Henry Fogel, for example, in a 1990 Fanfare magazine review, praises its "rapt and poetic opening", citing it as an example of how Mario could do things right (operatically) when he wanted to! And years earlier, the otherwise extremely critical Oliver King wrote in the Gramophone that "on it, Lanza comes near to justifying his reputation."

Anyway, if you haven't heard both of Lanza's performances - or would like to renew your acquaintance with them, you can find both of them here:

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/BY8J7__d/Cielo_E_Mar.html? (1950 RCA version)

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/MScwFye_/Cielo_e_Mar__Coke_.html? (1952 Coke version)

And here are the words to sing along with as you listen :-):

Cielo e mar! l'etereo velo             Sky and sea! the airy curtain
 splende come un santo altar.     sparkles like a holy altar.
L'angiol mio verrà dal cielo?         Will my angel come from the sky?
 l'angiol mio verrà dal mare?         will my angel come from the sea?
Qui l'attendo; ardente spira          Here I wait for her; the wind
 oggi il vento dell'amor.                now blows hot with love
Ah! quell'uom che vi sospira        Ah, that man who sighs for you,
 vi conquide, o sogni d'ôr!            he overcomes you, o golden dreams!

Per l'aura fonda                          Through the thick air
 non appar né suol né monte.      neither shore nor mountains appear
L'orizzonte bacia l'onda!              The horizon kisses the waves;
 l'onda bacia l'orizzonte!              the waves kiss the horizon.
Qui nell'ombra, ov'io mi giacio      Here in the darkness, where I lie
 coll'anelito del cor,                     waiting with racing heart
Vieni, o donna, vieni al bacio       Come, o woman, come to my kiss
 della vita e dell'amor...               of life and of love.

So which Lanza version do *you* prefer? The colourful Coke take or the sharp 1950 one? I'll be very interested in reading any comments.

[am...@ruc.dk]

Hi Derek, 'Cielo e mar' is a wonderful aria, and in my opinion Mario
sings both of the renditions very beautifully. I actually find it very
hard to choose between them. :-) Both of them have some valuable
details. But, I'll try anyway...
Yes, the 1950 seems a bit 'sharp' now and then but it doesn't really
bother me much. And, like you said, the beginning ah! - is superb! I
also adore the way he sings the line 'Ah! Quell'uom ..'

But, all in all, I prefer the 1952 version. In this one he shows more
feeling - tender on the first 'dell'amor' and intense somehow (can't
find the word) on the first 'o sogni d'ôr!' and the first 'Vieni, o
donna' - it sounds like he really adores this woman.
Both versions have a splendid ending - a typical Mario-thrilling-
ending.

Derek, thank you for uploading the music and including the text, it
makes it much easier to 'play along'. :-)
Ann-Mai

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Ann-Mai: Thanks for your post. Overall, I prefer the Coke take as
well, though the commercial take definitely has its moments - and is
more operatic to boot. Like you, I love his "Ah! quell'uom" on the
commercial take - very poetic & musical! On this version, I'd have to
say that Mario delivers the aria as he would if he were on stage; on
the Coke take, on the other hand, he plays to the mike more &
alternates a little between operatic singer and balladeer (if you know
what I mean), so stylistically he's not as consistent. I find he's in
better voice, though, on the Coke version.

But isn't it nice to have two versions to enjoy?

> On 20 Okt., 22:53, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Cielo e Mar: Sky and Sea! I love this aria, and would give anything to
> > have
> > been at Mario's first Chicago concert (Grant Park, 1946), where
> > according to the notoriously-hard-to-please Claudia Cassidy, he sang
> > the aria taking "the soaring climax like a veteran". Was this the only
> > time he sang the aria in public? (Such a crowd-pleaser would have made
> > a great choice for his Hollywood Bowl debut the following year.)
> > Probably not - which only makes it all the more frustrating that we
> > don't have a definitive Lanza performance of the aria.
> >
> > But what we do have, of course, is one exciting 1952 Coke performance

> > - a
> > recording that critic Delcie C. Howard rightly praises in one of our
> > review pages here as containing "real sensitivity and a feeling for
> > atmosphere" - and one 1950 commercial recording with some stunning
> > touches (especially on the title words at the beginning), but marred
> > by several instances of truly piercing sharpness. (Mario was having a
> > notably "sharp night", with other numbers he recorded that evening -

