Verdi - Aida - prelude and Celeste Aida (Toscanini/Tucker)

[delosreyesgavikanes]

They don't come any better

Carlos Montane

[SHICOFF1]

@shawdaman Yes they wrecked Schwarzkopf here early with pickets and hell she needed to work and eat and at age 23 got a card which in order to get you had to join the party. The problem she caused for herself only involved saying she was not in the party at sometime when asked but that's a loaded question and after all look who she married! He was so British! and anti Nazi. Some people really go over board on so many singers who where not active Nazi's.

[SHICOFF1]

Whether Furtwangler was active in the party has been argued also. Anyhow it was Toscanini who said if he was capable of killing anyone it would be Mussolini ! He surely had Balls! Bravo Toscanini and Tucker in this 1949 performance. They have a block on the VHS video tape.. I don't know if it is available on DVD.

[ShawDAMAN]

@SHICOFF1 good comments, it certainly is true that not all who were technical nazi party members subscribed to the demonic ideology. Many don't seem to realize that, and early on when the party seemed to be doing good things for the crushed German economy (and for the "arts," actually) you can see why many would have jumped on board- later, it wasn't so easy to back out to say the least, particularly if you were a high profile performer. Who knows what some of us would have done.

[SHICOFF1]

I believe German opera singer is well educated in this political Nazi stuff and in fact Roswange has been hit for it Hard as was Berger. It depends weather they where active or just had the work card they needed to sing. Wittrisch and others may have been active but Schwarzkopf married and Englishman and gossip flew that she was the mistress of a big Nazi officer but I doubt it seriously and no proof exists. Gigli just was not really into politically savvy,any Italian on top he Blindly liked.

[SHICOFF1]

SCHWARZKOPF was not an active Nazi really and has been hit for it when actually her own father was tossed out of his job for not being active in nazi politics. She joined the party when you had to have a party card like a union to work in Germany and she was only 23 years old and needed work to live but up to her death in fact had a close Jewish friend, a mutual friend of a woman I know and ES was not anti Semitic. Gigli was not smart politically He was just a loyal Italian politically to all

[paulostroff99]

Stunning! TY TheGreatPerformers for posting.

[gaytenor]

The idea that Toscanini destroyed bel canto is sheer nonsense. Just before and after Toscanini left Italia the verismo movement was in full bloom with singers like Pertile(a Toscanini favorite when he behaved), Lazzari, Fleta, etc., etc., shirking and screaming their lungs out in the operas of Mascagni, Giordano, and Zandonai for example. That damn foolishness, well documented, is what killed bel canto not Toscanini.

[gaytenor]

cesaare: part ii-Read the kind opinions of Nilsson and Gedda about the nazi wunderkind. That man destroyed singers by pushing them into assignments that they were not ready for. Two points are really necessary:

When an artist accepted an engagement with Toscanini he or she knew what was coming and they accepted it. As for bel canto singing and try the Hymn of the Nations were Toscanini allows Jan Peerce all the time he needs to mold the beautiful melodic line.

Verdi admired Tiscanini.

[SHICOFF1]

@cesaare Yes I see he ran for fascist political office early and was not successful but he changed his thinking later and hated Mussolini and said if he was capable of killing a man he would kill Mussolini, so yes that's true. He was not the only tough conductor . Even Solti was tough on singers, the Ballo affair with Bjorling leaving because of Solti and Fritz Reiner was very hard on his artists but Toscanini it was said really could be insulting, still he was a great Maestro.

[SHICOFF1]

@cesaare So you want to blame Toscanini for wrecking Lanza's chance for a operatic career? No way. Lanza already had sung in Butterfly, Pinkerton on stage in New Orleans and he himself wanted film over opera at that time. He had nobody to blame for not singing at the met and yes Toscanini did say that he had the greatest voice but he meant the greatest natural voice. Lanza wanted to sing at the met years later, he called Merrill who said he needed to audition for Bing but Mario would not do it.

[SHICOFF1]

Actually he liked Peerce and wanted him for this Jan told me when I new him very well in California but Peerce felt it was not a role fit for his lyric tenor and never sang it. Tucker already had a lyric spinto with a powerful top and was the best Choice for the part and so he hired him after considering Jussi Bjorling who he felt was more lyric then Tucker with his Tucker's more dramatic voice. This was in the Book "Jussi" by Andrew Farkus where Toscanini was quoted, that's fact .

