Teddy Tahu Rhodes sings The trumpet shall sound

[Syberiyxx]

looks and acts evil JUST like when Jim Carrey sings in movies!!!

[spittal23]

The best baritone I've ever heard.

[hummberfloob]

I want this at my funeral! Awesome.

[jd7x7jd]

OMG Do you guys ever get to sit back and enjoy the music?

[Agorante]

Rhodes is of course a bass. He's a rather light bass but still a bass. He sings all the low Fs and seems to be comfortable only up to the written high E naturals. This is a bass range. Famous baritones like Tiita Ruffo, Leonard Warren, Robert Merrill and Nicolae Herlea sang down to only about an A Natural on the bottom but also had good high As and A Flats on top. This is one of only two or three bass arias that I can't sing - it's too florid. Rhodes just sails through it.

[BassoCantante19]

@Agorante Agorante what's the deal??? XD Rhodes is a clamorous full baritone. 3:17 do you think even a light bass would just drown a low A-flat that way??? And his speaking voice is quite tenorly also. Good baritone.

May I add that Phillip II also has a top F# at the very end of the opera, when he shouts in horror in front of Charles V "My father!!!", other than the whole bunch of F naturals scattered all over the role.

[moppettshow]

@BassoCantante19 Speaking voice is irrelevant; my friends and I speak in the same pitch but they are tenors, and I'm a bass profundo.

[BassoCantante19]

@moppettshow I've always stated that speaking voice is irrelevant, but it may give a hint.

[nickylane2295]

Teddy Tahu shows great performance and makes 1:40 entertaining when it sounds like he's laughing, hilarious!

[bonevoyeur]

"........does anyone else see a kind of maniacal glee in his eyes and grin? I must say he creeps me out a bit."

@mcclainx Actually, I found his exuberance quite refreshing. Compare his performance with that of Alistair Miles. While Miles is certainly excellent in a mechanical sense, his dour expression hardly communicates the joy and enthusiasm that this piece intends. The singer is proclaiming that the grave is not the end; we shall rise immortal and spend eternity with Christ.

[wraitlito]

@bonevoyeur Maybe Miles is not so glee in that company ;)

[lrbaseball15]

First soloist I've ever seen reading from a teleprompter! Nice job, Teddy.

[r085049]

he's handsome!!



[Davccelion]

@r085049 , actually, yes.

[ambrosius]

The parts where he sings straight tone... I sang it that way on some parts when I sang this song for my vocal jury this year, and I got penalized for it.

[goodguy630]

@ambrosius that's too bad. the straight tones where he places them are perfect!

[ambrosius]

He has a few sour notes on some of the low parts of the runs. But this guy is a first rate singer

[cdbaxte]

As a young baritone (24yo), this is one of if not the most difficult aria(s) I've ever studied, and Bravissimo to Mr. Rhodes!. In order to sing this aria, one must completely smooth out the shift from chest to head register in both directions. Many of the melismas lie treacherously right at the break. At the same time it requires Baroque precision of pitch and enough breath to sing and support very long phrases full of dipthongs while competing with a trumpet to be heard. What a singer!

[aznsin747]

I have to sing this song tommorow because I have a messiah concert (:

[manthasagittarius]

He blinks at 2:09.

So he's a baritone -- it's quite a good performance, with the possible quibble of his losing beef at the very bottom pitch (bad vowel, "be"). I doubt that no one's ever told him he is a little eerie to watch -- it's just part of the package. A little odd coloring of the schwa, but again, idiosyncracies of the personal sound production.

[houseguy4]

As a trumpet player, I appreciate the natural trumpet better than the piccolo often used. Teddy's fantastic voice is a good blend with this natural trumpet. Both rich with color.

Could someone cue him to blink?!

[aortablue]

Great singing!!

[PosasPizza]

Yes yes, always smile confidently while singing - even if it makes you look like a complete douchebag! :D

But hey, the singing is not so bad though.

[manwithabook]

Bear in mind that in Handel's time, what was written as an E would have been sung with the pitch approximating a modern E flat. I suspect more basses would have an easier time singing this, without nearly as much strain, in the "authentic" range. Unfortunately, that isn't the world we live in any longer.

Many basses have a serviceable modern E, but alas, hell if I do. *grumble*

[Spinfinit333]

@manwithabook True. I also know many baritones and bass even that can hit an E to an F. I can, on a good day, hit an A.

[sarribel]

beautiful, truly inspiring, benetan hunkigarria

long live Europe and her culture

zorionak, merry christmas, from the Basque Country

[guitartistica]

Now, that's how you sing "The trumpet shall SOUND!", for Pete's sake. Quite a few singers, for some reason, just seem to wimp out at that note. But Rhodes just went for it and nailed it. Beautiful.

[singerswithpresence]

There is something odd - it doesn't sound like a live recording. For a young chap, his voice here is beginning to sound quite old, which would be a great shame. It shouldn't be strain as he is not battling a big orchestra or over emphatic trumpet. Thank you for sharing, I will try & hear other recordings. My personal favourite was old Gwynne Howell showing the brass players the four corners of the Hall and lovingly tender in the top to boot!

[CountertenorJ]

@singerswithpresence It's what one of my teachers called "the baritone hook." It's an over-darkening of the tone done by the base/root of the tongue being pulled back into the pharynx. Over time it puts damaging weight on the larynx while singing and does eventually wear the voice out. This is exactly what happened to Maria Callas. Too loud, too dark, too high, too long.

[singerswithpresence]

@CountertenorJ It may well be - it's quite common I think rather than using soft-palate colour. I just find the 'chest' voice not as secure as one might like, but then he looks quite young and I do think this voice has considerable charm, without descending to being a Classic FM crossover singer! I would like to hear him do some Mozart or Bach, warmth & freshness before tackling wieghts! Regards

[AinslieRiddell]

@singerswithpresence He's about 44 - is that young for a baritone?

[singerswithpresence]

@AinslieRiddell many thanks - sorry for nor replying before Christmas but Happy New(ish) Year. 44! lucky chap - youthful genes or lit by candlelight - I wish I had looked as young at 44. Oddly I do think that 44 can be young(ish)! especially for lower mens voices. And not just because I am the wrong side of 50! Regards

[SeasonOfTheWitch72]

Wow! This is so enthralling in every way.

[suelikesroses]

He gets pretty low when he sings "the people that have walked in darkness have seen a great light." I used to listen to Messiah every day and know it all by heart. I have favorites but when I hear this I can see myself and everyone else coming out of their graves. It is the most powerful music and I think he has an amazing voice. We bought the DVD of this group, which is terriffic. They are just amazing to see and hear. Interviews also. Very cohesive group.

[jackcanali]

vuvuzelas shall sound

[BareMaximum]

Jim Carrey has such a great voice.

[HerrWarja]

He got the crazy eyes! But a immense voice!

[smoothbv]

Lovely voice he has (apart from his scary looking face), but there's other bass-baritones who can put the power into this song. This seems way too nice, for when we have recordings of people like Jerome hines and Cesare Siepi who put the actual justice of this song. Come on it says THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND, let that trumpet sound baby.

[suelikesroses]

I love listening to this man. I just discovered him last week singing Behold darkness shall cover the earth- the people that walked in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT.

He feels what he is singing and conveys it so well. I wept the first time I head him sing. I love him. I think watching him is more incredible that just hearing him. We have a great CD of Messiah, but watching these people sing is an experience. Very real.

[suelikesroses]

I love listening to this man. I just discovered him last week singing Behold darkness shall cover the earth- the people that dwell in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT.

He feels what he is singing and conveys it so well. I wept the first time I head him sing. I love him. I think watching him is more incredible that just hearing him. We have a great CD of Messiah, but watching these people sing is an experience. Very real.

[pootigalteef]

he has smile like Ace Ventura.

[HerrWarja]

Such a powerfull bass and great voice, but he looks scary when he sings! :-S

[KiptaviusFuzz]

Best oratorio ever writen. I love this aria!

[skuzme]

Beautifully done!....Ms. Sullivan's trumpet performance was impeccable!

[bassfanne45]

@skuzme Regretfully, I can't agree with you. The trumpet playing is less than stellar.

[wfages]

Just how it should sound. Fantastic! Pure listening pleasure!

[anohbey]

bravo. hearing teddy gave me goosebumps!

[oboist2]

As good as Teddy Tahu Rhodes is (and I have played with him years ago in Christchurch) there are a couple who I enjoy even better, One was Grant Dickson (also from NZ ) but I believe is teaching in London now - that guy was superb and any Messiah fan in NZ from the 60s and 70s will remember that thrilling sound, and John Shirley Quirk.

[RockGenre76]

BRAVO!!!

[bigtalktheory1]

Forever is a long time ...

[edgarcr64]

yes it`s a little covered but NATURAL voice still ... BRAVO !!!

[MrTamzzin]

The tone of the singer is a little covered for me, still it is stunning... stunning! A wee bit brighter for me would make the performance.. aklthough it is beautiful.... the trumpet...... words fail me, the best I have ever heard! simply amazing! A beautiful performance of Handel all round"!

[CJCappella]

Damn he's hot!

[stevevandien]

Rhodes is NOT a bass-baritone, much less a bass. He lacks the strength of either in the low range. On the other hand, his top E natural is very open, yet completely secure. No bass and virtually no bass-baritone can match that. Rhodes is clearly a baritone. But there's nothing wrong with that, for heaven's sake. GOOD baritones like Rhodes can sing Messiah superbly, as he does. This is a very difficult aria, but he performs it beautifully and without undue effort --

[TheWaterLover]

It was interesting to read a critique, not criticism, from someone that knows about professional singing. Thanks.

[stevevandien]

What a nice compliment. Thank you as well:). Best, Steve

[moo7chi7ld]

maybe he's a light baritone like mattia battistini, who also had a velvey sound, once described as"luscious". His low a flat(Rhodes') is almost not there. Battittini's low notes were also small.

[stevevandien]

Excellent point about low notes. But I don't find Battistini a "light baritone." Sure, his voice was lyric, but its fullness and clarity suggest ample power. ( I wish Battistini had recorded "The Trumpet Shall Sound," either in English or Italian. His voice was very flexible, despite those iffy low notes:)). Rhodes is also a lyric baritone, but his sound has sufficient warmth and fullness for a satisfying "Messiah." Both these voices are beautiful:). Best wishes, Steve

[moo7chi7ld]

Dear Steve

Did you read the article on THE LIGHT TENOR VOICE by David jones on the voice teacher? It deals with the problem of big low notes in lighter voices.

Best Wishes, TOM

[stevevandien]

Dear Tom, I couldn't find an article with this title on Jones' Web site, although there is one called "Characteristics of the Leggiero Tenor." Was that the one? Best, Steve

[moo7chi7ld]

Steve: That 's the one . It's pretty long, because it is meant to instruct, but I think the beginning part tells you about baritone low notes in this voice.--Tom

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien I agree completely with this asessment. Rhodes is a bartone...and one who sings Messiah very well.

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 Thank you, my friend:).

 Best always, Steve

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 Just one more point. Baritones singing "Messiah" should have at least some unforced darkness and heft, as Rhodes does -- also John Shirley-Quirk and Richard Stillwell, among other baritones who have superbly sung this great work. Bottom line, they shouldn't sound like lyric tenors -- as have some "baritones" I've heard in this rep, alas ----

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien We're in complete agreement. He does have the darkness and heft that is needed here. i'd love to hear Stillwell do this. Do you kow of a recording?

It's always good to run into you on YouTube, Steve.

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 O dang . . . let's see, am sure Stillwell recorded "Messiah" complete, but not sure when or under whom -- drat! Let's see, give me a day or so to check around

and I'll get back to you:). I CAN tell you without hesitation that I have heard Stillwell's renditions of these arias and found them excellent. Aw, shucks. . . thanks, buddy; rest assured that the feeling is mutual:) --

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 Just one more point, my friend: As a sizeable and dark-timbred but lyric baritone some 25 years ago, I studied the "Messiah" bass arias and even performed "The Trumpet Shall Sound" in concert. My technique back then was pretty decent. But I can't begin to describe the sheer DIFFICULTY of this great aria. It challenges one's breath control continually, and the range is quite wide for both baritones and basses. So I can't help LOVING good renditions of this piece:) --

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien Have you heard Samuel Ramey's recording of Messiah? To me, it's the best I've ever heard. His range is very wide, with both the rich low notes, brilliant top notes, and flexibility required for the bass arias. His version of Trumpet Shall Sound is on YouTube.

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 Hi Laurie,

 I do have Ramey's recording, and I certainly agree that it's a great example of this great singer at his best. The flexibility and sheer speed of the runs are all breathtaking, not to mention the startlingly effective two-octave range that Sam reveals in "The Trumpet Shall Sound." I especially enjoy playing this record (actually cassette) on Easter Sunday:).

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 One other point (dang, when I get going on this stuff, I find it hard to stop; hope you don't mind:)): Ramey's rendition of "Messiah's" bass arias are the best on record. But Jerome Hines' are a very close second. Hines' voice was simply ENORMOUS, much larger than Ramey's rather sizable instrument. And although Ramey's voice was more limpid, Hines had ample flexibility for the runs, not to mention his sheer power and magisterial timbre:) --

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien I've heard the version by Hines. His voice is BIG and the power is undeniable, but I still like Ramey's better. He has just a bit more fluidity and I like the vocal tone more. this is just personal preference though.

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 Nothing wrong with noting personal preferences when we're discussing great singers. That's a large part of what makes the discussion interesting:).

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien Ramey's voce knocked me out when I heard him sing just a few notes as the voice of Figaro in the scene from Figaro recreated in Amadeus. I had to find out who the voice belonged to. I've been listening to him ever since. Thomas Quasthoff is one of my other favorites...and Ferruccio Furlanetto.

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien The first time I heard Ramey live was a recital some years ago. He had been singing for about an hour so I knew the size of the voice, but when he hit the first note of Olin Blitch's Prayer of Repentence, I still literally jumped about a foot out of my chair. Regretably I never heard Hines live. If his voice was larger than Ramey's, it must have been something to hear...beautiful tone too.

[stevevandien]

@bassfanne45 Gosh, I envy you. Haven't had the pleasure of hearing Ramey in person, or Hines for that matter. But I've discussed them with others who did hear them both, and they all said Ramey's voice is large and powerful, but Hines' was HUGE:). I kinda wish Hines would have sung Blitch some time -- I've heard Ramey's recording of this scene, and it is overwhelmingly powerful, a wonderful match of singer and role:) --

[bassfanne45]

@stevevandien I've just been very lucky. Ramey has sung several times in L.A. (Bluebeard, Gianni Schicchi, Hoffmann, Tosca, Damnation of Faust) and Boris Godunov in S.F. I'm in San Diego, so it wasn't that far to go.

[skingaz]

@stevevandien I agree he's a baritone, but I think you underestimate Basses. I can hit top E very easily indeed, and I'm a Bass, and I've heard other Basses get up there very easily indeed. Osmin's triumph aria requires a top D, dashed off at speed, and that aria has a vocal span of some two Octaves, downwards! Baritones do have MUCH lighter weight voices though.

[stevevandien]

@skingaz Perhaps I do. Certainly the whole fach question is much more complicated than I used to believe it was. Nearly 40 years of singing, listening, studying and reflecting have very much broadened my views re. this:). One question, however: is your easy top E open, covered, or some combination of the two? I ask because I've heard few true basses who could sing open high Es. (I hasten to add that I, a baritone, couldn't either; I could either cover it or go into head voice)-

[skingaz]

@stevevandien Hmmmm, well I bow to your greater experience. I've only been singing for 20 years, and only had lessons for the first 6 of those. I'm a little unclear as to how you mean "open" and "closed". A lack of knowledge on my part. Perhaps you could explain. It's a tonal difference, isn't it? I can use either purely head resonance for a top E, or bring some chest into it, but that's much, much harder. (& necessarily LOUDER)

[stevevandien]

@skingaz You needn't bow to me! I remain a student, the same as you. The subject is so big and broad that we're lucky if we can master more than a third of it, if that:). When you sing your top E, is the vowel as pure as you can make it? Or I should say, must you darken the vowel to achieve the high note? Let me put this another way, with your indulgence:): Can you sing your top E as easily as any note under it? Or must you make some kind of change to do so? Best, Steve

[skingaz]

You may find this an interesting comparison, the Bass Alastair Miles! (He hits a REAL Bass note about 5m40 in!)

[skingaz]

Darn! Can't post a link! There's a clip on here though. Worth looking up.

[Spinfinit333]

@stevevandien You must be on crack. I know many baritones that can hit an E to an F...

[Wally773MTG]

@stevevandien HAHAHAHA THANK YOU for putting into words what I could not!

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien I think it's very unwise to make snap judgments about the fach of a singer based on one performance of a particular style. If you listen to his performance of Why do the Nations from this same recording, it will negate a lot of your observations. Rhodes has a brilliant mid to low range. You must consider the technical demands of this aria with its extremely long melismatic passages in the upper range. Any singer, bass or not, would find this shift from high to low difficult.

[stevevandien]

@cdbaxte My dear, I have been singing and listening to classical singers for nearly 40 years. I DON'T make snap judgments. What, exactly, is your argument? I've heard all Rhodes' "Messiah" recordings. He's still a baritone, albeit one who can sing these arias powerfully. Some baritones can't do so. Fischer-Dieskau, for example; also Sherill Milnes. Their baritone voices were pitched too high to be effective in this repetoire.

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien (in the style of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro :) I congratulate you on your age! And I apologize for my accusation. My argument is simply that I think we place way too much emphasis on fach (at the expense of technique), as if it were some natural law of the universe, when it's really a relatively recent system of voice classification and extremely subjective. Do you think that it's problematic to say that a performer is of the wrong fach to sing music that predates fach?

[stevevandien]

@cdbaxte Thanks for your reply:).  And you are quite correct about the emphasis on fach. That's what I was trying to respond to -- the posters who were arguing that Rhodes is a bass-baritone, whereas he strikes me very clearly as a baritone. Although I, like every listener, cannot claim infallibility:). Regarding your second question, I'm not sure that I said a performer is of the wrong fach to sing music that predates fach --- is that what you're saying? Let us continue the conversation!

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien Seriously though, I respect your ideas enough to challenge them. At my (public lol) university, I work with a voice teacher, an opera director, and a choir director who say that I'm definitely a young bass, a bass-baritone, and a lyric baritone. I think that fach is subjective and has much more to do with the listener than the singer. Fach only objectively describes the nature of operatic roles, not singers.

[stevevandien]

@cdbaxte Perhaps I implied what I did not mean to do: that fach necessarily requires a singer to sing only certain roles/parts. I tried to suggest that Rhodes sings the "Messiah" arias very well, although as far as I can tell, he is neither a bass nor bass-baritone. With respect, I'm not sure whether it matters that Handel wrote "Messiah" before our concept of "fach." Clearly he wrote these arias for a voice that works best in a bass or bass-baritone range. Or am I misunderstanding you?:)

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien You say that these arias work "best" in the range of a fach that didn't exist in Handel's time. "Best" implies an aesthetic preference based on system that didn't exist. Baroque composers changed keys and made other modifications to suit the individual singer. Saying that a Baroque aria works best within a certain fach is historically inaccurate. Your preference for vocal weight is a Romantic ideal promoted by composers like Wagner and Verdi. This is Handel.

[stevevandien]

@cdbaxte I grant that I am less knowledgeable about Baroque composers than those who came later. So if I understand you correctly, would Baroque composers change keys to suit individual singers? For example, if what we now think of as a Verdi baritone came to the "Messiah" arias, would Handel have let such a singer transpose them up a note or two?  Just trying to understand and learn:) --

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien Well, Baroque performance conditions were different. Ensembles were smaller, instruments were generally quieter, and there were no large opera houses to fill with sound. The loud voice was not a virtue in itself like it is today. He would probably ask the baritone why he was yelling. Also, today we can call singers from long distances to perform. Baroque composers had to work with whoever was local. They made adjustments to the singers available. These arias have alternates.

[stevevandien]

@cdbaxte Oh, I forgot to ask: Do you sing the "Messiah" arias as well? If so, are they comfortable for you? Just curious. When my voice was at its best (and I am, or was, a baritone by today's standards), I could sing "The Trumpet Shall Sound" pretty well, although the runs pushed my breath control to its limit:). The range, however, was no problem -- never studied "Why Do the Nations?"

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien I've done the "Christmas" solos with orchestra and found that they are only uncomfortable when I push for a sound instead of being true to my instrument (I'm a lyric baritone :). Why do the nations is my favorite aria by far. The tessitura stays mid range and all of the fiery ornamentation sounds impressive when performed well! I opened my junior recital with it.

[cdbaxte]

@stevevandien I strongly admire Classical and "bel canto" aesthetics. I prefer clearly shaped vowels, even/blended registration, and vocal agility imposed over underlying continuous legato line with free vibrato, or appoggio technique. Needless to say I was very frustrated with "The Trumpet" which is very technically demanding. My adopted motto is beauty of tone before the beast of dynamics. "Bayreuth barking" basses are my personal pet peeve. There's nothing manly about ugly singing!

[stevevandien]

@cdbaxte Very much agreed:) "The Trumpet" is very difficult. As I said, I managed to sing it pretty well at my best, but good heavens, it was ALWAYS a challenge and a half. First-rate singers (like Rhodes, Ramey, Hines, off the top of my head) make it seem almost easy. Or perhaps I should say, they are so fine that the effort isn't apparent.  It's the difference between a good singer (like I used to be) and an exceptional one --

[bassobaritono]

@stevevandien Agreed an open E natural is impossible for any real bass or bass-baritone. But the difficulty of the piece is removed for a baritone. As a real bass-baritone that has sung this concert dozens of time, part of the difficulty of the piece is that it is the last one and if you actually sing the entire piece "for this corruptible must put on.." you really get worn out because the entire piece sits a little high versus the People that Walk in Darkness which sits perfectly...

[RionPhotography]

An E natural is impossible for a real bass-baritone? I disagree.. a lot of bass-baritones are just too in love with their lower voice that they never learn to love and become accomplished on their upper registers. EVERY male voice should be able to sing an E natural, and most bass and bass-baritone roles will have such notes. Figaro gets plenty of F's in Se vuol ballare and that's a bass-baritone role 100%.

[Agorante]

@bassobaritono No bass who can't sing an E Natural will get much work. Consider the great bass roles like Phillip II, or Mephitofeles, Boris, or Zaccaria in Nabucco. Phillip has a solo High F run down to a low F at the end of the Inquisitor scene, Mephisto has four Gs in the Seranade, Boris has G Flats in his big Act II aria, and Zaccaria ends his last big aria of a High F#.

[sidney476]

extremely good!!!!!!

[abbagailcreations]

I like the guy! I'm no expert, but I like it! Love the scriptures he's singing too, the blessed hope of all Christians! Praise the Lord, and some praise for Teddy, too!

-----------------------

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 = the trumpet sounds and the dead rise first, then we the living... and 1st Corinthians 15:42,51-55 = the trumpet sounds and we will all be changed in an instant, from corruptible to incorruptible, etc.

[Christopher8000]

Teddy does a great job on this piece, it's not easy. The trumpeter is excellent as well. I am unanimous in that.

[luciano1874]

hmmm... no B section?

[thebananamonkey]

Thank god. The B section is boring, Messiah is long enough without doing everything da Capo.

[Aniretak205]

Get the Academy of Ancient Music recording of the Messiah. Absolutely perfect performance of the masterpiece and David Thomas' interpretation of this aria is the least boring thing I've ever heard in my life.

[WiseMonki]

Hard sing this... he does well, My warm regards,

[Salsademika]

Beautyfull voice. Look he like Jim Carrey?

[Cruciferus]

Teddy isn't bass, but barytone.

[queenslanddiva]

Well, if Teddy is a baritone, let's hear a bass. No, he is indeed a bass.

[jhvorotin]

let's say he's a bass-baritone. His low notes are quite weak

[wenmar2108]

So are yours!!

[moo7chi7ld]

steve thinks he's a lyric baritone. It is difficult for some singers to categorise their voices. Genetics determines it acc. to some writers. If you have the high notes in your voice, it may mean your meant to sing tenor, Not everyone has them. If it hurts to sing them you have to learn how.

Look at Rhodes, his low notes are small. But the tonal quality and darkness indicate a lighter baritone.

Try David Jones posture exercise to find your natural voice type. Leave God out.

[apollomwj]

I'd tap that!

[geok53]

BRAVO BRAVO !!!!! GOOD JOB.;]

[vigalexandra]

This is one of my most beloved songs and this singer is one of the best for the song!

[baiba4]

Teddy is a 42 year old from New Zealand's beautiful South Island city called Christchurch (population 400,000). He initially was an accountant who after some persuasion decided to do a professional audition for a part in Sydney. We are glad he did. The rest is history and the operatic parts kept coming. He is now based internationally and has bought an apartment in New York but eventually wants to come home to Christchurch! He has been called the "Barihunk" and "The Brad Pitt of opera".

[moo7chi7ld]

That explains the look in his eye.. Some people see it as maniacal, but I see it as a distictly male sense of delight. That feling is the basis of the aria Por mon âme, and that's why donizetti gave it so  many High C's. Going from an accountants job to a celebrated and good singer witha perfect voice would make any accountant gleeful to the point of exhuberance.

