dinsdag 23 mei 2017

O Sole Mio (1898) / Meine Sonne (1911) / Your Own Dear Kiss (1912) / My Sunshine (1913) / Beneath Thy Window (1923) / There's No Tomorrow (1949) / It's Now Or Never (1960) / Ich Komme Wieder (1960)


"O sole mio" is a globally known Neapolitan song written in 1898. Its lyrics were written by Giovanni Capurro and the music was composed by Eduardo di Capua. There are other versions of "O sole mio" but it is usually sung in the original Neapolitan language. "O sole mio" is the Neapolitan equivalent of standard Italian "Il mio sole" and translates literally as "my sunshine".

In 1898 Eduardo Di Capua with his father, violinist of an orchestra, was in Odessa (at that time Russian Empire, now Ukraine) when the poet Giovanni Capurro asked him to compose the music for his verses "O sole mio". So, being in Odessa and looking at the Black Sea, Eduardo Di Capua composed his most famous song. 
The music was also inspired by the noble Oleggese woman Anna Maria Vignati-Mazza known as "Nina", wife of Senator Giorgio Arcoleo and winner in Naples of the first beauty contest in the Neapolitan city.
 
Nina Arcoleo


In 1899 the song was performed in Naples at the Festa di Piedigrotta, a famous annual music festival. Interestingly, the song didn’t win – it came second to another Neapolitan classic called Napule Bello. At the time, it was impossible to predict the future success the song would receive. Unfortunately, Giovanni and Eduardo didn’t make much money on royalties for the song as they had sold its publishing rights to the Bideri publishing house for a very small fee of just 25 lire.
What wasn’t known at the time was that a third author was involved. Alfredo Mazzucchi helped Eduardo write music for the song but didn’t sign the manuscript. A Torino judge eventually ruled that he be listed as a co-author to the song.



Here's the original sheet of  "O Sole Mio"
(as you can see it says: Alla nobil donna Nina Arcoleo --> To the noble woman Nina Arcoleo)





The first recording seems to be:

(o) Florigio Penza (1900) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded June 1900 in Napoli
Matrix 826a
Released on Gramophone 52522



I'm still looking for a soundfile of this version


(c) Ferruccio Corradetti (1901) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded July 1901 in Milan
Matrix 3254a
Released E. Berliner's Gramophone 52237
 





In 1907 Ferruccio Corradetti re-recorded the song in Milan. (see further on in this topic)


(c) 3. Garde-Grenadier Regiment Zu Fuss (1901)
(as "Defilier Marsch über das italienische Lied "O sole mio")
Recorded August 1901 in Berlin
Matrix; 20x
Released on G&T 40213




(c) Francesco Daddi (1901) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded November/December 1901 in Milan
Released on Zonofono 531 and 532


In 1904 Francesco Daddi re-recorded the song in Milan for the Columbia label and for G&T
In 1906 in Hayes, Middlesex, England and in 1911 in New York City, USA
SEE FURTHER ON in this topic



(c) Oreste Mieli (1902) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded September 1902 in Milan
Released on Disco Zonofono X-1890


Listen here:




In 1903 Oreste Mieli re-recorded the song in Milan
This version was released on Columbia 10009




(c) Francesco Daddi (1904) (as "O Sole Mio"
Recorded in 1904 in Milan
This version was released on Columbia 10153



Or here:




(c) Francesco Daddi (1904) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded April 1904 in Milan
Matrix 4391a
This version was released on G&T 52271






(c) Gabriel Soulacroix (1904) (as "O Sole Mio")
French lyrics by Amédée-Louis Hettich
Recorded 1904 in Paris
Matrix 3331f
Released on Disque Pour Gramophone (G&T) G.C. 3-32191
 




(c) Mme. Lartigne (1905) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded early 1905 in Brussels
Matrix 8528u
Released on French HMV # 33544




(c) Alexander Nagel (1905) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded November 1905 in Paris
Matrix xP 2130
Released on Odeon X 36411




(c) Nunzio Bari (1905) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded June 1905
Released on Fonotipia 7060



see also result 9 on this link



(c) Valentin Jaume (1906) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded July, 1906
Matrix xP 3082
Released on Odeon X 60112

SEE:  ARTIST_J.pdf





(c) Francesco Daddi (1906) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded February 21, 1906 in Hayes, Middlesex, England
Matrix 3611e
This version was released on Gramophone 2-52501 (UK)


Also released on Gramophone R 6025 (Italy)
Also released on Victor 62723 (USA)