[SHICOFF1]

@Cesaare I never heard a thing about Toscanini being ever wanting to be a Fascist, he hated Hitler and the Nazi's from all I ever read.The gossip also was he liked Nelli but all that stuff is Gossip I was not around him and nobody posting here knows surely. Yes he was hard on singers , he wanted them to respect the score and I don't believe he was ever in his life a man who admired Mussolini he left Italy and said neverwould he come back if Duce was alive. Tucker was the best he could get.

[Cesaare]

Toscanini was very abusive to singers he worked with(especialy after he failed as a fascist candidate in 1919).

In one of the rehearsals he gave such a difficult time to singers that G.Farrar dare to speak to Maestro: "why are you so picky maestro, we are all stars here?"

When the Sun shines, there are no stars in the sky, he answered"

A witty answere for sure and you wonder why Farrar wasn't fired after that?

because she was Toscanini's lover

Machines like machines, Toscanini liked Tucker

[VinylToVideo]

@Cesaare Your opinions are ridiculous. Go post comments on the conductors who actually were Nazis. Toscanini was abusive to everyone though never held a grudge. That's how he got perfect results. Toscanini didn't fire artists indiscriminately for asking questions.

[Cesaare]

@VinylToVideo They may be rediculous to you, at least they are realy mine , as opposed to some who just to naive and follow media or some authorities. What about you?

[SHICOFF1]

Yet Toscanini was a star before he voiced any opinion about Mussolini, the guy the Italians hung upside down after they shot him. Tucker almost never sang off pitch and as his Obit. in the NY times says "if you hear him Flat you have a story for your Grandchildren" You think Corelli didn't sing flat? Try Forza 1958 or in a Werther I heard. How about Jussi? He never sang Flat that I heard but did sing sharp occasionally on high C , sure Sharp is better than Flat. Yes--- It's Nit picking

[SHICOFF1]

@gaytenor Oh yes after Von K. said that " welcome to Vienna" he then turned around and walked out. The response to RT's singing in Vienna was as great as at the met with a fantastic response and he signed over 100 programs backstage and took cards for fans to mail them , over 150 more with his wife back at the hotel until 3 in the morning for the fans. He was so moved by it all he told Mario Lanza after he sang it again in London shortly after Vienna, as they had dinner after the opera.

[Cesaare]

@SHICOFF1 Sorry, but when Maria Lanza met Toscanini? as far as I know they never met. Even the expression the greatest voice of the 20'th century is rather a legend created by Lanza fans(I'm a Lanza fan too, but I like facts). Sure Mario was scedule to audition for Arturo T.for Verdi's Requiem sang later by Tucker) but simply cancelled knowing "Come scritto" nature of Toscanini therefore killing his possible opera career.

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare Lanza dropped out of the audition because of his insecurity and that didn't kill any chance of an operatic career for Lanza. What kill an operatic career for Lanza was booze, whoring, stage fright, being lazy, and an often commented on mental illness not to mention the easy money available in Hollywood. Lanza has zero musicianship and he may just have been lacking in the intelligence required for an important career that he had the voice for. DiStefano was hired for the Manzoni.

[ShawDAMAN]

@Cesaare I'd have to agree as a fellow Lanza fan that nobody killed Lanza's opera career but Lanza. (Sadly.)

Tucker was a singing machine, but in a good way- he nearly always pitch perfect, and lasted forever. He also 'left it all' on the stage when he sang. Toscanini is also a matter of taste but I find the assertion that his fame is based merely on opposing Mussolini quite surprising. Honestly I find Karajan to be more of the over-polished machine than Tosc. (although I'm a fan of his too.)

[Cesaare]

@ShawDAMAN 1. I express my opinion not induced by media or some musical authorities. Toscanini had all the features to be a genious:great hand, great memory(he knew all by heart including all the words of the operas he conducted) but he was a genious but rather mediocre maestro. He anly worked with singers who absolutly would take his abuse(Lanza wouldn't take abuse even from Toscanini).

I'd disagree about Karajan(He was not consistant and had bad anf great performances-watch his Don Carlos.

[Cesaare]

@Cesaare 2. sorry for spelling(he wasn't a genious) he'd only work...) Read Vigil Thomson's critisc about his metronomic and unrealistic tempi that made great singers like Giuseppe Valdengo and Herva Nelli sound bad.

