Yours Is My Heart Alone
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Derek McGovern
May 24, 2014, 9:15:15 AM5/24/14
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A little while back there was a brief discussion on the Rense forum regarding "Yours Is My Heart Alone." Lanza's singing of this great Franz Lehár song was described by one poster as being more in the style appropriate for a pop song than operetta. She was right, of course, but only as far as the more familiar Coke version was concerned, with its breezy arrangement and very fast tempo.
It then occurred to me that the poster probably wasn't aware of Lanza's later version with Henri René, which is everything that the Coke version is not: grandly operatic and, vocally, a real tour de force (too much so for some tastes, in fact!). One could hardly blame the poster for not knowing about this recording, though, since it's remained largely hidden from view, having never been released on CD except by BMG UK and Reader's Digest. The Coke version, on the other hand, appears on both the 3-CD BMG set The Mario Lanza Collection and the BMG Greatest Hits release, and was also on the 'B' side of Lanza's most famous album, The Student Prince.
Which version do you all prefer?
Here's a link to the Coke rendition:
http://www.4shared.com/file/70496505/9e74c2b3/Yours_Is_My_Heart_Alone.html
And here's the 1956 rendition with René:
http://www.4shared.com/file/70496693/a4936296/Yours_is_my_heart_alone__1956_.html
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Mike McAdam
May 24, 2014, 9:15:31 AM5/24/14
to
I grew up with the Coke version as the flip side of "The Student
Prince" LP (the side my mother didn't wear out) was played quite often
by me as a pre-teen, budding music lover. I always played this Léhar
piece more than the others on that 'B' side but....when I heard the
Cavalcade version...well, what a tour-de-force performance! That LP is
so damned well done and to me, 'Yours Is My Heart alone' is among the
very cream of the cuts therein (thereon?:-)
M.
Prince" LP (the side my mother didn't wear out) was played quite often
by me as a pre-teen, budding music lover. I always played this Léhar
piece more than the others on that 'B' side but....when I heard the
Cavalcade version...well, what a tour-de-force performance! That LP is
so damned well done and to me, 'Yours Is My Heart alone' is among the
very cream of the cuts therein (thereon?:-)
M.
Thelma
Nov 17, 2008, 12:15:27 AM11/17/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
this has always been one of my favorite songs, thank you.
>
> - Show quoted text -
> On Nov 16, 3:15 pm, "Derek McGovern" <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > A little while back there was a brief discussion on the Rense forum
> > regarding Yours Is My Heart Alone. Lanza's singing of this great Franz
> > Lehár song was described by one poster as being more in the style
> > appropriate for a pop song than operetta. She was right, of course,
> > but only as far as the more familiar Coke version was concerned, with
> > its breezy arrangement and very fast tempo. It then occurred to me
> > that the poster probably wasn't aware of Lanza's later version with
> > Henri René, which is everything that the Coke version is not: grandly
> > operatic and, vocally, a real tour de force (*too* much so for some
>
>
>
> > A little while back there was a brief discussion on the Rense forum
> > regarding Yours Is My Heart Alone. Lanza's singing of this great Franz
> > Lehár song was described by one poster as being more in the style
> > appropriate for a pop song than operetta. She was right, of course,
> > but only as far as the more familiar Coke version was concerned, with
> > its breezy arrangement and very fast tempo. It then occurred to me
> > that the poster probably wasn't aware of Lanza's later version with
> > Henri René, which is everything that the Coke version is not: grandly
> > tastes, in fact!). One could hardly blame the poster for not knowing
> > about this recording, though, since it's remained largely hidden from
> > view, having never been released on CD except by BMG UK and Reader's
> > Digest. The Coke version, on the other hand, appears on both the 3-CD
> > BMG set The Mario Lanza Collection and the BMG Greatest Hits release,
> > and was also on the 'B' side of Lanza's most famous album, The Student
> > Prince.
>
> > Which version do you all prefer?
>
> > Here's a link to the Coke rendition:
>
> >http://www.4shared.com/file/70496505/9e74c2b3/Yours_Is_My_Heart_Alone...
> > about this recording, though, since it's remained largely hidden from
> > view, having never been released on CD except by BMG UK and Reader's
> > Digest. The Coke version, on the other hand, appears on both the 3-CD
> > BMG set The Mario Lanza Collection and the BMG Greatest Hits release,
> > and was also on the 'B' side of Lanza's most famous album, The Student
> > Prince.
>
> > Which version do you all prefer?
>
> > Here's a link to the Coke rendition:
>
>
> > And here's the 1956 rendition with René:
>
> >http://www.4shared.com/file/70496693/a4936296/Yours_is_my_heart_alone...- Hide quoted text -
> > And here's the 1956 rendition with René:
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Babajaga
Nov 17, 2008, 4:56:51 AM11/17/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
It is very nice to listen to this song: I only heard in in its
original language, in Hungarian. The better version is IMHO the 1956-
one. Thank you for both of them.
original language, in Hungarian. The better version is IMHO the 1956-
one. Thank you for both of them.
Babajaga
Nov 17, 2008, 5:03:11 AM11/17/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Sorry, the original version must have been in German, but Lehár was
born as Hungarian, so that is why I mixed it. I always heard it in
Hungarian.
born as Hungarian, so that is why I mixed it. I always heard it in
Hungarian.
Derek McGovern
Nov 17, 2008, 3:29:13 PM11/17/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
On Nov 17, 5:24 pm, Mike McAdam <macadame...@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> I grew up with the Coke version as the flip side of "The Student
> Prince" LP (the side my mother didn't wear out) was played quite often
> by me as a pre-teen, budding music lover. I always played this Léhar
> piece more than the others on that 'B' side but....when I heard the
> Cavalcade version...well, what a tour-de-force performance! That LP is
> so damned well done and to me, 'Yours Is My Heart alone' is among the
> very cream of the cuts therein (thereon?:-)
> M.
Hi Mike: Funnily enough, the Coke Yours is My Heart Alone was the only
> I grew up with the Coke version as the flip side of "The Student
> Prince" LP (the side my mother didn't wear out) was played quite often
> by me as a pre-teen, budding music lover. I always played this Léhar
> piece more than the others on that 'B' side but....when I heard the
> Cavalcade version...well, what a tour-de-force performance! That LP is
> so damned well done and to me, 'Yours Is My Heart alone' is among the
> very cream of the cuts therein (thereon?:-)
> M.
track I didn't care for as a youngster listening to the 'B' side of
the original Student Prince album! Romance, If I Loved You, I'll Be
Seeing you, etc...all of these grabbed me rightaway. But on Yours is
My Heart Alone, it seemed to me that Mario wasn't singing with the
same level of commitment or attention to the words (with the exception
of a couple of phrases, eg, "All day I sigh for you"). He wasn't
*savouring* the phrases, as he usually did. Listening to it today,
though, it's obvious that the ridiculously fast tempo was part of the
problem; the arrangement doesn't help matters either!
What I love about the 1956 version is the sheer lustiness of Lanza's
delivery. It's a spectacular performance in terms of passion and
energy. Admittedly, it lacks the refinement of a Wunderlich or a
Tauber, who as Gabi Eisermann has pointed out elsewhere, sing it more
"correctly" in the style that one would perform it on stage in the
operetta (The Land of Smiles), but as a piece of singing in its own
right, it's tremendously exciting -- especially when heard at full
volume. It's remarkable how Mario is able to go from "My adored vision
bride" back to "Yours is my heart alone" with only the briefest pause
for breath, and then sustain the song through to the end with
absolutely no let-up in terms of power or passion. One probably needs
to be in the right mood to enjoy such unbridled emotion (and my own
mother finds this rendition too exhausting to listen to :-)), but to
me it will always remain a quintessential Lanza performance.
Actually, Domingo sang this song very nicely in German on, I think,
the first Three Tenors concert in 1990.
Ann-Mai
Nov 17, 2008, 4:24:20 PM11/17/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Hi Derek.
I agree; the René version is the most exciting rendition of the two.
Until you sent me the René version about a year ago, I only knew the
Coke version, and for some reason I never found it that interesting
although I have difficulty putting my finger on anything in
particular. I think it’s a very even performance, and I find nothing
wrong with it as such, but it’s just not as exciting as the 1956 one.
Perhaps it’s because of the tempo, like you said. The orchestra also
seems to go a bit too Hollywood in the orchestration part just before
the repeat verse. I do however like Mario’s phrasing in the line "I
live or die for you my adored vision bride" and I just can’t help
smiling at Mario’s overenthusiastic ending "I love you DEAR". I think
it’s quite cute.
But IMO the René version has a much better display of the
characteristic Lanza charm. It’s an incredible adorable "sigh" he lets
out in the line "All day I sigh for you" (I wonder if the hoarseness
was made on purpose or if it was just by chance?). And then he goes on
and takes "and I dream on the night/I live or die for you" in one
breath seemingly without going blue from lack of oxygen, so it
sounds :-))
But other than it’s the smaller things like his empathies on "Yours
EVERY thought I own" and "Our love the theme OF every dream" etc. that
does the trick for me. Mario seems so much more engaged in the song in
this version.
The only thing I might have wished for is that Mario actually did what
he was singing about in the line: "whispering I love you dear". I
think a soft voice would have been a nice touch here.
Actually, going through some of the other versions of the song on
Youtube last night, I found that Richard Tauber does it in his English
version of the song - maybe even a tad too much?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt90Dp5Fe_Q
I agree; the René version is the most exciting rendition of the two.
Until you sent me the René version about a year ago, I only knew the
Coke version, and for some reason I never found it that interesting
although I have difficulty putting my finger on anything in
particular. I think it’s a very even performance, and I find nothing
wrong with it as such, but it’s just not as exciting as the 1956 one.
Perhaps it’s because of the tempo, like you said. The orchestra also
seems to go a bit too Hollywood in the orchestration part just before
the repeat verse. I do however like Mario’s phrasing in the line "I
live or die for you my adored vision bride" and I just can’t help
smiling at Mario’s overenthusiastic ending "I love you DEAR". I think
it’s quite cute.
But IMO the René version has a much better display of the
characteristic Lanza charm. It’s an incredible adorable "sigh" he lets
out in the line "All day I sigh for you" (I wonder if the hoarseness
was made on purpose or if it was just by chance?). And then he goes on
and takes "and I dream on the night/I live or die for you" in one
breath seemingly without going blue from lack of oxygen, so it
sounds :-))
But other than it’s the smaller things like his empathies on "Yours
EVERY thought I own" and "Our love the theme OF every dream" etc. that
does the trick for me. Mario seems so much more engaged in the song in
this version.