And internationally on Zonophone X-92166




(c) Lucien Muratore (1906) (as "O Sole Mio")
French lyrics by Amédée-Louis Hettich
Recorded February 1906 in Paris
Matrix 1343o
Released on on Favorite I-5284
 



July 1906 Lucien Muratore recorded another French version in Paris
Matrix 5847o
Released on Disque Zonophone X-82575





Or here:




(c) Ms Louis Fontbonne Gluck (1906) (as "O Sole Mio")
French lyrics by Amédée-Louis Hettich
Recorded May 1906 in Paris
Released on Edison Cylinder # 17696






(c) Marie de L'Isle (1906) (as "O Sole Mio")
French lyrics by Amédée-Louis Hettich
Recorded 1906 in Paris
Matrix 5145u
Released on Disque Zonophone X-83051





(c) Ferruccio Corradetti (1907) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded April 13, 1907 in Milan
Matrix xPh 2540
Released on Fonotipia X 62260






(c) Giuseppe Anselmi (1907) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded November 4, 1907 in Milan
Matrix xPh 2825
Released on Fonotipia X 62284







(c) Emilio de Gogorza (1908) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded March 25, 1908 in Camden, New Jersey
Released on Victor 74105 and on Victor 6075
Also released on Gramophone 052216
And on DB 188



Or here:




(c) Fernando de Lucia (1909) (as "O Sole Mio"
Recorded May 21, 1909 in Napoli
Matrix 13336b
Released on Gramophone Concert Record GC 2 -52701
also released on HMV DA-335 and Victor 87047 and Victor 66004


Listen here:




(c) Guido Gialdini (1908) (as "O Sole Mio") (whistling)
with Friedrich Kark Orchester
Recorded October 1908 in Berlin
Released on Odeon X-51333 and X-99157



(c) Guido Gialdini (1910) (as "O Sole Mio") (whistling)  
Released on Kalliope #1693


Listen here:


And here's another Guido Gialdini recording for the French Pathe-label.





(c) Oskar I. Kamionsky (1909) (as "Solntse moye")
Recorded February 1, 1909 in Moscow, Russia
Matrix 8647L
Released on Concert Record Gramophone G.C. 3-22945





(c) Oskar I. Kamionsky (1910) (as "O Sole Mio (Solnyshko noe)")
Recorded September 12, 1910 in St. Petersburg, Russia
Matrix 14747
Released on Concert Record Gramophone G.C. 4-22145






(c) Oskar Kamionsky (1911) (as "Moe Solnyshko")
Released on the Stella-label
 





(c) Joaquim Ramos (1910) (as "Lisboa Amada")
Recorded March 31, 1910 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Matrix 1181y
Released on Zonophone X-52461
 


Also released on Gramophone 3-62321 and also on Victor 98648



In 1912 Joaquim Ramos also recorded a version titled "Terra Amada".

(c) Joaquim Ramos (1910) (as "Terra Amada")
Recorded August 8, 1912.
Released on Homokord # 9408





(c) Waclaw Brzezinski (1910) (as "Moje Slonce"
Polish lyrics: Stanisław Przesmycki
Recorded July 13, 1910 in Moscow
Matrix 1054 ae
Released on Concert Record Gramophone 222012





Also released on Zonophone Record X-2-62722

Listen here: 




(c) Musica della Reale Marina Italiana (1910) (as "O Sole Mio")
(Military Orchestra conducted by Seba Matacena)
Recorded November 30, 1909
Matrix xPh 4207
Released on Fonotipia X 62465




(c) Francesco Daddi (1911) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded February 1911 in New York City
Matrix 55701
This version was released on Columbia C-2094 and Columbia E 821






(c) Ottokar Marak 1911 (as "Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
Recorded May 16, 1911
Matrix 12426L (61684)
Released on Grammophon 4-42455 and B 42179





Listen here: Marak O Sole mio.mp3



In January 1912 Elizabeth Spencer recorded the English translated version "Your Own Dear Kiss".
The English lyrics for this version were written in 1911 by Edgar Selden


(c) Elizabeth Spencer (1912) (as "Your Own Dear Kiss")
Recorded January 1912
Released on an Edison Amberol cylinder # 997




Another English translation of the song followed in 1913 when Alan Turner recorded it as "My Sunshine"
On the label it doesn't say who wrote the English translation. Probably Henry Grafton Chapman ?