Read great book "Conversation with Toscanini" by B.H.Haggin who wasn't a critic but rather a great fan and still, reading that book one realises how Toscanini literaly ruined Belcanto taking all the freedom from singers they had before. Any s. liberties he called self indulgent

[Cesaare]

@Cesaare 3. Tulio Serafin at that time was the best opera maestro and was trying hard to give belcanto it's new fresh start(Callas, Corelli etc.) Emotions were filled audiences again and science stepped back for a while.

Interpretation were heard not only from Maestri but singers were given a credit to be musicians again and not simply instruments from the orchestra(besides Italian opera doesn't like that, Wagner may be but not Verdi/Donizetti etc)

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare I see your problem you simply do not know what the hell bel canto is! If you think for an instant that Corelli represents a bel canto tenor you frankly need help. Serafin was a great conductor of the traditional sort granted but he was not even at the head of the list at EMI. The goose stepping nazi bastard was and he would have gotten both Forza and Aida with Callas if Tucker hadn't refused to be part of the production. Well they wanted Tucker more thank God. See part ii

[Cesaare]

@gaytenor I see that hate for Nazis deaffen your both ears, I bet you hate Gigli, Karajan and Schwarzkopf for the same reason:) Plus Hitler hated gays too, call it prejudice. I can't help you. You need a shrink

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare Hatred for Nazis is a good thing and Mr. H was the worst goddamn monster in history. As to his hatred of gays it depended on what gay your talking about since his favorite heldentenor Max Lorenz was gay as a goose and married to a JEWISH WOMAN for appearances but THEY survived. Your the one who needs a shrink not someone who admires Toscanini and Tucker. Actually I don't hate even that Nazi bastard Von Karajan I leave the hate to shit like you.

[ShawDAMAN]

@Cesaare 1. When I say machine in reference to Karajan I am referring less to consistency and more to that sort of big over-polished, over-produced coldness of sound he is sometimes criticized for. It is those performances when I do not care for him. The Don Carlos was not great but IMO that is as much due to Carreras awfulness in the title role as to Karajan. (Didn't think Baltsa was very good in that either.) I like Serafin and would concede.....

[SHICOFF1]

@gaytenor Tucker in 1958 sang in Tosca in Vienna and got 22 curtain calls even though before that he made sure Von K. would not be on any recording with him having believed and maybe rightly so that Von K. was a Nazi, anyhow Tucker said that Von K. came backstage before the performance in Vienna and said "welcome to Vienna" to Tucker and Von. K. didn't need to do that. Tucker wrote even though he may not have wanted anything to do with him that Von K. was a gentleman and he respected that.

[SHICOFF1]

@Cesaare Since you are a fan of Von Karajan Maybe not happy with Tucker who did not want his name on the label with Von K. and refused using him. He believed Von K. was a Nazi. Yes or no I don't really care but Tucker is on pitch and machines make mistakes, speeds are re recorded wrong also, in the old days more often than now and people make mistakes, like on you tube. Sometimes Toscanini in opera with his fast tempo is not my favorite but all in all he was great and a great man.

[SHICOFF1]

If your singing Italian was better then Tucker's you would have received the Commendatore metal not Tucker from the Italians, it seems Italians don't agree with you and his singing in Italian was better then most non Italians or Latins like Bjorling who was the top lyric tenor in his day, though not a great favorite in Italy and not because of his Italian and Toscanini was one of the greatest Conductor's of all time and to many the Caruso of Conductor's. So what Corelli was Italian, lisped!

[SHICOFF1]

Toscanini was the greatest cond. in the world at the time and the Italian reviews of Tucker in Italy where excellent. Toscanini would kick him out of Aida if his Italian was poor. When Tucker was in Verona Italy in 1947 singing with Callas in Gioconda after Cielo e mar they where yelling Bis/ encore so he sang it again. If the Italians loved him his Italian was Fine. Bruno Bartoletti the Italian cond. told me 8 years ago it was excellent. You think Jussi's was better? It Was not Better.

[SHICOFF1]

@sugarbist A Strange sound? Does Peerce, Schmidt, Jadlowker and Shicoff sound Cantorial also? They all studied it. If he sounded cantorial then I guess today more tenors should sound that way because not one Spinto can touch him today and being a cantor helped him, in his Cadenza's / Trills where excellent for a Spinto voice. Now what is a cantorial sound anyhow? He was never nasal in Italian, some cantors where nasal but then some who where never cantors are. Did you like Peerce or Schmidt?

[SHICOFF1]

Toscanini would not allow poor Italian surely. 