> > e.g., Addio alla Madre & O Holy Night - slightly marred by the same
> > mispitching. I put it all down to exuberance!)
> >
> > While I've long preferred the Coke take (which, incidentally, has
> > never been released on CD; the 1967 LP Mario Lanza Sings His Favorite
> > Arias has been its only outing), lately I've been coming around to the
> > commercial take as well - especially as heard on one of the Naxos CD
> > releases, which features warmer sound (ex-LP) than on the harsher-
> > sounding BMG CDs.
> > This helps to mitigate some of the sharpness. If one can hear past the
> > sharpness, it's actually quite a musical performance. Yes, there
> > should have been a retake (as even Mario's
> > father acknowledged to Armando about some of Lanza's RCA operatic
> > recordings), but it's not half bad.
> >
> > Curiously, the only reviews of the commercial Cielo e Mar I've read
> > don't even mention the obvious sharpness. Henry Fogel, for example, in
> > a 1990 Fanfare magazine review, praises its "rapt and poetic opening",
> > citing it as an example of how Mario could do things right
> > (operatically) when he wanted to! And years earlier, the otherwise
> > extremely critical Oliver King wrote in the Gramophone that "on it,
> > Lanza comes near to justifying his reputation."
> >
> > Anyway, if you haven't heard both of Lanza's performances - or would
> > like to renew your acquaintance with them, you can find both of them
> > here:
> >

> > http://mariolanza.4shared.com/
> >
> > (The 1950 take featured on this link comes from the Naxos CD I
> > mentioned above.)

[Vince Di Placido]

Oh! Yes! The Coke Cielo e mar is definitely my preference. The RCA
recording is just a little too erratic, Mario is just bursting out of
parts of the recording as he was prone to do on occassion, our boy
just had so much to offer didn't he!? No wonder he got a little
carried away now & then.
Derek, it's not like you to not mention partial recordings, I love
what we have of Mario singing Cielo e mar (as short as it is, what a
pity!) in The Great Caruso, he is in great voice, this scene is one of
my Papa'a favourites he just loves the way Mario looks & sounds in
that clip. (I'd love an album of all Mario's recording sessions with
Peter Herman Adler, every snippet, pick-up & complete take in the best
sound.)

On Oct 21, 12:03 am, "Derek McGovern" <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hi Ann-Mai: Thanks for your post. Overall, I prefer the Coke take as
> well, though the commercial take definitely has its moments - and is
> more operatic to boot. Like you, I love his "Ah! quell'uom" on the
> commercial take - very poetic & musical! On this version, I'd have to
> say that Mario delivers the aria as he would if he were on stage; on
> the Coke take, on the other hand, he plays to the mike more &
> alternates a little between operatic singer and balladeer (if you know
> what I mean), so stylistically he's not as consistent. I find he's in
> better voice, though, on the Coke version.
>
> But isn't it nice to have two versions to enjoy?
>

> > > I'll be very interested in reading any comments.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Armando]

In my opinion, regardless of the sharpness, both the vocal line and
position are better in the commercial take. There are too may uneven
spots in the coke, with crooning as opposed to proper mask placement.
While the soft crooning effect is acceptable in songs it's totally
wrong in opera.

On Oct 21, 10:19 am, Vince Di Placido <vincent.diplac...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: Yes, "bursting out" is a good way to put it! This happens not just on Cielo e Mar, but on some of the other arias Mario recorded at two of his three RCA sessions in May, 1950. While that extra energy gives us an amazing piece of verismo (the Addio alla Madre), Mario has difficulty toning things down for the more lyric arias such as the Una Furtiva Lagrima, which is a pretty raucous affair :-). In his book, Terry Robinson claims that Mario's preparation for those sessions on the day consisted of lifting weights and eating almost-raw steaks before heading off - feeling strong as a bull - to the RCA studios. So perhaps it was simply a case of too much testosterone :-)

But as Armando pointed out in an e-mail a few months back, given that RCA had hired a producer for these sessions (one W. Heebner), you have to wonder why this fellow didn't do his job properly and politely but firmly request a few retakes here & there. Of course, if Peter Herman Adler of The Great Caruso fame had been conducting instead of Callinicos, then this definitely would have happened. (Think of all the retakes - eg, the seven Celeste Aidas - that were done for that film.) Adler was strict, but he got results - and Mario clearly respected him.

Speaking of Adler, yes, I'd forgotten to mention the Cielo e Mar ending that was recorded (at least twice) for The Great Caruso soundtrack. The version used in the movie is brilliant; in fact, I prefer it to both the endings in Lanza's complete versions. The La Gioconda scene - coming, as it does, at the end of an exciting montage - is one of the high points of the film: I can certainly understand why your father loves it!! Visually too, it's quintessential Lanza in this scene - thrilling stuff.