(c) Alan Turner (1913)  (as "My Sunshine")
Recorded December 19, 1913
Released on Victor 17536





A few months later Charles Harrison recorded this English translation

(c) Charles Harrison (1914) (as "My Sunshine")
Recorded April 1914 
Released on Edison Blue Amberol: 2594 and on Edison Diamond Disc # 80171-R


Listen here:




(c) Enrico Caruso (1916) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded February 5, 1916 in Camden New Jersey
Matrix B 17124-1
Released on Victor (and Victrola) 87243
 




(c) Oscar Seagle (1915) (as "O Sun I Love")
Recorded April 8, 1915 in New York
Matrix 37244
Released on Columbia A-5676






(c) Riccardo Stracciari (1918) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded New York, NY, October 4, 1918.
Matrix 78097-2
Released on Columbia 78097


Also released in the UK on Columbia X-313

Listen here:




In 1921 William Booth-Clibborn transcribed the song as a hymn under the title "Down From His Glory". William was the grandson of General William Booth, co-founder of the Salvation Army.



Here's a version by the Blackwood Brothers (1964)




(c) Valentin Sindler  (1923) (as "O Sole Mio (Slunce Me)")
Czech lyrics: František Hvížďálek
Recorded in Prague
Released on Homocord 2-1624



Listen to a sample on the next link:   Valentín Šindler (Tenor) 



(c) Richard Tauber (1927) (as "Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
Recorded March 1927 in Berlin
Matrix xxB 7653
Released on Odeon O-8329b






(c) Franz Baumann (1927) (as "Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
with Efim-Schachmeister-Künstler-Ensemble 






(c) Dusolina Giannini (1928) (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded December 20, 1928 in London
Matrix 2-053347  (Cc15480-1 ?)
Released on HMV DB 1247

Listen here:


Or here:




(c) Die Duoptisten (1929)  (as "Meine Sonne")
Recorded September 12, 1929 in Berlin
Matrix BLR 5605-2 ? / 8-44098 ?
Released on Electrola EG 1551





(c) Franz Völker (1929) (as "Meine Sonne")
Released on Grammophon 27151
 




(c) Franz Zwonik (1929) (as "O Sole Mio (Meine Sonne)")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
Released on Homocord 4-9093 II




(c) Marcel Wittrisch (1930)  (as "O Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
Released on Electrola EG 2023





(c) Joseph Schmidt (1931) (as "Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
 

and released in Czechoslovakia on the Esta-label





(c) Herbert Ernst Groh (1931) (as "Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
Released on Odeon O-25078 a


Also released on Parlophon B 48 119 I


Listen here:




(c) Alfredo Miscel (1932) (as "O Sole Mio")
Released on Kristall 6061





(c) Joseph Schmidt (1934)  (as "O Sole Mio")
Recorded November 1933 in Vienna
Matrix 85234-1
Parlophon B 48814 and Odeon O-4717


Or here:




(c) Enzo de Muro Lomanto (1929) (as "O Sole Mio")
Released on Columbia D 12616





(c) Enzo de Muro Lomanto (1935) (as "O Sole Mio")
Released on Columbia D.Q. 1500





(c) Peter Anders (1936)  (as "Meine Sonne")
German lyrics by Hugo Bock
Matrix 21414
Released on Telefunken A 2093

Released in France on Columbia BF 168



Released on the UK Columbia DF 2493





(c) Marcel Wittrisch (1939)  (as "O Sole Mio")
German lyrics by Hartwig von Pinten
Released on Electrola EG 7053




Another English translation "Beneath Thy Window" was written  by Edward Teschemacher



(c) Thomas Jackson (1922)  (as "Beneath Thy Window")
English lyrics by Edward Teschemacher
Released May 1922 on Regal G 7750
Matrix 71546


Listen here:




(c) Browning Mummery (1923) (as "Beneath Thy Window")
English lyrics by Edward Teschemacher
Recorded August 20, 1923
Matrix X-4-42574 / Yy 3330
Released on Zonophone Record # 2388



Listen here:




(c) William Heseltine (1926) (as "Beneath Thy Window")
English lyrics by Edward Teschemacher
Released on Columbia 3831




In an old Irish catalogue I found another 3 versions of "Beneath Thy Window"

- Parlophone E 3626 J. O'Connor (of Roscrea) 1927

- Parlophone E 5895 Cathedral Choir 1927

- Parlophone E 6205 David Miller  1930




(c) Richard Tauber (1942) (as "Beneath Thy Window")
English lyrics by Edward Teschemacher
Recorded July 17, 1942 in London.
Released on Parlophone RO 20514



Listen here:




(c) Joseph Locke (1949) (as "Beneath Thy Window")
Josef Locke with the Melachrino orchestra conducted by Herbert Carruthers
Recorded November 1948
Matrix CA 20943
Released on Columbia DB 2556


Listen here:




In 1949 another English translation "There’s No Tomorrow" was written by Hoffman/Corday/Carr

(c) Tony Martin (1949)  (as "There's No Tomorrow")
English lyrics written by Al Hoffman, Leo Corday, Leon Carr
Recorded September 15, 1949
Released on RCA Victor 47-3078


Listen here:



Dean Martin (1949) and Connie Francis (1959) followed suit with their recordings of "There’s No Tomorrow".
About ten years later, in 1959, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, Elvis Presley heard the recording and put to tape a private version of the song.

(c) Elvis Presley (1959) (as "There's No Tomorrow")
Released on next CD


Listen here:




(c) Helma (1950)  (as "Vaarwel")
With The Flying Dutchmen olv Mathie Niens
Released on Olympia 5594


Listen here:




In 1957 the lyrics were adapted by Wandra Merrell and retitled "Don't Say Forever".
Apart from new English lyrics, the song also contained a few of the original Italian lyrics.
And one of the lines from the new English lyrics goes like: "each kiss is now or never"
A few years later Elvis would record an English adaptation titled "It's Now Or Never"

(c) Lou Monte (1957) (as "Don't Say Forever")



Listen here:




(c) Bill Haley and his Comets (1958) (as "Come Rock With Me")
Recorded November 19, 1957
Released on the album "Rockin' Around The World" and on the EP "Rockin' Around Europe".


Listen here: 




But in 1960 it was Elvis Presley, who recorded the most remembered and successful adaptation of "O Sole Mio".

(c) Elvis Presley (1960) (as "It's Now Or Never")
Recorded April 3, 1960 in Nasville, TN


Listen here:




(c) Gerd Böttcher (1960) (as "Ich Komme Wieder")
German lyrics by Gunter Loose. 
Top 20 Hit in Germany.



Listen here:




(c) Peter Beil (1960)  (as "Ich Komme Wieder")
German lyrics by Gunter Loose. 



Listen here:




(c) Jack Terry (1960)  (as "Ich Komme Wieder")
German lyrics by Gunter Loose. 



Listen here:




(c) Heintje (1968) (as "Heerlijk Zonlicht")
Dutch lyrics: Dick Valentijn / Günther Kaleta (= Addy Kleijngeld)


Listen here:




In 1972 in the Netherlands a variation of the tune was used for a TV commercial promoting a kaas-tosti 
A tosti is kind of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, originating in French cafés and bars as a quick snack called a "Croque Monsieur". 
The name comes from the French words croque ("bite”) and monsieur ("mister"). The first time this sandwich is known to have appeared on a Paris café menu was in 1910.


In the 1972 commercial they sing  "Ik wil een tosti" (=I want a tosti)

Watch it here:




And a few lyears later in Great Britain a variation of the tune was used in an ice cream ad.
One of Kika Markham's more memorable television projects was Dennis Potter's "Double Dare" (1976). Few people know this was actually written around an evening spent with Kika after Potter had seen the iconic "Just One Cornetto" Gondola commercial, where Kika played the beautiful lady eating just one Cornetto.

Watch the commercial here:




In 1978 Jonathan King recorded a cover-version of the "Just One Cornetto" commercial under the alias Count Giovanni Di Regina.

(c) Count Giovanni Di Regina (1978) (as "Just One Cornetto")


Listen here: 




And in 1982 the UK band Pookiesnackenburger covered the cover of the cover.

(c) Pookiesnackenburger (1982) (as "Just One Cornetto")


Listen here: 




In 1996 Belgian artist Jo Vally recorded a version titled "Ga Mee Naar Rome".
The lyrics were written by Yvan Brunetti.

(c) Jo Vally (1996) (as "Ga Mee Naar Rome")



Listen here:





Listen to 24 samples of versions recorded between 1907 and 1928 on the link below:




Some more versions

(Sole mio) - 00-10-06 - Romeo Berti (APGA 35005);

(O sole mio) - 21-12-07 - Elisa Bella (Victor 62434 / Victor 98324);

(O sole mio) - 17-10-12 - Carolina White (Columbia A 1330);

(O sole mio) - 21-03-13 - Lina Cavalieri (Columbia A 1434);

(O sole mio) – instr. version - 02-04-15 - Neapolitan Trio (Victor 17787);


More coverversions here: