Perry Como was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987. He is renowned for his smooth, effortless singing style, referred to as “crooning.” His voice was marked by its soft, velvety tone and seemingly effortless delivery, emphasizing control, warmth, and technical refinement. His technical ability and clear enunciation were impeccable, providing listeners with a sense of calm and comfort. Como’s calm vocal texture conveys a sense of contentment, a kind of quiet pleasure that affects the listener at a bodily level without needing to rely on grandiose emotional displays.
“Till the End of Time” is a popular song written by lyricist Buddy Kaye and composer Ted Mossman and published in 1945. The melody is based on Frédéric Chopin’s Polonaise in A flat major, Op. 53, the “Polonaise Héroique”. Prior to the 1940’s, Rudy Vallée popularized singing through a small megaphone when singers needed strong voices to fill theaters before the use of microphones. Later, the crooners soft voices were suited to the intimacy of radio microphones that promoted direct access to a vulnerable and sensuous interior, a conjured intimacy.
Till the End of Time was created by playing back an original 45rpm record of this song from 1951 at 16rpm which is more than half of the original speed. It was rerecorded in the studio space through speakers with a digital recorder. This exaggerates the smooth qualities of his singing style while drawing attention to the aspect of time, with a ghostly haunting effect of the past. The grain of his voice here is drawn out like an extension of himself, enhancing the depth of emotion. Towards the end of this track, subtle processing begins to extend and open up the phrasing, evolving into an amorphous atmospheric texture. In the recording one can hear the sound of the turntable stylus on the surface of the record, the analogue result of the surface noise, clicks, and pops that are heightened by the slowing down process and additional acoustics.