[mariusfer1]

TOSCANINI sei il piu' grande

[SHICOFF1]

@sugarbism Where does he sound Cantorial? Not one note or accent here sounds Cantorial really . This is great tenor singing at a young age, 35 here and he waited 16 years to sing it on stage and when he did it was with Nilsson at the met. in 1965 and with Great success. His Italian was among the best for a non Italian and got even better later of course. Toscanini would never allow poor Italian or anything much less then great. He was the greatest cond. in the world.

[sugarbist]

@SHICOFF1 Overall he sounds cantorial to me. For my ears its a strange sound.Maybe not rounding the vowels enough,Slightly nasal.but vocally good. What is the greatest cond? i dont understand.Even my italian was better when i was in italy, I am a person who tries to like singers as appose to disliking singers. E specially tenors.

[sugarbism]

GOOD HIGH NOTES.thats it .I just dont like his italian and quality of voice . too cantoer like but enjoy

[shiicoff1]

yes correct life mag. the american caruso! the greatest.

[shiicoff1]

@citrussorbet Yes I had that magazine and it was in 1952 and later again in 1962 when they called him the greatest tenor in the world . In 1952 they said A Caruso from Brooklyn, his home town of course. Warren and Peters are from the Bronx, Merrill also from Brooklyn. I think Callas was born also in Brooklyn. and Neil Shicoff. also-- Stevens and Resnik also from New York.

[tonniew]

erg slecht  geluid

[peaceiloveyou2]

i'm in paradise, aren't i?

[MrKalmi]

Tucker may not have been the best technician but this recording of Aida is still one of the best if not the best and he did far better than most of the big names. Opera is not just about singing it is also and firstly about music. On stage it is the singer who dictates to a certain level but here everything was up to Toscanini and Tucker went with him exremely well. No acting no stupid emotional outbursts or chuchlings. It was pure music with a perfect balance with the orchestra. Thx for posting

[enricodicapri]

@MrKalmi why do you say he was not the best technicia. His technique seems pretty solid here in my opinion. It's in his later recordings when i hear some nose and some pushing, but, even then, he is a rock solid singer.

I don't want to start an argue I just would like to know why you think what you think.

[MrKalmi]

@enricodicapri Sry for the late answer. I did not say his techniqe was not good at all, just said he was not the best - although it can be personal of course - I prefer more loosy throat and more portamento just like what he does/did in the normal/medium high lage. His higher notes still sound a bit thin for me. Of course he was fantastic and I am not talking about this recording this is my all time favourite Celeste. And of course the best Aide ever. ;)

[citrussorbet]

Well done! On a very difficut aria to sing.I think it was Life magazine who had a front page article on him calling him the American Caruso.

[Kagami101]

If I had Toscanini glaring at me, I would look like a deer in headlights too.

[aidavdbrake]

i just don't believe them! the recit. looks like they're in a marital fight and i don't see anything of love or military ambition in tucker either. so, where is the expression gone???

[BarakOba09]

ПОТРЯСАЮЩЕ!!!

[235binelli]

bellissimo

[hirst78]

grande tecnica, una vera lezione di canto.. artista irragiungibile, oggi nessun tenore potrebbe mai fare altrettanto e lo dico con rammarico

[halavey]

He is on TV for the first time in 1949 a young tenor and was probably nervous but the singing is great

[halavey]

He makes it sound easy and maybe you should listen instead of looking since it's not a beauty contest so don't look, you should be so constipated.

[Cesaare]

Tucker is emotional????

Give me a break will ya.

He had a strong and beautiful spinto tenor, but was like a machine at work, besides I cannot watch him sing, his facial expressions make me think how hard opera is, he is in continuous constipation, no joy in his eyes or body.

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare What the hell are you talking about? The world needs more machines like this. As for the constipated line try Giovanni Martinelli who's nickname in some circles at the Met was the "constipated tenor." If you want to watch a singer show how hard singing really is watch Mingo(where's the Do) sing any high note or difficult passage. Tucker was still singing at prime level 25 years after this telecast so he couldn't have been straining or forcing.

[Cesaare]

@gaytenor I'm not talking about his technique my friend and I'm not talking him beeing on pitch.

machines don't make mistakes, besides Toscanini was a machine too. I'd never put him close to Karajan.

Toscanini made his name mostly because he opposed Mussolini.

Whem machines performe everything is fine except there nothing inside, no humanity.