[Derek McGovern]

I've just discovered that the best sound source for the 1950 Cielo e
Mar is the Reader's Digest 3-CD set from 1994. It's the warmest sound
I've heard for this recording, and makes the sharpness much less
instrusive. But there's still the sense that, vocally, Lanza is
slightly "blocked up" here, particularly on the key phrase "Vieni, o
donna," where he seems to be troubled by a bit of phlegm or something.
Whatever it is, the voice simply doesn't soar here; on the Coke
version it does. So the bottom line for me is that while I feel the
first half of the commercial version is superior to that of the Coke
rendition, overall the radio version is more satisfying.

But what a shame a complete version of Cielo e Mar wasn't recorded for
The Great Caruso! In some ways, I would have preferred a complete
Cielo to a complete Celeste Aida, particular if the rest of the
Gioconda aria was as well sung as the climactic snippet we get in the
film's first montage.

[Derek McGovern]

I've been on a Cielo e Mar bender, listening to numerous versions by everyone from Gigli to Oreste Kirkop. Naturally, I kept coming back to the two Lanza versions, neither of which is perfect -- but, oh, what glorious moments both of them have. Yet another one of his operatic might-have-beens...

I also compared the two versions of the ending that Mario recorded for the soundtrack of The Great Caruso. The first version was recorded in July 1950, and is probably unfamiliar to many of our members:

http://www.4shared.com/audio/hGnQoB5Q/Discarded_Cielo.html

It's slower than the version featured in the film -- and that's a good thing! -- but Lanza clearly isn't in his best voice here. Happily, a remake was recorded five weeks later, and that's what we hear in the actual movie:

http://www.4shared.com/audio/3_EeN_pX/First_Operatic_Montage.html (Cielo e Mar starts at the 1:14 mark.)

What a brilliant ending! This is the only time Lanza doesn't use a "hoist" to get to the note; instead he goes straight from "Ah!" (E-flat) to "Vien!" (B-flat), hitting the latter note cleanly and thrillingly. (If you're not sure what I mean by "hoist," listen to the ending of the Coke version, with its "Ah-uh-oh-vien.") With Mario in such fine vocal fettle, it's a crying shame he didn't record the whole aria that day even if they knew that only a small portion would be in the film.

Of Lanza's two complete versions, I still prefer the Coke rendition (heard here in its best reproduction to date) if only because the overt sharpness of the otherwise more musical and operatic RCA version bothers me -- very much at times. ("mare" and "vento" in the first half, the second "l'orizzonte", and the final note are the main culprits :-)) On the RCA version, Mario's also a bit (vocally) "blocked up" -- for want of a better term -- on the first "Vieni o donna," an important moment in the aria. But elsewhere on this version, he does some wonderful things -- the opening line and "Ah! quell'uom che vi sospira," for example -- and, unlike on the Coke version, he doesn't break the line "della vita e dell'amor" near the end or overemphasize the "del" (of the) on "del cor."

It's a great shame Lanza didn't re-record the aria for RCA a few days later when he wasn't feeling so sharp :) The Coke version, after all, is proof that the pitch issues on the commercial version weren't a permanent problem. I also wish he'd sung the aria on both occasions at a slower tempo to draw out the beauty of some of the lines.  

For contrast, here's Oreste Kirkop's version, recorded in 1956 with our old friend from The Great Caruso soundtrack -- Peter Herman Adler -- conducting, and Gigli's 1929 recording. Neither of these versions is perfect either, but I can't fault these gentlemen's passion. (That's quite an ending from Kirkop, by the way!)

Interesting side note: in Ponchielli's actual score, the only B-flat in the aria is on the first syllable of the last "bacio" (kiss). The final note is merely a G. But as a young Gigli discovered, ending the aria as written was very unpopular with Italian audiences, and -- like any self-respecting tenor -- he quickly switched to the higher and more spectacular B-flat ending.   

Here's the full text of the aria (which I realized today was incomplete in my opening post):


Cielo e mar                             Sky and sea
l'etereo velo                             The airy curtain

splende come un santo altar.    sparkles like a holy altar.
L'angiol mio verrà dal cielo?      Will my angel come from the sky?

L'angiol mio verrà dal mare?      Will my angel come from the sea?

Qui l'attendo; ardente spira       Here I wait for her; the wind

oggi il vento dell'amor.              today blows hot with love

Ah! quell'uom che vi sospira      Ah, that man who sighs for you,

vi conquide, o sogni d'or!           he overcomes you, oh golden dreams!

Per l'aura fonda                        Through the thick air
non appar né suol né monte.     neither shore nor mountains appear
L'orizzonte bacia l'onda!            The horizon kisses the waves;

l'onda bacia l'orizzonte!             the waves kiss the horizon!