[baiba4]

Hey I agree!

[mwpxy]

He truly is brilliant, but who is the trumpeter (trumpetess)?

[Kell2614]

The brilliant trumpet player is Leanne Sullivan, one of Australia's best :)

[sadromantique]

her name is Leanne Sullivan. she plays in the Brandenburg philharmonic.

[monkeydancer411]

His voice doesnt really match his face. But he's amazing!

[AlexGBroughton]

I saw this when it debuted on ABC. Hands down, this is THE finest interpretation of 'The trumpet shall sound' I have EVER heard. Teddy Tahu Rhodes is truly brilliant. Noone sings this as powerfully as he. Handel would have been moved.

[hyphboy]

the trumpet shall sound jerome hines, check it out.

[nicksum29]

Love this guys voice - but (sorry) I have never heard of him. Would love to hear more.

[Vikingstav]

the trumpeteer is fantastic!!!!!!!!

[langkafel]

I agree!!!

[newhotmailit]

...love him!!!!

[euphknowit]

You want to see a funny face? check out the director at 2:56. I think they are all tripping on coke.

[hyphboy]

conductor, and yes, yes they are. lol

[rkodude360]

Pause it at 2:45 !!!

[River166]

Holy crap! He looks possessed! Or like he is about to say: "Shit!"

[dapcl53]

why is important his face?... Joan Sutherland, Mirella, and several other singers have the face quiet ugly when singing... so what?

Doc

[rkodude360]

look, I wasn't saying it was important, I was simply saying that it looked slightly 'strange.' He's a fantastric singer, don't worry.

Doc

[tkeyt]

I love this solo, my friend did it better at a spring performance, but Teddy is awsome too. I have always been a fan of his. This I must say is an awsome video!

[Lilactime01]

Teddy's eyes show us how focussed he is in 'the moment' which is what is required to become masterful in any activity. This is a great example of use of, and agility acquired in the mouth and jaw to execute a good sound. His eyes take you directly to his heart, which whenever he performs is there in the moment!! Whether one lieks his voice, or him..it's good to watch someone aiming at the best!

[HopePoisoned]

his eyes are more for frightening than anything - and his style is lame; better off raising his eyebrows for resonation than looking like a maniac. good sound though

[Lilactime01]

If you make a good sound you do whatever it takes to get it. As a conductor I have made faces to get the sound or effect I want and if the audience catch a glimpse, then so what. Nobody has cried in the aisle with fear. Resonation...nose! Pitch...eyes...perhaps. Who cares? Ask him what he reckons.

[HopePoisoned]

it's not funny faces or anything like that that gets me, it's his super lame attitude face

[HopePoisoned]

and his sound isn't that impressive to me - im not trying to be unfair to him though, don't flip out on me, it really just is my oppinion im not trying to offend anyone

[moo7chi7ld]

what's wrong with his sound? He's a good singer. His tone is velvety and expressive, a good balance bet. dark and light.

[JelliusAugustus]

Nice pronounsiation

[recov123]

Incredible voice! Wow!

[glynburtt]

Lovely performance.

The natural trumpet player does as good a job as I have ever heard- very musical.

[ardjoena]

well at least Mr. Rhodes does not have to take off his shirt for this one.

[mozartinio]

:)) that's a good one

[moo7chi7ld]

Opera can be so vulgar. It often brings out the worst in an otherwise good artist.

[silvanopower85]

Una voz increible, se parecerá a quien sea, pero la interpretación es buena

[mcclainx]

OK, he does have a thrilling voice and all. Truly.  But, um........doies anyone else see a kind of maniacal glee in his eyes and grin? I must say he creeps me out a bit.

[treble32]

I get your point - though I find his performance delightful. My interpretation is that he seems to be thoroughly enjoying his singing. It's a first rate performance in my eyes.

[nmumom]

I was thinking the same thing, but I love the performance and have listened to it many times.

[moo7chi7ld]

some singers get like that. Joan Baez had such a steady gaze she appeared as tho dead. it's better not to look at him, beause he's a good singer, and his tone is velvety

[ragnarkisten]

is that a baroque trumpet?! Isnt that extremely good plaing? awesome

[Kell2614]

Yes - and the Trumpeter is Leanne Sullivan, one of Australia's best :)

[deadlywit]

Dude. Has.  Pipes.

[printerguru]

Awesome!

[wizsoft]

stirs my blood!