We present a rare recording from our archive: “Valse Lente (Adorables Tourments)” performed by the legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (His Master’s Voice D.B. 116).
A stellar French-language performance, preserved through the grooves of this vintage 78 RPM classical gramophone record. It must be emphasized that the audio is in incredibly good condition.
This is due to both the excellent physical preservation of the record itself and our specialized audio restoration process. The digital processing overcame the limitations of early 20th-century acoustic recordings, bringing the audio clarity to such an astonishing level that you would think it was recorded just yesterday!
🎶 About the recording: “Adorables Tourments” is a beautiful slow waltz (valse lente) with French lyrics, composed by Riccardo Barthélemy—who was a close friend and the personal piano accompanist for Enrico Caruso for many years. This recording brilliantly showcases the extraordinary range and sensitivity of Caruso’s voice, proving exactly why he is considered perhaps the greatest tenor in history. The flip side features the equally magnificent “Chanson de Juin” by Benjamin Godard.
📅 Historical Data & Credits:
🎶 Title: Valse Lente
🎤 Artist: Enrico Caruso (Tenor)
🗣️ Language: French
🎻 Composer: Benjamin Godard
✍️ Lyrics: Riccardo Barthélemy
💿 Label & Catalog: His Master’s Voice – D.B. 116
📅 Year: 1948
🎧 Genre: Classical / Valse Lente (Acoustic Recording)
⚙️ Format: 78 RPM Shellac / Archival Audio Restoration
🔄 Other Side (B-Side): Chanson de Juin (Song of June, Op. 102, No. 6)