Horn, C E: Cherry Ripe

The years 1919-24 saw Fritz Kreisler re-establish himself after the First World War. Initial hostility to him in America was eventually overcome, and the resumption of his recording schedule saw a steady stream of inimitable offerings from the most beloved violinist of the time. There are rarities in this sequence of acoustic sides, not least his recording of black American Clarence Cameron White’s spiritual setting and an elusive 1921 recording of Charles Dawes’s Melody in A. Additionally, Kreisler never rerecorded his beautiful performance of his own Aucassin and Nicolette.

Ward Marston, producer and audio restoration producer

Exciting new addition to Melba’s ongoing Richard Bonynge Collection

Contains rare Italian, French and English opera arias and, all receiving world premiere recordings from the Richard Bonynge Archive: an eclectic mix of composers, from late 18th Century English masters such as J C Bach, Boyce and Thomas Arne via Cimarosa and Mayr to little known songsmiths such as Crescentini, Pietro Generali and Stephen Storace

Songs are all from the 18th and 19th centuries, but the main unifying principle is that all of them have – at one point or another – been discarded or forgotten

The glorious Sieglinde in the Melba Ring Cycle, leading Australian soprano Deborah Reidel is in magnificent vocal form. At times she sounds uncannily like Joan Sutherland in her timbre, but has a strength and richness all her own

Booklet has a wealth of information, complete song texts & translations of all arias