LUCY ISABELLE MARSH: “Obstination” (de Fontenailles)

Описание: "Obstination - A Resolve" (de Fontenailles)
Sung in French

LUCY ISABELLE MARSH, soprano
Accompanied by Victor Orchestra
Conductor not credited

Victor 60077, mx B-12269, recorded 7/24/1912
Released 10/1912, deleted 11/1913
Short catalogue life, only 13 months

Lucy Isabelle Marsh (April 10, 1878 – January 20, 1956) was an American lyric soprano who made her career as a professional recording artist for the Victor Talking Machine Company. She was an anonymous mainstay of the company, recording prodigiously from 1909 into the late 1920s. At the same time, she quickly won popular and critical recognition under her own name as a major artist on recordings for Victor.

Marsh obtained training in Paris under Baldelli, and under Trabadello, who also taught Mary Garden. She studied under John Walter Hall in New York. She first appeared in the eastern United States as a church singer. Later, she recorded a few tracks for Columbia (only one solo disc was released) but was soon hired by the Victor Company, where she remained their house soprano for years. She achieved great success as a recording artist, although she did not perform on stage and only rarely appeared in concert halls. She later pursued a career in education. The artist, who was married to a doctor, passed away after a long illness. Among her numerous recordings, her duets with John McCormack were particularly well known. She also made electric recordings for Victor, including masterful performances of arias from Messiah and other religious vocal works and oratorios, especially compositions by Rossini and Mendelssohn, as well as opera arias. It is likely that there are ensemble recordings under the Victor label featuring her voice without her name being credited.

(Wikipedia, also "Forgotten Opera Singers" blog)

Rick's Thoughts:
Marsh's voice was quite "phonogenic", meaning she reproduced well using the primitive recording methods of the time. Her voice had a touch of "heft", and her records usually "sounded" better than those of her more celebrated peers. She did not have the Marchesi training with the focused, high-and-light voice that came across as piercing or "hooty" on disc. She is one of my favorite singers on record of the period. She had coloratura capability and could toss out a high C or D with ease.