Antonio Comandini

Quite probably, Antonio Comandini is one of the oldest tenors on record. He is also a proof that the papal Sistine Chapel Choir, at the dawn of the 20th century, was not just weird because it was the last place where castrati sang (cf. the recordings of the "last castrato" Alessandro Moreschi, who was by no means the last one when he made those recordings, but actually the last one when he retired in 1913). No: the Sistine Chapel Choir must have been weird in and of itself, way beyond those last castrati. Comandini's singing actually seems like the tenor version of Moreschi's unfortunate (and unsuccessful) efforts in the recording studio – and Comandini was even Deputy Director of the whole Sistine Choir!, the right hand of Domenico Mustafà, who, a castrato himself, had been appointed temporary choir director in 1848, and perpetual director in 1878. It seems that in 1878, Comandini was already at his side; and in any case, Comandini died in 1922... so with a certain probability, he was born before 1850.

He very probably resigned from his post together with Mustafà, in 1902 (Mustafà found himself at odds with the successor that he had chosen himself: Lorenzo Perosi). From 1911 onwards, Comandini directed the famous amateur theater group "Filodrammatica Roma", from which several famous Italian actors emerged.

Comandini's entire recorded output can be heard above: one psalm by Gaetano Capocci, spread over four 10-inch sides (only the first label is reproduced since they're all identical except for the numbers). Recorded in April 1902.

Reference

Anton Bieber has provided the recording and label scan: thank you!