Here you can realize what is a voice endowed with a nice ring. In the finale Ford's voice just floats easily above the orchestra and overshadows the other two tenors. Since I heard him singing Crociato in Egitto I thought he's a really good baritenore.
I've always liked the denser voice and Gimenez in the record seemed to me a light tenor, but after I heard Raul Gimenez in Dе Grieux , I ascertained that Gimenez can be different. .His voice has not been light, his voice was lyrical, but at the same time powerful . Raul just a great master, and for each composer whom he performed, he found a different sound.
@viv3147 I'm sorry, but anyone who faults the voice of Lawrence Brownlee must have ample justification. However, i do agree; Ford was never as highly acclaimed on the world stage as he deserved to be.
@phatphace i loved brownlee until i saw him live in this same role. the man was not made for the stage of the met. fantastic voice and technique really, but the reason juan diego does better than him, amongst im sure many other reasons, is the fact that despite the small size of juans voice, it goes right over the orchestra because its so overtonal. i saw armida a year ago and brownlee was the only one whos voice was really often lost in the orchestra. and i was not sitting so far.
Thank you for your testimony. I love Brownlee's YouTube videos but I did suspect that heard live his voice might be less impressive. Opera singer's acheive carrying power through the "Singer's Formant" a resonance peak at around 2800Hz. This is the "edge" in the voice that some have and some don't. Microphones and post processing can be made to add the formant. Pavarotti and Björling had big formants.
@Agorante do you study sls technique or the "complete singing" technique? Those schools teach the words edge and a lot about the science of singing. Anyway on the whole Ford and Giminez thing, Giminez is fantastic, really, but hes the exact kind of tenor i dont really like, far to light for me. I dont know if its technique or natural ability, i think technique personally, but i like a full manly voice like fords. that bein said, Ford does not have many colors, I now see that, great tone thoug
@viv3147 Its such a shame that an individual with such incredible vocal ability can still face physiological shortcomings (I had considered him perhaps one of the greatest recorded Rossini tenors and certainly the superior of Florez). Youtube recordings must be rather forgiving in that case. Thank you for that insight.
@phatphace Truth is, I think if he was singing the same thing in the Deutche Oper Berlin or any other big but not oversized house he would be heard just fine. The met is oversized, even though where I sat wasn't far, its was still far back compared to any normal size theater. The tambre Brownlee has is magnificant, some dont like his vibrato and said its wobbly, like a tremelo, I find it attractive. He is still fantastic despite what I heard, and he at least sings Rossini with full body
Raul Gimenez from the highest league. I heard also Ford and Gimenez live. Ford , of course, has a remarkable voice, but in his voice there are no colors. Raul Gimenez has wonderful pianissimo, beauty of overtones. No one have legato like Raul Gimenez. In Raul voice lots of colors. Ford voice is very monotonous without emotion. Well and as actor Raul Gimenez is unique. in live performance it is very important. I am sorry for comparison.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
@LindoroAlmaviva11 You obviously know what you are talking about but we will have to disagree on matters of taste. I just don't find Gimenez's voice to be particularly attractive.
Among the Rossini tenors there are those with unattractive voices - Merritt, Matteuzzi, Blake, and Morino. Those with attractive voices - Ford, Lopardo, Kunde and Florez. Gimenez is between these two groups IMHO.
Did all 3 end with the high C or just Bruce and Raul? It made me laugh. I don't quite understand why people are so obsessed with it. It's still mighty enjoyable and arguably more beautiful without all those (tight) tenor top notes. This makes me appreciate even more the Handelian (bari-)tenor parts.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Bruce Ford is in another league here--singing with guys who have/had careers but aren't the same class of tenor as Ford. They are good, yes, but not in his league. I am happy that today, as opposite to the trend that is dying, that in the world of Rossini opera-- you now have tenors who sing with a full voice (like Ford, Florez, and Brownlee) getting the roles now.
BTW - I really like what you wrote in your bio on your home page. Good for you and everything you did and tryed to do! It takes striving people to make things happen.
