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Giving your heart away on Valentine’s Day

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February 14 is the traditional day Americans celebrate love and romance with chocolates, cards and flowers. But telling someone you love them is risky. Love and romance can be capricious and changeable. Does she love me? Should I tell him I love him? Do I take a chance?

Love, Here is My Heart by Adrian Ross and Lao Silesu.  From the Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music, Johns Hopkins University.
Love, Here is My Heart by Adrian Ross and Lao Silesu. From the Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music, Johns Hopkins University.

Love, Here is My Heart, written in 1915 by Italian composer Lao Silesu, is a delicate and tentative love song whereby the singer takes a risk and is not at all confident his love will be returned. As the lyrics reveal:

love, here is my heart,

yours if you keep it today,

yours if you throw it away

Recorded by many artists, including a lush, rich orchestrated version by Mantovani, one of the best known recordings found in the Library’s National Jukebox is by Irish-American tenor, John McCormack, (1884–1945). McCormack’s voice has been described as being pure, sweet, and light and was ideal for many operatic roles by Mozart and Rossini. McCormack’s long career as a recording artist extended from 1904 to 1942. He first recorded on early cylinders and later on discs as formats changed. In this recording, it’s the perfect voice for a beautiful song.

Take a chance and give your heart away this Valentine’s Day!

 

 

 

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