1928 MIGUEL VILLABELLA PATHE ART DECO 7104 Maitre Pathelin MANON Picture Label

$

25

Shipping: All items will be packed safely in a sturdy package for safe shipping.
We ship internationally and offer combined shipping for multiple purchases.

Expedited, Priority Mail and FedEx shipping available
Once payment is received, we ship your item on the next business day.

A series of great  classical orchestral and instrumental performances by major conductors, composers and instrumentalists.

Famous PATHE ART DECO 7104 Picture Label w Art Deco design by François-Louis Schmied, was born in Geneva on November 8, 1873.
He died in Tahanaout, Morocco, in January 1941.

French painter, wood engraver, printer, publisher, illustrator and binder.

Considered as a major artist of the "Art Deco" style, particularly in the field of publishing for bibliophiles.

Called the Prince of FRENCH LYRIC TENORS, Basque MIGUEL VILLABELLA in his first 1925 acoustic PATHE SESSION

MIGUEL VILLABELLA [t]
MAITRE PATHELIN: Je pense à vous (Bazin)/ MANON Le REve

Pathe Art records were recorded with substandard electric equipment, and were quickly withdrawn, once Columbia provided Pathe with their own state of the art recorder

12" Pathe lateral 78 rpm record

Condition  EXCELLENT close to pristine, light rubs on MANON, plays E+ EXCEPTIONALLY quiet.

Some fuzzines in the matrix caused by the Pathe equipment.

A CHOICE COPY

Miguel Villabella, though remembered as a quintessential French tenor, was actually a Basque, born in Bilbao in 1892. His father was a singer, a famous Zarzuela baritone, from whom the young tenor learned much but a move to Paris led to a meeting with Lucien Fug?re, doyen of French bass-baritones and musical life in Paris. He made a concert debut in San Sebastian in 1917 and his operatic debut (Tosca) a year later, opened at the Op?ra-Comique in 1920 and thereafter, once established, was seldom heard outside France (he did get as far as Brussels and though he was billed for a Florence appearance it canÆt be confirmed he actually appeared). His career wound down after the Second War û his stage career ended in 1940 - as he devoted more and more time to teaching and he died in 1954 after routine surgery. He took the expected roles, Don Jos?, Hoffmann, Fernando (in Cos?), Des Grieux, Rinuccio and G?rald amongst them. He sang under Bruno Walter and recorded Lully (though thereÆs none here) so he was certainly no one-dimensional tenor.

What he was instead was an expressive lyric tenor with a fine range, especially at the top where his floated head voice was exceptionally convincing. He was a most stylish exponent of the French tradition, one that embraces a good number of Basque and Corsican singers in addition to Villabella. His Mignon is open, lyric, and splendid throughout the range though with maybe too much of a lyric bleat but his Mireille is ardent and expressive and fully commanding. In RigolettoÆs Comme la plume au vent û almost everythingÆs sung in French û his ardour is almost up there with Georges Thill whilst his technique is quite unruffled by MessagerÆs Fortunio extract. He is plangency itself in Manon û marvellously floated head voice with admirable breath control (even at the top there is no sense of strain) û and he is noble and virile in MassenetÆs Gris?lidis. The voix mixte he so effortlessly deploys (essentially head voice and falsetto) is emblematically French and wonderful to hear û though arguably we do hear it rather a lot. He has plenty of power in reserve throughout and turns on the stylish ease in Offenbach though even he canÆt do much with the wobbly old band that accompanies him in Le Jongleur de Notre-Dame. His Roi dÆYs is notable for richness of execution, latent power, consummate style and portamenti on light head notes whilst his Op?ra-Comique credentials are on show in Suzanne. He makes a good team with Baug? in the Rossini û his partner starts rather unsteadily but soon warms up though in his solo Rossini, whilst his divisions are special, he can be a mite superficial. But we can enjoy the two Spanish items for their idiomatic control.

On some of the copies there are minor problems; blasting, some thumps and bumps. But I would persist beyond them to appreciate this lyrically elevated and tonally admirable exponent of a vanished performing style. The notes consist of a bare paragraph of biographical details, in French and English. Try the singing though.

More Great Records on sale right now:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn=carsten_sf&_from=R40&_nkw=&_sacat=0&_sop=12

http://shop.ebay.com/carsten_sf/m.html

A Quick NOTE ON GRADING AND SHIPPING:

As you can see from my feedback, I try hard to earn your POSITIVE FEEDBACK and FIVE STAR RATINGS.

If for any reason your transaction was NOT SATISFACTORY, pls contact me and I will work something out with you. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A REASON TO GIVE ME A NEGATIVE RATING or a LOW STAR RATING.

Quick note on grading:

The Grade (Excellent to Poor, I don't give Mint) refers to the WEAR of the record. Any other defects are stated separately

When I listen to a record, I may also give it an aural grade (again E to P), and make a SUBJECTIVE judgment of the pressing quality for hiss and surface noise.
"SUPERQUIET" is basically noiseless, like a vinyl pressing.
"VERY QUIET" is an exceptionally quiet record for a given pressing.
"Quiet" is a record that is a great example without undue noise for a give pressing.

These judgments are SUBJECTIVE and will depend one the styli, phonograph etc. you use on your own equipment.

Multiple item shipping: I am happy to combine items for shipment in one parcel.

If you win multiple items, pls send me an INVOICE REQUEST to calculate the correct postage. Ebay check out will not give you the correct multiple item discount!

Records will be packed safely between corrugated cardboard in a sturdy box with plenty of padding for safe shipment.

Shipment is usually Media Mail, unless you request another service. Shipping is at your risk, I will be happy to insure items at your cost.

I charge actual postage plus a small fee for packing materials

As always, I guarantee your satisfaction. If you don't like the item, just return it, and I will refund the full purchase price.

If you are in the San Francisco area, I encourage pick-up in person.

US Domestic Shipping:

Here is a guideline for US Media Mail Shipping:

Prices below are for regular 78 rpm records. Up to about 5 records, I will ship Edison Discs for the same rates. Albums from Album Sets count as 1 record. Above that and for international shipments, it will be actual weight plus a small packing charge (1-3$ depending on size of shipment)

1 record: 4.75 – 5.50$

2 records: 6.50$

5 records: 8.00$

10 records: 12.00$

MANY MORE RECORDS: Don't worry. I safely ship 40 - 50 pounds of records double boxed in moving boxes, and even then Media Mail will probably not exceed 35$.

Please send me a message if you would like to get an estimate for you shipping rates!

I am very happy to ship records worldwide.

Please use the EBAY shipping cost only as a guideline. My actual charges are usually lower

One record usually ships for 25$ for 10" 25-35$ for most 12" records (Less for Canada).

 As always, I would appreciate any suggestions and corrections from you, pls contact me with any question.

Thank you very much, and good luck bidding !!!