Luciano Pavarotti - Cujus animam - *Live* 1967

[dogfacesoldier]

BRAVISSIMO PAV!!!

[wiseroldfart]

I have to say I'm surprised by this performance after hearing a young Bjorling sing it in the same key. I'd have to listen to both versions many times to pick a favorite. Pavarotti's voice flowed better here than it did on many of his recordings.

[MariaCaIIas]

Apart from the fact that Big P is magnificent and in fact as close to perfection as anyone can ever get, I find a more energetic Giulini here and for my taste much more sincere and wonderfully youthful in this recording than in his later one...

[Cissy97]

I note that Florez has NOT recorded this work, despite his huge affinity with Rossini.

[Cissy97]

Pav is Pav - live or what not, no problem for him who according to Jimmy Levine had very good vocal technique.

[SHICOFF1]

@Mooorhe Too answer your question put to halavey about tape recorders 2 years ago, my dad bought a Wilcox Gay tape recorder in 1954, the year before Jussi sang on that TV program. That was a popular not high end reel to reel tape recorder in the 50's along with a few others. The only tape I remember being really good was the Scotch brand and it was expensive in it's day. No, of course no Video recorders then.

[65attila]

Stunning thank you for  posting.

John

[TheVerdiBaritone]

Very fine, though unlike so many other singers in all ranges, Pavarotti DID continue to improve for at least a decade as his career continued.

[maxtanz]

perfetto

[orovalleydude]

I agree, this is a torturous aria. His vibrato is very lively. A great performance. Thank you for posting!!

[donerlich]

D'yamn!!!! Awesome c sharp at the end there!

[jotiw1]

Pavarotti was just one of the best, one day, i want to be able to sing just like him, that would be my dream, i mean not just like him but as good as he can sing.

I was a good singer as a boy, but now, since my voice broke, or however you say, I'm so bad, I'm trying to, but it just doesnt sound right

Does anybody have any tips what i should do?

[ALYSSA09MUSICSTARS]

@jotiw1 - Hello and good morning! I read your comment and your question. Aus diesem Grunde kann ich Dir auch auf Deutsch antworten. Wenn Du in München bist, sollte es für Dich keine Schwierigkeit sein, eine/n sehr gute/n Vocalcoach zu finden. Du bist am richtigen Ort. Außerdem: sei beruhigt. Jede männliche Stimme ändert sich nach dem Stimmbruch. All dies kann ein excellenter Vocalcoach mit Dir erarbeiten. Don't give up - and good luck!

[orovalleydude]

@jotiw1 If you are serious, contact me via email, I'll put you in touch with my voice teacher, he visits St Louis, Minnesota, and LA/San Diego. You can audition with him.

[brendant19]

@jotiw1 Learn your new voice, and train like a bastard. It shouldn't have just disappeared, that's not how it works, but there does seem to be that impression going around.

[marcherst]

Isn't he beautiful? He was 32 here.

Voice like an angel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[boredfriday]

The best Rossini's Stabat Mater interpretation ever.

[namadwas]

This is so so good. Mooorhe do you know where this was performed?

[24yotenor]

It's I find it a hard argument to say that this is not one of the best tenor recordings in history.

[shantibel]

@24yotenor Couldn't agree more.  This is simply sublime. Thank you so much Moorhe for posting.

[chorusinger]

@shantibel

I also agree with both of you. An "older" Pavarotti was hard to beat, let alone when he was so young in 1965. He was superb. What a spectacular recording.

[operalament]

Im sorry steak, to suggest that this is an easy piece , to me is astounding. And as good a job as pav does here you can still detect his effort in those long phrases. This is brutal.

[steakopera]

I wouldn't use the word "brutal". Although you may hear what seems to be an effort, notice this is live recording. Listen to any other live recordings of him or any other great tenors, you'll detect effort of some sort regardless. I assure you it's nervousness you are hearing not the effort of struggle. This aria alone still stands as easy as walk in the park for Pavarotti and leggiero tenors with equal excellence.

[steakopera]

And all do respect I don't mean to sound like Dr. Phil in opera. Yes, there is no single aria that's easy. They all need be sung with great deal of concentration. I am addressing only the technical and natural ability of these singers.

[steakopera]

I don't want to pour cold water on your description but this aria is quite easy for tenors like Pavarotti, Florez, Bjorling...........from full lyrics to leggieros. =) Now if were are speaking about spintos and dramticos, then your decription fits perfectly. Despite of such high ranges in Rossini's composition, leggieros feel at home.=) I bet Pav can sing this aria 3 times for just warm-up. =)

[GermanOperaSinger]

No way, this is extremely difficult, the reason Pavarotti and Bjorling make it seem easy is because of their impeccable vocal technique. Take any amateur lyric tenor and try to make him sing this, just by itself even, without performing the rest of the Stabat Mater. They'll get murdered.

