Synopses & Reviews
Between 1956 and 1981, Edward J. Smith issued three series of private long-playing recordings devoted almost entirely to historical operatic performance. Smith's first series, The Golden Age of Opera, appeared between 1956 and 1971, and its contents are catalogued here for the first time. Notorious for their lack of accurate documentation, the LPs have remained a source of great frustration to collectors and historians. This volume presents an exhaustive accounting of the thousands of individual recordings contained on the 479 Golden Age of Opera LPs, documented from the most reliable primary and secondary sources, studio and opera house archives, and personal correspondence.
Review
The compilers of this discography have done a superb job of detective work in correcting the errors and noting falsifications and wrong attributions and pitch and playing speed problems. Some releases required commentaries several pages long because of the number of mistakes that needed to be addressed. Those working with these recordings in archives and private collections have always wanted and needed this discography. They will rejoice that it has been so well done.ARBA 95
Review
This is a work that should prove of overwhelming interest to serious collectors of vocal records. An unusually valuable reference.American Record Guide
Synopsis
EJS: DISCOGRAPHY OF THE EDWARD J. SMITH RECORDINGS is an exhaustive catalog of 479 privately-issued long-playing operatic records released under the series title "The Golden Age of Opera" between 1956 and 1971.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. lvi-lxi) and indexes.
About the Author
CALVIN M. GOODWIN, a priest of the Society of Jesus, teaches classics in a Jesuit secondary school in Portland, Maine.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Selected Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Discography of "The Golden Age of Opera" Series
Appendix
Concordance of Label and Bulletin Misnumberings
Index of Artists
Index of Works Performed
Index of Live Performances
Index of Studio Broadcasts and Telecasts
Index of Radio and Television Programs
Index of Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts and Telecasts
Index of EIAR and RAI Operatic Broadcasts and Telecasts
Index of Film Soundtracks
Index/Concordance of LP Matrix Numbers