Recordings: Kernis’ quartets get their due; Cuban music’s subtler side is revealed; old-time Puccini is unearthed, and more.

Drawn from recordings made between 1907 and 1935, this extravagantly titled sampler disc will mostly please collectors or those simply curious to know what these fabled--and less recollected--singers actually sounded like, or, more accurately, recorded like.

Among the gems are arias sung by the incomparable Claudia Muzio, whose voice overwhelms with its deep suffering; Beniamino Gigli, whose huskily rich tenor and insightful sensitivity makes the composer’s brief heroic utterances completely satisfying and perfectly proportioned; and Mattia Battistini, whose velvety baritone even in a villainous role unfolds with insinuating, elevating grace. Romophone’s restoration process has greatly reduced surface noise and made the frequency spectrum as wide as possible. Still, don’t expect state-of-the-art sound. Unfortunately, there are no texts; nor are any conductors and orchestras identified.

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