Delayed Delights: Nora d'Argel and Juliet's Waltz

Some early recordings convey distinctive romantic-era practices within the few seconds that the stylus touches the grooves. The entire side, start to finish, serves as an essay in style and interpretation from pre-modernist times. Other recordings start out in a more or less routine and expected way that does not particularly stand out in any stylistic manner. But then, at some point -- perhaps a minute or two into the side -- certain performance decisions will begin to surface that depart from, and fail to resonate with, modernist convention. In most cases they will grab at the ear's attention and turn ho-hum listening into something engaging and fascinating, unique to the artist and to that person's artistry.

Such an instance of delayed stylistic gratification is apparent in New Zealand soprano Nora d'Argel's 1915 recording of Juliet's Waltz from Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. D'Argel (a.k.a. Nora Long) sings the first minute and forty-five seconds in a predictable manner for qualified sopranos -- perhaps the only surprise being that it is in English rather than French. The tempo is crisp, the tone is bright and focused, the voice is sufficiently agile, and d'Argel does a fine job as many do. She stretches the high notes of the phrase as the listener would expect and allows some grace of tempo at section endings. 

That all changes at 1:49 where d'Argel interpolates some delicate high notes into the phrase while maintaining her waltz tempo and then elongates the fourth interpolated note that ends with a subtle crescendo for added impact. Luisa Tetrazzini and later Anna Moffo also add the interpolated notes, though neither one extends the fourth note as d'Argel does. Otherwise most sopranos sing through this repeated passage as they did toward the beginning of the aria. For the modern listener who has heard Juliet's waltz dozens upon dozens of times -- perhaps even has sung, coached, or conducted it -- d'Argel's interpolation stands out as a miniature but significant enhancement and hints at more to come.

The tempo and slight mood shift at 2:10 invites a more connected sense of legato phrasing from d'Argel with plenty of stepwise portamento to give the passage a type of gentle sway without losing the pulse. After that, at 2:29, the listener can hear an added sense of direction, drive, and conviction in d'Argel's delivery, as if she bounced off the slower passage and is completely focused on reaching the cadenza through dizzying phrases. Once there, d'Argel transforms mere runs into coloratura sparkle followed by a wonderful high note which, in its final moments, blossoms through a crescendo. (Also note at the cadenza before the final high note that at 3:03 d'Argel changes pitch on the sequence of trills very slightly before, not with, the orchestra.)

Although d'Argel was 35 years old when she made this recording (i.e. an adult), her brightness of tone, commitment to an exuberant waltz tempo, stretches on high notes, and evolution of style as the aria progresses truly convey an adolescent character on the cusp of experiencing new emotions. Her embrace of style at the level of subtle but noticeable significance resonates fully with the character she is portraying, such that it is not style for style's sake, but for the enhancement and believability of Juliet.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i38rSL9AOQAYbKdXEL4bSxXlNbb3pF10/view?usp=sharing

Valse Song, Romeo and Juliet, Charles Gounod

Nora d'Argel, soprano, orchestra conducted by Hubert Bath

1915 May 5 

Gramophone 03409 78rpms

Yale Collection of Historical Sound Recordings