Qui nell'ombra, ov'io mi giacio    Here in the darkness, where I lie

coll'anelito del cor,                    waiting with yearning heart
Vieni, o donna, vieni al bacio     Come, oh woman, come to my kiss
della vita                                  of life
Sì, della vita e dell'amor            Yes, of life and love
Vieni o donna, qui t'attendo       Come, oh woman, I'm waiting for you here
coll'anelito del cor                     with a yearning heart
Vieni, o donna                          Come, oh woman
Ah, vieni al bacio                      Ah, come to my kiss
Vieni, vieni                               Come, come
Vieni al bacio                           Come to my kiss
della vita e dell'amor                  of life and love
Sì, dell'amor!                            Yes, of love!
Ah, vien                                   Ah, come
Ah, vien!!                                 Ah, come!!  
 

[leeann]

Well, this is a splendid binge.

What overpoweringly beautiful poetry and music. I don't honestly know how to pick between the two Lanza versions, but I very much appreciate the lessons in listening on this thread!  I wish we had more of the musical introduction in the RCA version. It seems as though his incredibly melodic first line would simply flow from the music, almost at one with it. And yes, I'm afraid it's all too easy after listening to Lanza sing this aria (many times) to slip into wishful thinking that we might have heard him in even one entire opera.

And not only the lines "Ah! quell'uom che vi sospira, vii conquide, o sogni d'or! "are magnificently expressive, but the interplay of restraint and passionate pleading that builds from the second "Vieni, o donna"...overwhelming.

I have to admit--I didn't find the Kirkop terribly compelling overall, despite his dramatic entry into "Ah quell-uom." and even more dramatic finale! In parts, it sounds as if he changes voices, if that makes sense. (Given that I have an ear-in-training that's never going to be quite good.)

Comments on YouTube about the B-flat ending led to this Lauri-Volpe version which seems to have beautiful nuances.  What do you think?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlEhtkvxoXU

Derek, when you began this thread in 2007, you referred to Claudia Cassidy's review of Lanza singing Cielo e Mar in Grant Park, Chicago, in 1946. Just to point out--that review is now available on mariolanzatenor.com.  For those who haven't seen it, it's in the press section (I like to stop and read your article about press coverage on the way) under Concerts and Operatic performances, and click on the third article from the left, top row to expand the image. Cassidy's praise for Frances Yeend and Lanza is glowing, isn't it!  Best, Lee Ann

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Lee Ann: That's a great review from Claudia Cassidy; many thanks for locating and adding it to our main site.

Cassidy (1899-1996) was one tough cookie, as this Time feature from 1965 makes plain, but she certainly knew what she was talking about when it came to voices. 

Hmmm: I found that Lauri-Volpi rendition of Cielo e Mar a mixed bag! Although not a fan of his basic sound, I liked his rendition in places. But I also found some of his singing pretty "choppy," and there were some uncomfortable moments for me pitchwise (eg, "mare"). I found him disappointing on most of the big moments too -- that final pinched "Vieni al bacio," for example. 

Actually, for my money, Lanza sings the best opening of any version I've heard so far; it's just a shame, as you say, that more of the musical lead-in wasn't included.

Cheers

Derek    

[Derek McGovern]

By the way, Lee Ann, thanks to this thread, I've had "Ah! quell'uom che vi sospira...", etc on my brain all day :) I even found myself humming it while shopping for groceries this evening, much to the amusement of the local convenience store manager here in Busan (who, incidentally, is old enough to know who Lanza was, and seems to like him).

That aria could only have been written by an Italian, and little wonder that Puccini was once the student of its composer.

Cheers
Derek

[leeann]

Ahh, now I see (hear) what you mean about Volpi on further listen. I DO like the tones of his voice, however,so perhaps I focused on that more than on phrasing. You're right. His version parses choppily; it doesn't exactly flow--which lyrics and music cry for in this beautiful piece.

I wonder, would this 1950 di Stefano  live radio performance (The Standard Hour) cause "Ah! quell'uom che vi sospira , vi conquide, o sogni d'or!"  to echo in your head as Lanza's does?  I'll guess not, but it's interesting.

Why could only an Italian have Cielo e mar?  Best, Lee Ann

PS A Korean convenience store manager who recognizes Cielo e mar and likes Lanza sounds like an intriguing person to know :-).

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Lee Ann

Thanks for the link to that Di Stefano performance, which I hadn't heard before. It's interesting to be able to compare Lanza and Di Stefano singing this aria at the same age (29). In some ways it's a bit unfair, though, as it was never intended for a pure lyric tenor like Pippo. 

