From the middle of the 19th Century Americans have been inordinately proud of their native-born singers, and in particular of their baritones. From the

concert platform to oratorio, opera, operetta, musical comedy, countless movies and Broadway musicals, the American baritone, with his persuasive and virile vocal tone no doubt the result of the great cultural and ethnic mix that makes up the United States, has been a mainstay of musical America. All the more unlikely then that a young baritone from the Ukraine would became one of the most recognised and loved voices on record and radio, in opera and recital. The previous Prima Voce CD issue devoted to Igor Gorin (NI 7937) featured him in unusual operatic excerpts recorded in the 1930’s. We can now hear him singing two familiar arias, recorded when he was in his early 50’s, capturing his marginally darker and more mature tones. Gorin’s reputation as a recitalist was legendary and together with operatic arias he always gave his audiences a selection of art-songs, ballads and folk melodies, some of which are featured here. These two compilations that are now available contain items from Gorin’s most popular repertoire and surely do justice to claims that his is one of the most attractive baritone voices ever to have recorded.