Sorry for Tucker or Toscanini fans:(

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare Long before Mussolini Toscanini was the musical director of La Scala, then the Metropolitan Opera, and had directed the world premiere of La Boheme and Turandot as well as, I believe La Fanciulla del West at the Metropolitan. A minor standing up to that pig Mussolini would be brave but Toscanini became a symbol. There is more emotion in his performances than Karajan who liked to goose step. The Italians never considered Tucker a machine.Its your loss not ours.

[Cesaare]

@gaytenor Wrong he was never a director of the Met, just guest conductor.

Toscanini was a great hypocrite: he, first wanted to be elected as a fascist candidate 1919(unless you did not know) and after loosing election starts hating Mussolini.(I wonder if he were elected how he'd behave?)

[Cesaare]

@Cesaare Karajan was rejected for many years for the opposite reason, he was a Nazi, and it doesn't give him a credit a human being and I myself don't like his personality either, but I'm not that conditioned not to recognize his geniuos. Toscanini is a great machine conductor, especialy in Opera. It's a western propaganda put him a such a pedestal he never deserved(Similar to Russian celist Rostropovich who opposed communism but who was far from being the best of the best(as West portrayed him)

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare He may well have not fully understood at the beginning what a monster Mussolini was he was an artist after all. I contend that Toscanini was de facto music director because of his close ties with Gatti even Mahler didn't have the push that Toscanini had. Toscanini was the servant of the music a great man who stood up for his beliefs and didn't goose step like a few German and Austrian conductors who valued their careers more than their principles.

[Cesaare]

@gaytenor I knew you gonna say that(about Mussolini). Toscanini was a servant to his ambitios ideas and personality not more then that. He ruined Italian belcanto, basta.

He was a selfish prick He writes to David Sarnoff "My dear David, seventeen years ago you sent me an invitation to became a musical director of an orchestra created especialy for me" but Toscanini knew it was not created for himOne of his sefish and unitelligent remarks)

[ShawDAMAN]

2. that there were/are conductors of merit that do not get the attention they may deserve and that T. could be difficult to work with, but honestly conductors are not a field of any great expertise for me. I know how what I listen to moves me, or doesn't, and I've been genuinely moved by Toscanini-led performances both of opera and purely orchestral music. I can't so easily separate great genius from great maestro- I like many conductors and Toscanini deserves a place among the greats.

[Cesaare]

@gaytenor Later he always made political decisions when casting singers

He was tottaly intolerant to any different opinion and persecuted any singers who even slighly expressed his opinion(listen to his rehearsals "Falstaf")

He almost kill a accomponing pianist because he tried to playe from the score and not by memory

He also carried his lovers underwear in his tuxido(that's irrelevant, but truth)

He was a Mussolini in Music(Dictators don't like each other)

so please don't give me that b..

[gaytenor]

@Cesaare Someone has to be in charge of the nut house! Toscanini was a demanding man who wanted his solists and orchestra members to be as exact as he was. Your arguments are so damn childish as to be pure nonsense. We are talking about a towering genius of music and you are writing slop that even the National Enquirer would be embarassed by. By the way Toscanini wanted to audition Lanza for the Manzoni requiem but while he was prepared for it he never showed up for the audition.

[halavey]

Di Stefano early could diminuendo on high C better then anyone I ever heard (early) but I prefer Tucker in more Spinto roles over all the others.

[lecielmalice]

I like the last Tucker, from 1970-75

[listeningtoit]

Dream technique!!

[mariagalvany]

One of the best reading og this aria. Along with Rosa Ponselle, one of the great American operatic artist ever.

[marokt]

I do think pianissimo morendo is also very difficoult for a dramatic tenor. A voice like this can do it just in falsetto. Domingo did it in Budapest, but he was tired, he feared to attack the Bb in forte. Diminuendi is also very difficoult on such a high note. Pavarotti did it wonderfully but he is very high and spinto voice. The most amazing dramatic diminuendos you can hear from Corelli of course. A Hungarian tenor, Simándy József did messa di voce (p-cresc.-forte- decresc.-p) on this note.

[steakopera]

You said it's impossible for dramatic tenor and now you say it's very difficult and Pav never did true pianissimo and he is not high spinto. Domingo is not considered to be a examplified figure on this subject. Only tenor I have heard come close to pianissimo is done by Bjorling, it was more like mp.

[halavey]

Listen to 1950 Boheme end of act one with him and licia he did diminuendo nicely in that show so on occasion he could. it is on you tube.