The only thing I might have wished for is that Mario actually did what
he was singing about in the line: "whispering I love you dear". I
think a soft voice would have been a nice touch here.
Actually, going through some of the other versions of the song on
Youtube last night, I found that Richard Tauber does it in his English
version of the song - maybe even a tad too much?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt90Dp5Fe_Q
Muriel
May 24, 2014, 9:16:16 AM5/24/14
to
Did I read unbridled emotion? A more uninhibited rendition of a love
song would be hard to find in the Lanza catalog. I love Derek’s
phrase, “lustiness of delivery”, as it describes Mario’s approach
perfectly. It radiates an intense “glow” of love that cannot be
disguised even if you are hearing it from a distance! His tone paints
a verbal picture of that passionate kiss in Serenade. There is no gray
area to confuse the listener. If you cannot figure out that Mario is
singing to convey sheer sincere ardor, then there is no hope that you
have a soul.
I’ve tried to make lists of love songs and how they fit into certain
categories: romantic, crooning, joyous, etc., and this one has to fall
into the most serious love category of all: high-powered rapture! In
fact, I consider it to be one huge “Marioism”!!! If ever an artist was
meant to sing this love song, than Mario was the one. I’m glad I
don’t know how it is supposed to be sung in operetta as I don’t want
my enjoyment to be spoiled. It is truly one of the most satisfying
pieces I’ve heard from Mario – the meat and potatoes of musical
sustenance.
Think of it this way: it captures attention much like skywriting does
when you see declarations of love and marriage proposals overhead. It
cannot be misunderstood as a lukewarm emotion.
I agree with all the highlighted lines and phrases. Mario’s breath
control is fabulous! I find I’m trying to breathe for him. When he
sings, “ALL that makes life seem worthwhile…”, “all” is a call to
attention, and denotes a completeness of purpose. I also love his
expressive attitude when singing, “As your voice whispering, ‘I love
you, Dear’”. Hear how he seems to protect “I love you Dear”?
“Sigh” is a key word, to be sure. I don’t notice any hoarseness as Ann-
Mai states. To me it takes on an onomatopoetic character. His
vocalized “sigh” is a perfect sounding “sigh”. Purely masterful!
As Derek once wrote, that last “I love you, Dear”, is hardly a
whisper, is it? Perhaps he should have stayed more in line with the
sound of, “…and the spell of your smile”….as he almost breaks the
spell! That’s Mario for you, and I forgive him completely…..
Whew! Now I’m exhausted!!!
Ciao, Muriel
song would be hard to find in the Lanza catalog. I love Derek’s
phrase, “lustiness of delivery”, as it describes Mario’s approach
perfectly. It radiates an intense “glow” of love that cannot be
disguised even if you are hearing it from a distance! His tone paints
a verbal picture of that passionate kiss in Serenade. There is no gray
area to confuse the listener. If you cannot figure out that Mario is
singing to convey sheer sincere ardor, then there is no hope that you
have a soul.
I’ve tried to make lists of love songs and how they fit into certain
categories: romantic, crooning, joyous, etc., and this one has to fall
into the most serious love category of all: high-powered rapture! In
fact, I consider it to be one huge “Marioism”!!! If ever an artist was
meant to sing this love song, than Mario was the one. I’m glad I
don’t know how it is supposed to be sung in operetta as I don’t want
my enjoyment to be spoiled. It is truly one of the most satisfying
pieces I’ve heard from Mario – the meat and potatoes of musical
sustenance.
Think of it this way: it captures attention much like skywriting does
when you see declarations of love and marriage proposals overhead. It
cannot be misunderstood as a lukewarm emotion.
I agree with all the highlighted lines and phrases. Mario’s breath
control is fabulous! I find I’m trying to breathe for him. When he
sings, “ALL that makes life seem worthwhile…”, “all” is a call to
attention, and denotes a completeness of purpose. I also love his
expressive attitude when singing, “As your voice whispering, ‘I love
you, Dear’”. Hear how he seems to protect “I love you Dear”?
“Sigh” is a key word, to be sure. I don’t notice any hoarseness as Ann-
Mai states. To me it takes on an onomatopoetic character. His
vocalized “sigh” is a perfect sounding “sigh”. Purely masterful!
As Derek once wrote, that last “I love you, Dear”, is hardly a
whisper, is it? Perhaps he should have stayed more in line with the
sound of, “…and the spell of your smile”….as he almost breaks the
spell! That’s Mario for you, and I forgive him completely…..
Whew! Now I’m exhausted!!!
Ciao, Muriel
Muriel
May 24, 2014, 9:16:38 AM5/24/14
to
PS: That "I love you, Dear", I highlighted first as being protected
is not the one at the end of the song!! I just wanted to be clear
about that.....
is not the one at the end of the song!! I just wanted to be clear
about that.....
Ann-Mai
May 24, 2014, 9:16:58 AM5/24/14
to
Hi Muriel.
Lovely post, as always! This song certainly is high-powered rapture!
As only Mario could do it. And I didn’t miss any operetta style
either.
Just to clear up a thing: Mario’s sigh is of cause undeniably perfect.
When I used the word "hoarse" it was probably the wrong word to use. I
only chose it in lack of a better one. I didn’t mean to indicate any
kind of ‘miss-sound’ (like a rough or a raspy sound), merely that
Mario’s voice seems to fade away on this sigh - like a person whose
throat is clogged up with emotions. It certainly is a most heartfelt
sigh packed with passion and longing. Absolutely gorgeous!