I have two complete commercial Armida CDs (Fleming and Kunde)(Meritt and Ford), two complete Armida DVDs (Blake and Gimenez)(Ford and Gimenez). I also have Blake's and Ford's commercial recital CDs. Both of these CDS have a version of this trio.
This version is surely the most brilliant that I had the pleasure to hear: Ford faces stiff competition from Merritt and Blake in the role, and yet I find him much more tonally beautiful; Carmona is unfamiliar to me, but his winning Italian-sounding voice is a pleasure; Gimenez provides some of the most exciting Cs in here. A winner, all-around :)!
If it wouldn't be a bother and if you have the piece in question, would you be able to post "Qual pena in me", the terzet from "La donna del lago" as performed by Ford and Miricioui on one of their recital CDs? I recently posted a version of this terzet sung by von Stade, Blake and Raffanti, and it would be interesting to compare these two renditions. Incindentally, if you have the time, check out the version on my channel, it features some very exciting singing :)! Cheers :D!
I absolutely adore this trio, and it is superbly sung here. Ford has a more classical style than Rockwell Blake, takes less risks but is really quite good here. But really I'm off to listen to the same piece sung by Blake
Here you can realize what is a voice endowed with a nice ring. In the finale Ford's voice just floats easily above the orchestra and overshadows the other two tenors. Since I heard him singing Crociato in Egitto I thought he's a really good baritenore.
leotbrown 10 months ago
Ford's control and musicianship are so admirable!
coryisawake 10 months ago
I've always liked the denser voice and Gimenez in the record seemed to me a light tenor, but after I heard Raul Gimenez in Dе Grieux , I ascertained that Gimenez can be different. .His voice has not been light, his voice was lyrical, but at the same time powerful . Raul just a great master, and for each composer whom he performed, he found a different sound.
cart792 10 months ago
3:44-4:52 WOW. hes a rossini tenor singing like that. god why is lawrence brownlee and juan diego getting more attention
viv3147 11 months ago
@viv3147 I'm sorry, but anyone who faults the voice of Lawrence Brownlee must have ample justification. However, i do agree; Ford was never as highly acclaimed on the world stage as he deserved to be.
phatphace 11 months ago
@phatphace i loved brownlee until i saw him live in this same role. the man was not made for the stage of the met. fantastic voice and technique really, but the reason juan diego does better than him, amongst im sure many other reasons, is the fact that despite the small size of juans voice, it goes right over the orchestra because its so overtonal. i saw armida a year ago and brownlee was the only one whos voice was really often lost in the orchestra. and i was not sitting so far.
viv3147 11 months ago
@viv3147
Thank you for your testimony. I love Brownlee's YouTube videos but I did suspect that heard live his voice might be less impressive. Opera singer's acheive carrying power through the "Singer's Formant" a resonance peak at around 2800Hz. This is the "edge" in the voice that some have and some don't. Microphones and post processing can be made to add the formant. Pavarotti and Björling had big formants.
Agorante 11 months ago
@Agorante do you study sls technique or the "complete singing" technique? Those schools teach the words edge and a lot about the science of singing. Anyway on the whole Ford and Giminez thing, Giminez is fantastic, really, but hes the exact kind of tenor i dont really like, far to light for me. I dont know if its technique or natural ability, i think technique personally, but i like a full manly voice like fords. that bein said, Ford does not have many colors, I now see that, great tone thoug
viv3147 11 months ago
@viv3147 Its such a shame that an individual with such incredible vocal ability can still face physiological shortcomings (I had considered him perhaps one of the greatest recorded Rossini tenors and certainly the superior of Florez). Youtube recordings must be rather forgiving in that case. Thank you for that insight.
phatphace 11 months ago
@phatphace Truth is, I think if he was singing the same thing in the Deutche Oper Berlin or any other big but not oversized house he would be heard just fine. The met is oversized, even though where I sat wasn't far, its was still far back compared to any normal size theater. The tambre Brownlee has is magnificant, some dont like his vibrato and said its wobbly, like a tremelo, I find it attractive. He is still fantastic despite what I heard, and he at least sings Rossini with full body
viv3147 11 months ago
Bruce Ford is simply incredible. That he keeps such an even and beautiful tone throughout is pretty incredible.
