what i love about allll black voices in opera is that they are soooooooooooooooo strong even when they are sweet sounding they have suck power when it comes to breathing
This is a constant source of encouragement to me as a young black opera singer, from my native land in Jamaica, living in Canada and pursuing an operatic career. The song which says "nobody knows the troubles I've seen...glory HALLELUJAH!" is a song that I can sing, and to me, it means that even through the struggles, I can still praise my God because HE has taken me through them, and is still taking me through them ALL!
It's only the fact that the songs were created by decidedly untrained vocalists, through entirely personal and emotive experiences which leaves any vocalist approaching them from such a structured background out of place when singing them. The talent and magic of all the vocalists featured in the clip is not up for debate---they are the best of the best at what they sing--classical masterpieces. That skill, however, does not readily make for believable singing of old negro spirituals.
It might sound cheesy but I do believe that singing with feeling, deep in the heart, with balanced emotional wit, hands in hands with the result(why not?) of what these operatic singers have worked really hard to achieve make their performances truly believable. Your historical approach is precise, but it sounds rather inconsiderate to the work of these black singers who have broadened the world's perspective of Negro Spirituals with their soulful yet classically trained vocalism.
A delightful selection of a film ! I join in wanting MORE AND MORE. I love black people, I really adore them, they are better persons, they have sweeter and more generous souls.
I find it interesting that black opera artists cling so closely to spirituals, considering how inferior they sound when sung in head voice. Greats like La Prima Donna Assoluta Leontyne Price sound out of place on spirituals...I believe it started with Marian Anderson. Grace Bumbry sounds more natural on the clip of her singing. Those songs were just conceived for chest voice, that's all there is to it.
direfranchement: I disagree with the statement about Price sounding "out of place on spirituals"... Even in this short clip of her singing a cappella she displays excellent usage of heavy equipment(chest voice). All of these singers know what they've been singing about and there's never been impediment for the employing of head voice in the higher portions.
First of all, let me just say thanks so much to Parsmedia for posting this clip. It's wonderful. Next, I'll have to strongly disagree with your position, Direfranchement. The Negro spiritual was, indeed, not written exclusively for chest voice. Simply go to a piece like... say... Deep River, which spans - uncomfortably for some singers - from the bottom to the top of the register... there's just no way to sing such fully in a head voice.
One of the beautiful things about spirituals and one of the reasons that Black opera stars gravitate to them is that although they may seem quite simple they are, from a musicality standpoint, very complex. However having an innate feel for spirituals is imperative - no different than it is imperative for Kiri Te Kanawa to have an innate feel for her native Maori songs, or for Dimitri Hvorostovsky to be innately in tune with his Russian folk music.
The only difference is that Negro spiritual music seems to resonate more with American audiences, thus it is performed on a more regular basis than would be Maori or Russian folk music (much to the chagrin of those respective singers, I'm sure).
My view however, when watching Price sing here, is that as opposed to losing herself in the song, she is hindered by her classical training, and there lies the problem. All performances are relative, and perhaps if the music had originally been sung by classically trained vocalists, we would not have anything to discuss here...but that isn't the case.
"Deep River" is a good example of an exception, but I must stand by my original comment. Most spirituals do not require such a wide range, and as I was thinking earlier, considering the deep intrinsic emotions connected to so many of them, chest would seemingly be the most perfect fit. Even the best vocalists, of any genre, cannot convey the same coherent emotion in head that can be conveyed in chest, if only because the latter is more mutable and viable for expressive variations.
the black tenors who have made it have all been lyric tenors singing the light roles where the male characters are all mostly lack sexuality.George Shirley, Vinson Cole,lawrence Brownlee is the new addition to the list. It is really a shame. The black spinto tenors would cause too much "trouble". There is too much sexual passion. Verrett said that the Scala director said to her he would have a black delila but not a black samson. Much more attention is needed to this subject.
I wish they would showed the whole thing, still to this day there is discrimination in opera, especially to the black man, one must why is world so afraid of having a black manrico opposite a white leonora?????
OMG! The song that Grace Bumbry sings is AMAZING. It brought tears to my eyes!. What is it called?
cjacja21 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I'm glad I found this.
TSquared2001 2 years ago
Brilliant documentary.!
espinaca79 3 years ago 3
what i love about allll black voices in opera is that they are soooooooooooooooo strong even when they are sweet sounding they have suck power when it comes to breathing
Paradiselost89 3 years ago
This is a constant source of encouragement to me as a young black opera singer, from my native land in Jamaica, living in Canada and pursuing an operatic career. The song which says "nobody knows the troubles I've seen...glory HALLELUJAH!" is a song that I can sing, and to me, it means that even through the struggles, I can still praise my God because HE has taken me through them, and is still taking me through them ALL!
godivapaw 4 years ago 2
Thank you for this!