Lovely post, as always! This song certainly is high-powered rapture!
As only Mario could do it. And I didn’t miss any operetta style
either.
Just to clear up a thing: Mario’s sigh is of cause undeniably perfect.
When I used the word "hoarse" it was probably the wrong word to use. I
only chose it in lack of a better one. I didn’t mean to indicate any
kind of ‘miss-sound’ (like a rough or a raspy sound), merely that
Mario’s voice seems to fade away on this sigh - like a person whose
throat is clogged up with emotions. It certainly is a most heartfelt
sigh packed with passion and longing. Absolutely gorgeous!
Muriel
Nov 18, 2008, 11:10:57 AM11/18/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Hi Ann-Mai: Yes, I understand. Many times I cannot find the exact word
I need to make myself clear. I know you were moved by this word and
I'm glad you wanted to share that thought. Absolutely gorgeous,
indeed!! Your post was excellent!
Ciao, Muriel
> > > version of the song - maybe even a tad too much?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt90Dp5Fe_Q
> > > > the first Three Tenors concert in 1990.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -- Skjul tekst i anførselstegn -
>
> > - Vis tekst i anførselstegn -- Hide quoted text -
I need to make myself clear. I know you were moved by this word and
I'm glad you wanted to share that thought. Absolutely gorgeous,
indeed!! Your post was excellent!
Ciao, Muriel
>
> > > - Show quoted text -- Skjul tekst i anførselstegn -
>
> > - Vis tekst i anførselstegn -- Hide quoted text -
Maria Luísa
Nov 18, 2008, 7:55:59 PM11/18/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
After reading such passionate messages on this song by all of you I
have to go quickly listen to it. As I wrote before I don't know by
heart many of Mario songs, so this is one I most certainly must have
heard before and more than once, that's for sure. Still I'm going
right this minute to youtube to listen to what, following your words,
is another most precious jewel by Mario. Thanks the four of you for
the beautiful descriptions of the song.
Before I forget again and let pass more days, I welcome you Erika to
the Forum. You will like it all right. Is beautiful to read and very
very informative.
> > version of the song - maybe even a tad too much?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt90Dp5Fe_Q
have to go quickly listen to it. As I wrote before I don't know by
heart many of Mario songs, so this is one I most certainly must have
heard before and more than once, that's for sure. Still I'm going
right this minute to youtube to listen to what, following your words,
is another most precious jewel by Mario. Thanks the four of you for
the beautiful descriptions of the song.
Before I forget again and let pass more days, I welcome you Erika to
the Forum. You will like it all right. Is beautiful to read and very
very informative.
Babajaga
Nov 18, 2008, 8:12:22 PM11/18/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Thank you too, Maria Luisa.
Regards, Erika
Regards, Erika
Sam
Nov 20, 2008, 4:29:19 PM11/20/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Hi Derek,
Were you aware that the links for these two songs no longer are
valid? A friend wanted to compare them. Can you re-do them, please?
Were you aware that the links for these two songs no longer are
valid? A friend wanted to compare them. Can you re-do them, please?
Derek McGovern
Nov 21, 2008, 2:08:12 PM11/21/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Sam: Those links are now working again.
I've just been listening to Richard Tauber's English version of this
song. (Thanks, Ann-Mai, for the link in your post above!) Goodness,
I've never heard him sing so roughly! The soft ending is beautiful,
but elsewhere he makes some rather harsh sounds, and he practically
barks his way through a couple of the lines in the middle section. Not
one of his more refined pieces of singing :-)
Incidentally, Tauber sings his version as "You Are My Heart's
Delight". I've always preferred the words that Mario sings (which,
apparently, represented the American Broadway version of the song),
though I don't know which translation is closest to the original.
Having said that, "My queen shall reign and my heart you enchain" and
"My adored vision bright" are, shall we say, a little over the top :-)
But by throwing himself so utterly into the song, Lanza makes these
lines believable.
Muriella: I completely agree with you about Mario's treatment of
"sigh".
I've just been listening to Richard Tauber's English version of this
song. (Thanks, Ann-Mai, for the link in your post above!) Goodness,
I've never heard him sing so roughly! The soft ending is beautiful,
but elsewhere he makes some rather harsh sounds, and he practically
barks his way through a couple of the lines in the middle section. Not
one of his more refined pieces of singing :-)
Incidentally, Tauber sings his version as "You Are My Heart's
Delight". I've always preferred the words that Mario sings (which,
apparently, represented the American Broadway version of the song),
though I don't know which translation is closest to the original.
Having said that, "My queen shall reign and my heart you enchain" and
"My adored vision bright" are, shall we say, a little over the top :-)
But by throwing himself so utterly into the song, Lanza makes these
lines believable.
Muriella: I completely agree with you about Mario's treatment of
"sigh".
Ann-Mai
Nov 21, 2008, 8:34:44 PM11/21/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Hi Derek.
Yes, I suppose my Youtube link isn’t Tauber’s best rendition. I chose
it because of his beautiful piano. I hadn’t heard anyone else do it,
but I have often thought of it when hearing the song in English. I
expect Tauber is much better in his native language, but the German
lyrics don’t call for soft singing like the English text does.
