Schwarzkopf was the flip side of the Callas coin (the two singers admired each other enormously) and perhaps represented the more cerebral side of the art of singing. She was great in Lieder but was also supreme in the Strauss and Mozart roles she sang.

For my money, Fritz Wunderlich had the most headily beautiful tenor voice of any and sang Italian opera with the sort of golden sound that was the envy of many of his Italian rivals. He died tragically young in an accident. Who knows what we might have had from him if he had lived longer?

De Los Angeles was the third of the great sopranos on which EMI founded its post war reputation. Like Schwarzkopf, she was equally successful on stage as in the recital room. Her repertoire was large, embracing even Wagner, but she was supreme in French opera and, of course, in Spanish song.

Gobbi may not have had the most beautiful baritone voice of his generation, but it was certainly one of the most distinctive, with a range of colour denied the most beautiful voices. A great stage actor, his recorded partnership with Callas is well documented, though they appeared on stage together only rarely. I doubt his Rigoletto, Iago and Scarpia will ever be bettered.

Maggie Teyte was one of those British singers that the French took to their hearts. She was a great Melisande and made memorable recordings of most of Debussy's songs, accompanied by Cortot. Her voice and style were utterly unique and inimitable. She too had a long career, singing with impressive security well into her 60s

Jon Vickers was the pre-eminet Wagner tenor of his generation, though he also numbered amongst his greatest creations Grimes, Samson, Otello and Don Jose. He was often controversial, his commitment and intensity never being in doubt. The torment of his Tristan in the last act is almost too painful to listen to.

To my mind, the greatest soprano at present before the public. She has her detractors, and her mannerisms, but is also a wonderfully natural stage actress. Though she has a technique that enables her to sing with ease the music of Handel and the bel canto era, I prefer her in Mozart and Strauss in which she is at present supreme.

Caballe surely had one of the most sheerly beautiful soprano voices of all time. Particularly renowned for her prodigous breath control and her ability to spin out pianissimo high lying phrases.

Pavarotti may not have the musical and dramatic acumen of Domingo, but he had one of the most glorously free and open throated tenor voices of all time. This recital catches him at his early prime in repertoire that suited him down to the ground.

Back in the 1950s, Tebaldi was Callas's rival, though the two singers were really like chalk and cheese and actually had very few roles in common. If Callas was the more dramatic and exciting singer, Tebaldi provided a voice of exceptional beauty and firmness.