Walter Meyer's recollectoin of Maria Galvany's rendition of the "Queen of
the Night" aria from the Magic Flute matches mine.  I heard this many years
off a friend's 78 and it was an excruciating experience -- almost as bad as
some tenor whose name I have forgotten (also 78s) who sang a high F in a
tone that suggested circumcision with a blunt red hot knife without benefit
of anesthetic.  Anyone recall who that might be? For some reason, the name
Ugo Benelli pops into my senile brain, but this may be way off base.  Who
says all the old recordings were by great artists only? "They don't make
'em like that anymore" is a phrase that also has a beneficial side!

Eric
(caught between old and new as he slides down the razor blade of
life...ouch)