But, you gotta admit, Tauber´s rolling R’s in "You make my darkness
brrrrrright" and "That drrrreams of mine" is kind of fascinating. lol
And he sure gives it multo forte in "A wondrous air is your beautiful
hair". :-) I don’t know if it is just me, but I have a presumption
that some of the "old" singers of the 20s and 30s sometimes tended to
sing with "pomp and circumstance" and much solemnes. I know Melchior
did it – a lot.
I do however think the original German lyrics in many ways are more
beautiful than the English one. It has a different kind of texture.
For instance, the line "So, wie die Blume welkt, wenn sie nicht küsst
der Sonnenschein!" (like the flowers fades, when they are not kissed
by sunshine!) and "Wie wunderbar ist dein leuchtendes Haar!" (How
wonderful is your shining hair!) are some of my favourites. It’s just
as much the sound of the words as it is the meaning of the lines that
captures me, so of cause, it doesn’t sound quite as grand when
translated directly into English.
As for which one of the English versions is closest to the original, I
think it would be the one Mario sings, although it also differs a
great deal.
I have tried to do a direct translation beneath, so you can judge for
yourself – please excuse the lack of poetry. :-(
Heidi, Stefan or others, who speak German, please feel free to correct
me if my translation is incorrect.
BTW, is it "my adored vision bright" or "bride"?
Dein ist mein ganzes Herz!
Yours is all of my heart!
Wo du nicht bist, kann ich nicht sein.
Where you are not, I cannot be.
So, wie die Blume welkt,
Just like the flowers fades
wenn sie nicht küsst der Sonnenschein!
when they are not kissed by sunshine!
Dein ist mein schönstes Lied,
Yours is the loveliest song of mine,
weil es allein aus der Liebe erblüht.
cause it flourish from love alone.
Sag mir noch einmal, mein einzig Lieb,
Tell me once more, my only love,
oh sag noch einmal mir:
oh tell me once again:
Ich hab dich lieb!
I love you!
Wohin ich immer gehe,
Wherever I go,
ich fühle deine Nähe.
I feel your presence.
Ich möchte deinen Atem trinken
I want to drink in your breath
und betend dir zu Füssen sinken,
and kneel to you in adoration
dir, dir allein! Wie wunderbar
You, only you! How wonderful
ist dein leuchtendes Haar!
is your shining hair!
Traumschön und sehnsuchtsbang
Dreamy and longing
ist dein strahlender Blick.
is your glorious glance.
Hör ich der Stimme Klang,
When I hear your voice,
ist es so wie Musik.
it is like music.
Dein ist mein ganzes Herz! etc.
> > > Regards, Erika- Skjul tekst i anførselstegn -
Yes, I suppose my Youtube link isn’t Tauber’s best rendition. I chose
it because of his beautiful piano. I hadn’t heard anyone else do it,
but I have often thought of it when hearing the song in English. I
expect Tauber is much better in his native language, but the German
lyrics don’t call for soft singing like the English text does.
But, you gotta admit, Tauber´s rolling R’s in "You make my darkness
brrrrrright" and "That drrrreams of mine" is kind of fascinating. lol
And he sure gives it multo forte in "A wondrous air is your beautiful
hair". :-) I don’t know if it is just me, but I have a presumption
that some of the "old" singers of the 20s and 30s sometimes tended to
sing with "pomp and circumstance" and much solemnes. I know Melchior
did it – a lot.
I do however think the original German lyrics in many ways are more
beautiful than the English one. It has a different kind of texture.
For instance, the line "So, wie die Blume welkt, wenn sie nicht küsst
der Sonnenschein!" (like the flowers fades, when they are not kissed
by sunshine!) and "Wie wunderbar ist dein leuchtendes Haar!" (How
wonderful is your shining hair!) are some of my favourites. It’s just
as much the sound of the words as it is the meaning of the lines that
captures me, so of cause, it doesn’t sound quite as grand when
translated directly into English.
As for which one of the English versions is closest to the original, I
think it would be the one Mario sings, although it also differs a
great deal.
I have tried to do a direct translation beneath, so you can judge for
yourself – please excuse the lack of poetry. :-(
Heidi, Stefan or others, who speak German, please feel free to correct
me if my translation is incorrect.
BTW, is it "my adored vision bright" or "bride"?
Dein ist mein ganzes Herz!
Yours is all of my heart!
Wo du nicht bist, kann ich nicht sein.
Where you are not, I cannot be.
So, wie die Blume welkt,
Just like the flowers fades
wenn sie nicht küsst der Sonnenschein!
when they are not kissed by sunshine!
Dein ist mein schönstes Lied,
Yours is the loveliest song of mine,
weil es allein aus der Liebe erblüht.
cause it flourish from love alone.
Sag mir noch einmal, mein einzig Lieb,
Tell me once more, my only love,
oh sag noch einmal mir:
oh tell me once again:
Ich hab dich lieb!
I love you!
Wohin ich immer gehe,
Wherever I go,
ich fühle deine Nähe.
I feel your presence.
Ich möchte deinen Atem trinken
I want to drink in your breath
und betend dir zu Füssen sinken,
and kneel to you in adoration
dir, dir allein! Wie wunderbar
You, only you! How wonderful
ist dein leuchtendes Haar!
is your shining hair!
Traumschön und sehnsuchtsbang
Dreamy and longing
ist dein strahlender Blick.
is your glorious glance.
Hör ich der Stimme Klang,
When I hear your voice,
ist es so wie Musik.
it is like music.
Dein ist mein ganzes Herz! etc.
Michele
May 24, 2014, 9:18:28 AM5/24/14
to
Hello Derek,
It's getting rather boring that I have to agree with everything you say. I was able to buy a copy of 'Cavalcade of Showtunes ' recently and "Yours is My Heart alone" is on it. And it is wonderful. I hadn't played the disc since I bought it and as I said in the beginning I have to agree with you. I read Gabi's comments on the Rense site and I have to disagree with her in as much as she maintains the phrasing should be the same even in English - it's not possible. You often get German words when translated into English can sometimes have an extra consonant. I recently heard Fritz Wunderlich singing Tostelli's Serenade in German - not Italian - and it was like listening to a completely different song!!
It's getting rather boring that I have to agree with everything you say. I was able to buy a copy of 'Cavalcade of Showtunes ' recently and "Yours is My Heart alone" is on it. And it is wonderful. I hadn't played the disc since I bought it and as I said in the beginning I have to agree with you. I read Gabi's comments on the Rense site and I have to disagree with her in as much as she maintains the phrasing should be the same even in English - it's not possible. You often get German words when translated into English can sometimes have an extra consonant. I recently heard Fritz Wunderlich singing Tostelli's Serenade in German - not Italian - and it was like listening to a completely different song!!
Mario's singing of 'Yours is My Heart Alone" just blew me away. I
have to confess that he more often than not reduces
me to tears and this is one he does it with.
Heidi
May 24, 2014, 9:18:51 AM5/24/14
to
Hello Ann-Mai
I think you have it done very well,congratulation!.I would like to
say ..the sound of your voice, instead of when i hear your voice, but
I am no expert.
Cheers Heidi
I think you have it done very well,congratulation!.I would like to
say ..the sound of your voice, instead of when i hear your voice, but
I am no expert.
Cheers Heidi
Derek McGovern
Nov 22, 2008, 8:15:36 PM11/22/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Hi Michele: Glad to hear we're in agreement :-) Yes, I know what you
mean about Fritz Wunderlich's version of Toselli's Serenade; much as I
love this terrific singer, many of his attempts at singing Italian
songs fall decidedly flat.
By the way, did you know that you can buy the Cavalcade album on a BMG
UK CD? Armando and I persuaded BMG to release it a few years back
(together with the Serenade soundtrack), and we ended up writing the
liner notes for it. We also got them to restore the high B ending to
Thine Alone, which somehow had got cut off when the album was
originally released on LP in 1957. Here's the amazon.co.uk link if
you're interested (it's much cheaper through that site than
amazon.com):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serenade-Calvacade-Tunes-Mario-Lanza/dp/B0002K0ZTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1227402670&sr=1-1
Hi Ann-Mai: That was very kind of you to go to all the trouble of
translating the German lyrics for us! Yes, they *are* quite different
from the two English versions.
Fritz Wunderlich's EMI version is probably the smoothest rendition (in
terms of line) that I've heard of this song. It's very romantically
done -- just listen to his "So, wie die Blume welkt", for example --
and it's tasteful without being boring :-) It helps, of course, that
the arrangement is excellent, and that Fritz is brilliantly recorded
in stereo.
Overall, I like the arrangement on Lanza's 1956 version (which,
incidentally, I *wish* had been recorded in stereo -- with Mario
ideally placed a little further back, as he's arguably too close-miked
here for such a full-on performance), but if there's one thing I would
have changed, it's the lack of variety in the orchestral sound. When
Mario sings the title words the second time around, there ought to be
more happening orchestrally: some oomph and excitement to signal the
repeat of the refrain. Instead Mario's left to do most of the work,
and there's a slight loss of momentum as the orchestra seems to drag
somewhat. (The orchestra is also behind him at the end on
"whispering".) But these are minor niggles, and this version remains
my favourite simply because it's the most rapturous of all renditions
that I've heard of the song. It's a knockout.
Interestingly enough, this version was actually the *third* take that
Lanza had recorded of this song for the Cavalcade album. 10 days
earlier, on the same day that produced Only a Rose (arguably the vocal
highlight of the entire album) and Will You Remember, he'd recorded
the first take, but for whatever reason it was discarded. Given the
vocal shape he was in that day, I'd love to hear this version. Both
the second take and the released take seem to have been recorded on
the same day.
Ann-Mai: You were asking whether it's "adored vision bride" or "adored
vision bright" that Mario sings. Sorry for the confusion: it's
"bright" (thereby rhyming with "night"). It's hard to catch, as he
doesn't quite complete the "t" on either recording. The other word
that's tricky to catch is "dwells", which is often incorrectly heard
as "was". I've even seen it written this way on various lyrics sites.
Here are the complete lyrics:
Yours is my heart alone
And without you, life holds no charm.
Yours every thought I own,
Our love the theme of every dream.
All that makes life seem worthwhile
Dwells in your eyes and the spell of your smile.
There is no song half so sweet to me
As your voice whispering, "I love you, dear."
When far away or near you
In dreams I see and hear you
And yielding to your fascination
I kneel to you in adoration dear: you alone
I live or die for you my adored vision bright
Yours is my heart alone
And without you, life holds no charm.
Yours every thought I own,
Our love the theme of every dream.
All that makes life seem worthwhile
Dwells in your eyes and the spell of your smile
There is no song half so sweet to me
as your voice whispering, "I love you, dear."
mean about Fritz Wunderlich's version of Toselli's Serenade; much as I
love this terrific singer, many of his attempts at singing Italian
songs fall decidedly flat.
By the way, did you know that you can buy the Cavalcade album on a BMG
UK CD? Armando and I persuaded BMG to release it a few years back
(together with the Serenade soundtrack), and we ended up writing the
liner notes for it. We also got them to restore the high B ending to
Thine Alone, which somehow had got cut off when the album was
originally released on LP in 1957. Here's the amazon.co.uk link if
you're interested (it's much cheaper through that site than
amazon.com):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serenade-Calvacade-Tunes-Mario-Lanza/dp/B0002K0ZTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1227402670&sr=1-1
Hi Ann-Mai: That was very kind of you to go to all the trouble of
translating the German lyrics for us! Yes, they *are* quite different
from the two English versions.
Fritz Wunderlich's EMI version is probably the smoothest rendition (in
terms of line) that I've heard of this song. It's very romantically
done -- just listen to his "So, wie die Blume welkt", for example --
and it's tasteful without being boring :-) It helps, of course, that
the arrangement is excellent, and that Fritz is brilliantly recorded
in stereo.
Overall, I like the arrangement on Lanza's 1956 version (which,
incidentally, I *wish* had been recorded in stereo -- with Mario
ideally placed a little further back, as he's arguably too close-miked
here for such a full-on performance), but if there's one thing I would
have changed, it's the lack of variety in the orchestral sound. When
Mario sings the title words the second time around, there ought to be
more happening orchestrally: some oomph and excitement to signal the
repeat of the refrain. Instead Mario's left to do most of the work,
and there's a slight loss of momentum as the orchestra seems to drag
somewhat. (The orchestra is also behind him at the end on
"whispering".) But these are minor niggles, and this version remains
my favourite simply because it's the most rapturous of all renditions
that I've heard of the song. It's a knockout.
Interestingly enough, this version was actually the *third* take that
Lanza had recorded of this song for the Cavalcade album. 10 days
earlier, on the same day that produced Only a Rose (arguably the vocal
highlight of the entire album) and Will You Remember, he'd recorded
the first take, but for whatever reason it was discarded. Given the
vocal shape he was in that day, I'd love to hear this version. Both
the second take and the released take seem to have been recorded on
the same day.
Ann-Mai: You were asking whether it's "adored vision bride" or "adored
vision bright" that Mario sings. Sorry for the confusion: it's
"bright" (thereby rhyming with "night"). It's hard to catch, as he
doesn't quite complete the "t" on either recording. The other word
that's tricky to catch is "dwells", which is often incorrectly heard
as "was". I've even seen it written this way on various lyrics sites.
Here are the complete lyrics:
Yours is my heart alone
Yours every thought I own,
Our love the theme of every dream.
All that makes life seem worthwhile
Dwells in your eyes and the spell of your smile.
There is no song half so sweet to me
As your voice whispering, "I love you, dear."
When far away or near you
In dreams I see and hear you
And yielding to your fascination
I kneel to you in adoration dear: you alone
My queen shall reign and my heart you enchain
All day I sigh for you and I dream all the night
I live or die for you my adored vision bright
Yours is my heart alone
Yours every thought I own,
Our love the theme of every dream.
All that makes life seem worthwhile
Dwells in your eyes and the spell of your smile
There is no song half so sweet to me
as your voice whispering, "I love you, dear."
Babajaga
Nov 23, 2008, 4:57:30 PM11/23/08
to The Mario Lanza Forum
Just for humors sake, I have to mention that originally Lehár Ferenc
was Hungarian, so here you are the Hungarian text(as second after the
German version):
Vágyom egy nő után.
Egy nő után kerget a vágy.
Vágyom a két kezét,
mely olyan szép,
mely olyan lágy.
Vágyom a mozdulatát,
mely a véremen hullámzik át,
Vágyom szavát, azt a bűvölőt,
Vágyom utána és imádom őt.
Amikor nincs mellettem,
valahogy béna lettem,
Valahogy csak benne élek,
Szinte esendő a lélek.
Oly szép, oly szép.
and here you are the youtube-link for it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-R8S7s-fNQ
(this is the performance of János Ocsovay, a quite young, very nice
tenor).
;-))))))
was Hungarian, so here you are the Hungarian text(as second after the
German version):
Vágyom egy nő után.
Egy nő után kerget a vágy.
Vágyom a két kezét,
mely olyan szép,
mely olyan lágy.
Vágyom a mozdulatát,
mely a véremen hullámzik át,
Vágyom szavát, azt a bűvölőt,
Vágyom utána és imádom őt.
Amikor nincs mellettem,
valahogy béna lettem,
Valahogy csak benne élek,
Szinte esendő a lélek.
Oly szép, oly szép.
and here you are the youtube-link for it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-R8S7s-fNQ
(this is the performance of János Ocsovay, a quite young, very nice
tenor).
;-))))))
Jan Hodges
Nov 24, 2008, 12:40:27 AM11/24/08
to mario...@googlegroups.com
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Derek McGovern
May 24, 2014, 9:19:36 AM5/24/14
to
Thanks very much for that link, Jan. I'd never heard of Dallapozza,
and I must say I was quite impressed, especially with his beautiful
middle register and suave, musical singing. (But what a shame he's lip-
synching here, as he's quite static to watch.) Initially, he reminded
me of a darker-toned Wunderlich. Very pleasant to listen to, and good-
looking too (in an Edmund Purdom kind of way); with that combination,
he must have enjoyed a decent career in operetta. I see that he's 68
now; I wonder if he's still singing?
and I must say I was quite impressed, especially with his beautiful
middle register and suave, musical singing. (But what a shame he's lip-
synching here, as he's quite static to watch.) Initially, he reminded
me of a darker-toned Wunderlich. Very pleasant to listen to, and good-
looking too (in an Edmund Purdom kind of way); with that combination,
he must have enjoyed a decent career in operetta. I see that he's 68
now; I wonder if he's still singing?
Message has been deleted
Derek McGovern
May 24, 2014, 10:38:41 AM5/24/14
to
I've just been listening to Lanza's two versions of that wonderful warhorse "Yours Is My Heart Alone." As a teenager, I used to play the 1956 version endlessly---in fact, the record it was featured on (an Australasian RCA release simply titled Lanza!) was also my introduction to Armando, as he'd written the liner notes for that compilation. In the 1970s, reliable information about Lanza was extremely hard to come by, and most of what I first knew about the man was gleaned from reading those notes!
It was actually this recording that made me realize how differently Lanza could sing the same song. I'd already heard the earlier (Coke) version on the 'B' side of The Student Prince, and had never much cared for it. Mario had seemed too careless with the song---almost talking in places rather than singing---and only a couple of phrases had impressed me. (Both versions can still be heard in the links given in my opening post on this thread.)
But what a difference on the 1956 version! Here he meant every word, and I remember being swept away by the tremendous ardour of his singing. Years later, I found out that I hadn't been the only NZ teenager at that time who was thrilled by the recording. I happened to be at a barbecue, and to my astonishment, I overheard two rugged New Zealand "blokes"---two of the most unlikely Lanza fans one could imagine---arguing over which was the definitive romantic Lanza recording: the MGM Student Prince "Serenade" or the 1956 "Yours Is My Heart Alone" :)
I didn't realize until quite recently that Lanza had performed "Yours Is My Heart Alone" at least once at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium in June 1947. This was the same venue at which he performed the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly just ten months later. The distinguished Emanuel Balaban was the conductor. Reviewing the concert in the Times Picayune, Eleanor Nicholson reported that Lanza's performance of the song "necessitated two encores." It must have been quite something!
Vincent Di Placido
May 24, 2014, 4:22:48 PM5/24/14
to mario...@googlegroups.com
First of all I can't believe I haven't commented on this thread before (I wonder how many others there are...)Of course Mario's best version is the lustful & luscious 1956 recording & I think the reason that the Coke version suffers, aside from the faster tempo is that it is in a lower key & that Coke voice with all it's youthful sparkle is slightly struggling to express itself properly in the lower key, a very unusual Coke situation, hence the over emphasis on that final "DEAR", in a higher key as in 1956 he wouldn't have emphasised as much. The strange thing is that in 1956 that lower Coke key would have been perfect :-)I LOVE Mario's singing of " spell of your smile" he just relishes the word "spell", bewitching stuff indeed!
Derek McGovern
May 24, 2014, 8:02:27 PM5/24/14
to
Couldn't agree more, Vince.
The lower key on the Coke version is a puzzle, particularly since Mario had soared up to a high C on the same day with his recording of "The World Is Mine Tonight." In fact, I don't think he had much of a "bottom" that day---hence the slight scraping around in his lower register on "Yours Is My Heart Alone" (and also on "Oh Nights of Splendor," which suffers from uncertain pitch, among other things).
"Lustful and luscious" certainly sums up the 1956 version :) It may not be a perfect piece of singing, but in terms of pure rapture, it's hard to beat! You've got me wondering now, though, how it might have sounded in a lower key.
Incidentally, another song that Lanza sang both on the Coke Shows and in 1956 was "The Donkey Serenade"---and again it's on the low notes on the early version that he struggles. No such problems on the Cavalcade version, though---and that's one of the great things about his vocal form at the time: that his effortless upper register is matched by the depth of his lower one. My only regret is some of the song choices on the Cavalcade album. What wouldn't I have given for, say, "You Are Love" and "Till Good Luck Comes My Way" from Show Boat instead of "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star" and the "Gypsy Love Song"? Given that it's an operetta album, the absence of songs from the likes of Show Boat, The Desert Song, etc, is a little surprising.
Cheers,
Derek
Derek McGovern
Aug 3, 2014, 11:07:58 PM8/3/14
to mario...@googlegroups.com
We've recently been discussing the sound quality of Lanza's recordings on vinyl versus those on CD, and attached here is another glorious example of the former: the 1956 "Yours Is My Heart Alone." Vince sent this to me last week after purchasing a near-pristine copy of the LP Cavalcade of Show Tunes.
This recording has always held a special place in my heart, as I think I've made clear on this thread :), and Vince's vinyl transfer is the best I've heard it.
Anyone agree?
norma
Aug 6, 2014, 11:31:04 AM8/6/14
to mario...@googlegroups.com
Wonderful.!!!
I have just bought a new record player for my LPs.I only have a couple,the others being CDs.
Norma
I have just bought a new record player for my LPs.I only have a couple,the others being CDs.
Norma
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