Came in this afternoon with a nasty headache. Had strange urge to listen to this recording. A lively band plus EC's magnificent trumpeting filled the room. Three minutes later realise headache gone. Thank you Enrico Caruso!
Great Singer, Great Soul, Great.........THERAPIST!!
What an unusual nervous emphasis on his words! Caruso's agogic seems to reflect interior worries. For Italy? I think yes. This anthem was the military march who accompanied the late italian Risorgimento (1858-1870) in the national unification process (against Vatican State, Bourbon monarchy etc.) and the the indipendence (against austrian empire, France and others). When he recorded this song Italy came from his biggest defeat in WWI: the battle of Caporetto (24th october 1917) against the historical "enemy": The austrian empire. Loosing the war should be the mortal hit for the new-born nation (1860-1870) and the a new loss of region as Lombardia, veneto, Venezia Giulia. Fortunately after Caporetto, one month after this record, came the italian biggest military success in WWI: Vittorio Veneto. Note as caruso emphasize the last phrases: "Va'Fuori d'Italia, Va' fuori ché l'ora! Va fuori d'Italia, va' fuori stranier!" (trans. "Get out from Italy, get'out, it's time to! Get'out from Italy, get out, stranger!").