Soloists - PUCCINI: La Boheme

Giocomo Puccini (1858-1924)La Boh?�?�mePrior to the introduction of the long-playing record in1948, The Decca Record Company in London had recorded just one complete opera,Dido and Aeneas in 1936.  Thecompany had begun recording in February 1929 with its first release in June thesame year. During the 1930s, however, it was seen very much as a minorcompetitor to its main UK rival, EMI. In the immediate post World War II era,the company undertook an impressive programme of new classical recordings withtheir newly introduced Full Frequency Range Recording technique, which had beendeveloped as a result of war-time research requirements. The new LP era wouldbring the Decca/London label into the league of big players in the world ofclassical recorded music.This 1951 recording of La Boh?�?�me was the first of Decca'srecordings of complete Italian operas, made in the Rome Accademia Nazionale diSanta Cecilia. The hall in which the recording was made is long and narrow,with a very high ceiling and a fine balcony, which also contains seats. Thevenue proved ideal for mono recording with the control room in adjoining roomon the same ground floor level.            Thesinging throughout the recording displays an uncommon taste and intelligence inthat all the performers observe the composer's dynamic markings of pianissimoand dimuendo. Much of the credit for this attention to detail must come fromErede's careful rehearsals. In addition the engineers handle the balancebetween voices and orchestra sensitively, a point not always achieved in monoonly recording.            TheItalian soprano Renata Tebaldi (b. 1922) had begun recording for the Company in1949 and had by now an exclusive contract. She was one of the most significantItalian lyric sopranos of the time and would enjoy a recording career spanningalmost 25 years. Her first recording of La Boh?�?�me (she would recorded the workin stereo eight years later) is notable for the youthful freshness and richnessof her voice. She also conveys much delicacy in her interpretation of Mim?�?�,especially in the first act. The death scene is also movingly portrayed.             Theglamorous Viennese soprano Hilde Gueden (1919-1988), another of Decca's youngand up-and-coming exclusive artists, was an unexpected choice for the r?�??le ofMusetta but proves inspired casting as hers is not the usual shrill Italiansoprano voice so often heard in the part. Later she would gravitate to the roleof Mim?�?�. She would later sing the r?�??les of Musetta and Mim?�?� in successiveseasons at the Metropolitan during 1952 and 1953.     The tenor Giacinto Prandelli (b. 1914) was one of a number of newItalian tenors to emerge after the end of the War in Europe, having made hisdebut in 1942. If not endowed with the most mellifluous of voices, he alwaysus