Its encouraging to me living in Austria
especially the evening before my Concert.
francinemary 4 years ago
Does anyone know if there is more to this documentary? And if so, where can I find it?
RaniRee 4 years ago
A friend of mine found a video at a library. In Los Angeles.
wepopalot 4 years ago
You can also find it at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, MD. It's really wonderful. Try Ebay.
castodivo 3 years ago
However, Shirley Verret is just fab!
k0229071 4 years ago 3
Absolutely touching. Price and Bumbry
really stand out.
singspieler 4 years ago 2
Nice!
sorrymeagain 4 years ago
Well... Grace looks lovely as Aida:o)!
urgrad03 4 years ago
It's only the fact that the songs were created by decidedly untrained vocalists, through entirely personal and emotive experiences which leaves any vocalist approaching them from such a structured background out of place when singing them. The talent and magic of all the vocalists featured in the clip is not up for debate---they are the best of the best at what they sing--classical masterpieces. That skill, however, does not readily make for believable singing of old negro spirituals.
direfranchement 4 years ago
It might sound cheesy but I do believe that singing with feeling, deep in the heart, with balanced emotional wit, hands in hands with the result(why not?) of what these operatic singers have worked really hard to achieve make their performances truly believable. Your historical approach is precise, but it sounds rather inconsiderate to the work of these black singers who have broadened the world's perspective of Negro Spirituals with their soulful yet classically trained vocalism.
soundfond 4 years ago
A delightful selection of a film ! I join in wanting MORE AND MORE. I love black people, I really adore them, they are better persons, they have sweeter and more generous souls.
Greatfan 4 years ago
May you post more snippets from this film? Thank you.
Tvoce625 4 years ago
I find it interesting that black opera artists cling so closely to spirituals, considering how inferior they sound when sung in head voice. Greats like La Prima Donna Assoluta Leontyne Price sound out of place on spirituals...I believe it started with Marian Anderson. Grace Bumbry sounds more natural on the clip of her singing. Those songs were just conceived for chest voice, that's all there is to it.
direfranchement 4 years ago
direfranchement: I disagree with the statement about Price sounding "out of place on spirituals"... Even in this short clip of her singing a cappella she displays excellent usage of heavy equipment(chest voice). All of these singers know what they've been singing about and there's never been impediment for the employing of head voice in the higher portions.
soundfond 4 years ago
First of all, let me just say thanks so much to Parsmedia for posting this clip. It's wonderful. Next, I'll have to strongly disagree with your position, Direfranchement. The Negro spiritual was, indeed, not written exclusively for chest voice. Simply go to a piece like... say... Deep River, which spans - uncomfortably for some singers - from the bottom to the top of the register... there's just no way to sing such fully in a head voice.
urgrad03 4 years ago
One of the beautiful things about spirituals and one of the reasons that Black opera stars gravitate to them is that although they may seem quite simple they are, from a musicality standpoint, very complex. However having an innate feel for spirituals is imperative - no different than it is imperative for Kiri Te Kanawa to have an innate feel for her native Maori songs, or for Dimitri Hvorostovsky to be innately in tune with his Russian folk music.
urgrad03 4 years ago
The only difference is that Negro spiritual music seems to resonate more with American audiences, thus it is performed on a more regular basis than would be Maori or Russian folk music (much to the chagrin of those respective singers, I'm sure).
urgrad03 4 years ago
My view however, when watching Price sing here, is that as opposed to losing herself in the song, she is hindered by her classical training, and there lies the problem. All performances are relative, and perhaps if the music had originally been sung by classically trained vocalists, we would not have anything to discuss here...but that isn't the case.
direfranchement 4 years ago
"Deep River" is a good example of an exception, but I must stand by my original comment. Most spirituals do not require such a wide range, and as I was thinking earlier, considering the deep intrinsic emotions connected to so many of them, chest would seemingly be the most perfect fit. Even the best vocalists, of any genre, cannot convey the same coherent emotion in head that can be conveyed in chest, if only because the latter is more mutable and viable for expressive variations.
direfranchement 4 years ago
the black tenors who have made it have all been lyric tenors singing the light roles where the male characters are all mostly lack sexuality.George Shirley, Vinson Cole,lawrence Brownlee is the new addition to the list. It is really a shame. The black spinto tenors would cause too much "trouble". There is too much sexual passion. Verrett said that the Scala director said to her he would have a black delila but not a black samson. Much more attention is needed to this subject.
royalbattle 4 years ago
I wish they would showed the whole thing, still to this day there is discrimination in opera, especially to the black man, one must why is world so afraid of having a black manrico opposite a white leonora?????
tjaphrodite 4 years ago
Very interesting, very much different from operatic voice. I can see see, now, why she started out as a mezzo
operaficionado 4 years ago
This looks like a great film...is it available commercially?
Would love to have/see it all! Thanks for posting this...
bomeulen 4 years ago