[steakopera]

Yes way indeed, You have not read my comments clearly. I didn't mentioned other then the singers in the same class as Pavarotti's, or somewhat, not amateurs.=[ If you wish to create an argument, do it more constructively. You give me doubt if you really have clear understanding about classical singing in professional level at least. You sure sound like you do. Or just acquired knowledge from books, articles and recordings. =)

[GermanOperaSinger]

Of course I don't have understanding of vocal technique on professional level. I've never said I did, and when people accuse me of being a quack it really ticks me off, since I never claimed to be an expert in the first place. I was never looking to start an argument so lighten up please. I've made enough enemies over youtube either through misunderstanding or stupidity on my or someone else's part. I may sound rude or aggressive in my comments but I assure you this is not the case.

[steakopera]

O.K. Maybe you should be bit more considerate with your words.=) Can't see your face. You know? They appeared to be aggressive and very opinionated. This is way I started typing smiles =).

But add to your comment. > murdered. I think that is case by case. Some amateurs could tackle arias with natural ability. Range isn't a issue to them but learning it sung properly with articulation and interpretation is another.=)

[zurriussII]

I agree

[6744sorn]

As a single note, Bjorling's D flat is superb; his voice is liquid silver!

But, Pavarotti's voice has a more visceral, human quality that gets me every time. Perfect for this beautiful hymn, too - imagining Mary's grief at the Crucifixion; for many, a humbling and most human image.

Also, I agree with Meltzerboy - the D flat is exhilarating.

[halavey]

Yes I thought it may be . Thanks.

[Nater389]

Man, what a flawless hop to D flat.

[halavey]

I think this is a radio show RAI ? perhaps, sound is very good.

[Mooorhe]

Yes it was broadcast by the RAI, but live with an audience (they go wild at the end). Verrett was also one of the soloists.

[halavey]

I have to agree with CANTOR AND OPERA, so true and she is a singer and appreciates a good reading of it.

[halavey]

I said he taped it, not Video in 1955 but he bought a Wilcox Gay reel to reel tape recorder in 1954 it was a popular name along with Revere and hetaped it and I had it till the late 70's when I re taped it on cassette and then saw it on a Video a few years ago, wow I had not seen it in 48 years or so! but heard it and knew how good Jussi was and i knew Zero, just knew. when i was 15!

[cantorandopera]

Thrilling singing! His young voice was just a marvel - and as for all the discussion about the Dflat - one note doesn't make a piece - I thought it fit in perfectly with the rest of the piece. Thank you Halavey for sending this to me.

[halavey]

Same thing for JB I was 15 years old and we had a good B&W TV and it was jan.1956 and my dad taped off the TV the Boheme with Tebaldi, Bjorling the standard hour it was so great and up too then I thought Lanza was the greatest tenor ever but really had not heard many others and when Jussi hit that High B and finished Che Gelida I knew it was sung better the any I had heard . I at 15 was a jussi fam! but not a fanatic as Anna Lisa wrote in her book about some fans!

[Mooorhe]

How did your dad tape it back then? I didn't think they had VHS or anything.

[halavey]

Thank you he seemed very young , really sang it well . I really like it after listening more again , why did you cut the applause? When I first heard him I was living in calif and suddenly on the radio I heard a recording in the car with a high C, probably late 60's so but I thought my God who is this? Funny I still remember the note but not the aria! over 40 years ago.

[Mooorhe]

Well, this is form a whole performance of Stabat Mater. It's religious music so they don't applaud mid performance. Just like people don't applaud after Ingemisco in a whole performance of Verdi's Requiem. That's my guess.

[halavey]

No live one can be compared to a studio but again I ask when was this done? He sounds young? I wonder if the tenor Escalis spl? sang this? He had a terrific top (the French tenor) and probably sang it in French like his wonderful Che Gelida.

[Mooorhe]

December 22nd 1967, Pavarotti was 33.

[GermanOperaSinger]

wasn't he born in 1935? He would be 32 then.

[Mooorhe]

He was born in 1935. His birthday is in October though.

[halavey]

Yes Caruso's high D flat I agree with you.

[halavey]

Yes I agree with that just not the high D flat. I was told they threw away several records till they got a good one, don't know if thats true but he did not have the note as you say in full voice really. I have it but did not listen in many years to it, sure he sang it as well as these two he had guts to record it I will give him that!