coryisawake 1 year ago
It must cost a lot of money to have three great tenors like this singing on the same consert.....Thanks for putting this on youtube...
karifrid 1 year ago 13
Raul Gimenez from the highest league. I heard also Ford and Gimenez live. Ford , of course, has a remarkable voice, but in his voice there are no colors. Raul Gimenez has wonderful pianissimo, beauty of overtones. No one have legato like Raul Gimenez. In Raul voice lots of colors. Ford voice is very monotonous without emotion. Well and as actor Raul Gimenez is unique. in live performance it is very important. I am sorry for comparison.
LindoroAlmaviva11 1 year ago 104
This comment has received too many negative votes show
@LindoroAlmaviva11 You obviously know what you are talking about but we will have to disagree on matters of taste. I just don't find Gimenez's voice to be particularly attractive.
Among the Rossini tenors there are those with unattractive voices - Merritt, Matteuzzi, Blake, and Morino. Those with attractive voices - Ford, Lopardo, Kunde and Florez. Gimenez is between these two groups IMHO.
Agorante 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Only a name... PAVAROTTI! RIP
croccolino 1 year ago
where is this trio from...? The Opera and piece...
jomoses07 2 years ago
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these are all great technical tenors...BUT...Ford's voice is the best SOUNDING!
jomoses07 2 years ago
Senor Gimenez is a very fine Rossini tenor. He is in the same league as Mr. Ford.
oscarnotwild 2 years ago 38
Did all 3 end with the high C or just Bruce and Raul? It made me laugh. I don't quite understand why people are so obsessed with it. It's still mighty enjoyable and arguably more beautiful without all those (tight) tenor top notes. This makes me appreciate even more the Handelian (bari-)tenor parts.
vitellia 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Where is Bruce's Tux? - was he a last minute replacement or did the Airline lose his ludgage? LOL!
None-the-less .....BRUCE IS GREAT!
rosetheatre 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Bruce Ford is in another league here--singing with guys who have/had careers but aren't the same class of tenor as Ford. They are good, yes, but not in his league. I am happy that today, as opposite to the trend that is dying, that in the world of Rossini opera-- you now have tenors who sing with a full voice (like Ford, Florez, and Brownlee) getting the roles now.
aarontenor 3 years ago
Comment removed
LindoroAlmaviva11 1 year ago
This is really nice. Thanks!
BTW - I really like what you wrote in your bio on your home page. Good for you and everything you did and tryed to do! It takes striving people to make things happen.
rosetheatre 3 years ago 2
I have two complete commercial Armida CDs (Fleming and Kunde)(Meritt and Ford), two complete Armida DVDs (Blake and Gimenez)(Ford and Gimenez). I also have Blake's and Ford's commercial recital CDs. Both of these CDS have a version of this trio.
This is my favorite performance.
Agorante 3 years ago
This version is surely the most brilliant that I had the pleasure to hear: Ford faces stiff competition from Merritt and Blake in the role, and yet I find him much more tonally beautiful; Carmona is unfamiliar to me, but his winning Italian-sounding voice is a pleasure; Gimenez provides some of the most exciting Cs in here. A winner, all-around :)!
LindoroRossini 3 years ago 4
If it wouldn't be a bother and if you have the piece in question, would you be able to post "Qual pena in me", the terzet from "La donna del lago" as performed by Ford and Miricioui on one of their recital CDs? I recently posted a version of this terzet sung by von Stade, Blake and Raffanti, and it would be interesting to compare these two renditions. Incindentally, if you have the time, check out the version on my channel, it features some very exciting singing :)! Cheers :D!
LindoroRossini 3 years ago
Sorry, I don't have that recording. I will listen to you La Donna excerpt ASAP.
Agorante 3 years ago
I absolutely adore this trio, and it is superbly sung here. Ford has a more classical style than Rockwell Blake, takes less risks but is really quite good here. But really I'm off to listen to the same piece sung by Blake
negzago 3 years ago