What surprised me about Di Stefano's performance is how pedestrian (by his standards) his singing is here, particularly in the first half of the aria. (No "rapt" opening here :() There's not a lot of poetry in his approach ("O sogni d'or" excepted), which is unusual for him. On the plus side, his pitch is better than Mario's (on his 1950 version) -- which wouldn't be hard! :) -- although it certainly wasn't perfect either. And while there are some exciting moments, as you'd expect from the great Pippo, those two B-flats (on "bacio" and the final "vien") made for uncomfortable listening. He's pushed to his vocal limit here.

So, no, I wouldn't say that Di Stefano's version is superior to Lanza's 1950 rendition.

Actually, it'd be interesting to know whose version our members consider the definitive rendition of this aria.

By the way, I wasn't meaning to imply that my local Korean convenience store manager recognized Cielo e Mar! But he did get enthusiastic when I mentioned Lanza, and I've even shown him Armando's book. Mind you, here in Korea, there's more awareness of opera singers than you generally find in the West. Koreans receive a very sound musical education, and at the university I teach at, operatic arias are often played across the campus in the evening. (Last night, I heard two arias from Turandot blaring through the loudspeakers.) There's even a clothes store near my university called "Callas."

The reason I feel that Cielo e Mar could only have been written by an Italian is because of its broad melodic sweep. It's hard to put into words, but it's just so Italian.

Cheers
Derek 

[Derek McGovern]

To my surprise, I've found myself returning to the RCA version of "Cielo e Mar" more often than the Coke version over the last couple of years, despite the sometimes-piercing sharpness that had always bothered me about the former. Maybe it helps that the RCA version is more warmly reproduced than usual here, but I've come to understand why even some of Lanza's sternest critics like this rendition.

 

Apart from Armando, does anyone else prefer this rendition to the Coke version?

    

Cheers

Derek

P.S. What a glorious aria "Cielo e Mar" is! 

[Vincent Di Placido]

Hello, Derek! I actually listened to the RCA version for the first time in quite a while & it is beautiful, sharpness aside, it is the more impressive performance. I have been listening to the Coke recording for the last couple of years & I thought this was the final word until I revisited the RCA recording. It's funny how you can listen with a fresh perspective after a break. The one thing that slightly jars with me on the Coke version is the break after "della vita" & before "e dell'amor..." the line in one breath is just the way it should be as on the RCA take, also the opening line "Cielo e Mar" captivates you on the RCA performance. As they say I wouldn't like to live on the difference between these 2 recordings, if I was left with just 1 of the 2 it wouldn't upest me at all.

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: Interesting that you've come around to the 1950 version too! While I still find the overt sharpness problematic---and will always wish that RCA producer W. Heebner had done his job properly and insisted on a retake (not just to sort out the sharpness but a couple of other flaws as well)---it is an impressive rendition nonetheless. And if it had been a live performance, my God! It would have brought the house down, especially with that exciting final B-flat that's so sharp it's almost a B :) 

By the way, I've decided that this is my favourite reproduction of the 1950 recording: 

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/BY8J7__d/Cielo_E_Mar.html? (RCA)

When I need a break from all that sharpness, though, the Coke version is still a pleasure to hear---even with its croony moments and other blemishes!  

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/MScwFye_/Cielo_e_Mar__Coke_.html? (Coke)

But the best ending for my money (in terms of Mario's approach to that climactic B-flat and overall control) remains the partial version heard in The Great Caruso:

http://www.4shared.com/audio/3_EeN_pX/First_Operatic_Montage.html (starts at 1:14 mark)

I just wish they'd seen fit to record the whole aria!!

I know I've said it before, but given all the pitch and stylistic problems at two of Lanza's three sessions of arias in May 1950, it's a shame so much of his reputation as a singer of opera rests on recordings that he made when he was just 29. That's terribly young, and we all know that he continued to grow as an artist after that age. 

Just imagine if these sessions had occurred two years later instead---ideally around July-August 1952, when Lanza was in rapturous voice (even better than in May 1950) and singing flawlessly. Apart from the absence of sharpness (or perhaps relative lack of it!), I'm convinced we would have had much less of the so-called "bull in a china shop" and far more sensitivity, particularly on the Rigoletto arias and "Una furtiva lagrima." And I especially wish he had re-recorded the Butterfly duet that he made in April 1950. I couldn't disagree more with Bill Ronayne on this one; I noticed today that he describes it in his liner notes for the CD If You Were Mine as "superbly sung." But to my ears, Mario could have done far far better; in fact, he already had performed it magnificently at the Hollywood Bowl.     

Having said all that, I would never want to trade in either of his 1950 recordings of Tosca arias or his Improvviso!  

Cheers

Derek