[halavey]

I heard pav several times and Jussi only once when I was 18 but by the 80's pav had gained power in his voice, lost some lyric beauty of course but he was in his mid 40's so that would happen I did not hear Jussi till he was 47 years old his voice was still fine but after all I was 18 and I barely remember but it sounded larger on recordings like with Bergonzi. Kraus was not large at all, smaller but carried really well up to the balcony in his lyric roles. He sang Boheme only once Not for him!

[tena2]

Bravo bravo bravo I cannot say more. This is pure quality.

[mcknighty11]

Wow! so beautiful! After watching the Bjorling one yesterday I couldn't help but wonder if there were any live versions of anyone singing Stabat Mater. This was so gorgeous! I won't compare the versions because one was live, the other was studio recorded.

[halavey]

Bjorling sang the D flat only on this recorded number but early he sang so many roles in sweden and he may have sung D falt live then but never after the 30's. I know of no live Bjorling D flat that exists. He sang many roles early but cut way down later for more concerts . Never compare live like here to a studio record, not fair. Actually this sounds like a studio copy! It's that good.

[halavey]

As far as the D flat goes jussi has a better one but thats maybe cause it was a recording- here it is almost like most singers screamed out and JB just easily hits it without it sounding high but pav sings this better, but how old was he? Jussi was young, pav never when he was older had excessive vibrato jussi had under pressure yet was never put down for it, maybe cause in house when i heard him in 58 - not noticed but on record it sometimes is excessive, pav later had the larger voice then JB

[halavey]

Holy shit this is great! What year is this? Caruso did not really have a good D flat and I had heard that they had made several takes to get it good. He had a high C but was not his best note. I always liked JB as far as low notes over pav. and I liked Bjorling as far as high C'S GO BUT HERE THIS IS LIVE NOT A REOCRDING.

[meltzerboy]

If you are referring to Caruso's high D-flat (as you wrote) and not Bjorling's, they never really "got it good" even after several takes. It is done by Caruso in a falsetto voice that sounds out of place. Otherwise, however, Caruso's performance is at least as superb as either Bjorling's or Pavarotti's.

[ShawDAMAN]

Really great, thanks for sharing. I'd be hard pressed to pick one or the other. Normally I prefer Pavarotti's voice but young Bjorling's voice fits the piece beautifully, perhaps a wee bit darker, good for the majestic music. nice pic :)

[GermanOperaSinger]

Excellent legato line, breath support/control, and wonderful singing. Certainly one of the best renditions I've heard. It's not just the Db, this piece has an incredibly high tessitura and is very tiring if one does not have complete mastery over breath control. Perhaps its just the recording, but I think the orchestra is a bit inconsiderate, playing at this volume. Sometimes they almost drown out Pavarotti.

[ShawDAMAN]

Incidentally, I have the studio recording of this and the orchestra drowns him out even more there IMO. This isn't bad :P

[aaronsande]

This was very well done, and I do love early Pavarotti.

That being said, when you speak of legato, Bjoerling's version is more legato, specifically after each "animam". Pavarotti, in this version, either takes a breath or just stops the sound for a moment, I can't tell which, but Bjoerling does not. Take a listen again to the Bjoerling version.

Also, Pav's D-flat is a bit more scary and shrill than Bjoerlings smooth one. Still, 5 stars.

[meltzerboy]

There is also more softening on the word "mater" in the Bjorling version, not so apparent in Pavarotti's. In general, the young Bjorling's voice seems more poetic at times, in accordance with the text, than the young Pavarotti's. I'm not sure about Pavarotti's high D-flat being shrill, and I feel it is more exhilarating than scary. The legato in both versions is great but there are subtle differences such as the one you mention.

[aaronsande]

Well, I'm sure the D-flat is a matter of taste, I'm not doubting that Pavarotti hit it with proper technique (unlike me so far!). But I think Jussi's is much, much smoother.

[meltzerboy]

Bjorling's may very well be smoother, but you know what I'm going to say: it's not a live performance. I don't mean to make excuses for Pavarotti, however; in fact, nine times out of ten, I prefer Bjorling's performances, whether live or studio. With continued schooling and practice, however, I expect you to become nothing less than the next Bjorling, or at least another Pavarotti!

[aaronsande]

I agree that it is important to note this is a live performance...however, at their levels of mastery, there should be little difference in most cases between live and studio.

And no, I didn't know you were going to say I should be the next Bjoerling! Yikes! I'd settle for Giacomini's fame and Domingo's quality of singing (yes I know I'm setting the bar low on both of those!)

[meltzerboy]

Pavarotti's voice is in pristine condition here, his technique is splendid, and his phrasing is elegant and expressive. The high D flat is a beauty. This magnificent performance is comparable to the great versions of Bjorling and Caruso.