[halavey]

Caruso did not diminuendo either you can or cannot and they had great techniques anyhow he had it all, trills, cadenza's he was the American Caruso. BRAVO!

[halavey]

He is wonderful, great sound here for 1949.

[Pagliaccio1970]

Anyone else notice that there are no women in the orchestra....i know a silly thing to comment on, but then again it was 1949 i guess.....anyway amazing to see footage of Toscanini. Tucker is good, but you can really tell the difference between an american and european/south american singer regarding pronounciation of the italian language. Still excellent voice, no doubt.

[edraith]

Are you Italian?

Peerce and Tucker were two of the few american tenors with a very good pronounciation ;)

[lamaloani2]

Franco Corelli is for me the only one who mastered the end in pianissimio to the count of 7. Wow Toscanini, first time i see him.

[edraith]

"Sul battone"? Did you mean "under direction"? Is "diretto da" or, "sotto la bacchetta" ;)

"Sul battone" means "on the bitch", "riding the whore" :D

[steakopera]

I've read some where that Tucker could not make true diminuendo in the ending of this aria. Maestro Toscanini allowed Tucker to sing forte instead.

[marokt]

Verdi didn't wrote diminuendo. He wrote "pianissimo, morendo". What is an impossible effect for a dramatic tenor, like Radames. But it was he himself, who offered a short forte high Bb, and a ppp phrase one ovtave lower afterwards.

[steakopera]

O.K if he wrote pianissimo not diminuendo, then should be easier. Much harder to make diminuendo from forte and it is not impossible to do for dramatic tenor. This effect should be challenged and encouraged not ignored.

[TreblesBasses]

TUCKER IS ALWAYS ON THE MONEY!

[pearlmuth3]

HE IS ON PITCH ALL THE WAY

[Cesaare]

@pearlmuth3 sure, machines don't sing off pitch only humans

[rderonge]

Belíssimo!

[bluefish990]

Who is the baritone?

[grandoperamaniac]

Norman Scott according to Operadis.opera.discography(dot­)org(dot)uk.

[pearlmuth3]

If he is a singing machine as you say bring on more of them, BRAVO TUCKER THE GREATEST SPINTO TENOR ! NOBODY TODAY CAN COME CLOSE.

[Webarton]

love his high notes...

[pearlmuth3]

Cesaare are you kidding? You are surely-- Corelli sang flat often with a poor tech but great voice he sang like he was alone on stage exciting like an animal but was not correct often in tempo or holding notes till the cows came home, yes bjorling great tech but not a big spinto like tucker, you never heard him obviously he lasted with his 31 roles, corelli did not and anything lyric was not for him--just a great voice with good top and good looks not in Tucker's class as an artist.

[cjondoran]

if corelli had bad tech, how is it then that he went from full voice to pianissimo. i would rather be impressed with sound, which doesn't happen much today except for heppner, than care if someone was slightly flat. hell bjoerling often sang sharp. they are all great and we are posting criticisms on you tube instead of being on a stage being paid fat cash.

[Cesaare]

with all due restpect to Tucker, he looked tense and sang like a student not like somebody who feels the role, yes, he was correct, I'd say too correct and therefore boring(may be he was scared of Toscanini?)

and somebody mentioned Tukcers perfect technique, let me disagree, he always sang kind a tight, especialy tight in face, jaw-and I'm sorry that's not a sign of a great technician. for technique watch Corelli, Bjorling, Caruso, Pavarotti but not Tucker.

His Bflats are flat...guess he was N

[GermanOperaSinger]

No, his Bb's are not flat, and he never sang flat, at least I've never heard him sing flat. I respect your opinion, but to say Tucker's technique was poor is absolutely incorrect, notice how much at ease he is when singing, not pushed, nor tight, as you say. It helps to understand vocal technique to know what you are looking for in a singer in terms of technique. Are you a singer? Because what non singers percieve is not what singers can see, the reality of the situation. Sorry if I didnt make..

[GermanOperaSinger]

..any sense. He is at perfect posture here, perfectly relaxed, letting the voice go (instead of trying to control it). The smaller mouth on the upper register helps with covering through passaggio and placement beyond that. When the mouth is too open the larynx has a tendency to rise. It is possible to be relaxed and have a smaller mouth opening...it should be small when you are truly relaxed. Maybe it looks tense to you but as a singer I can tell it is relaxed. Corelli did not have good technic

[GermanOperaSinger]

...he used a muscular singing technique which was tense and unrelaxed. Which is why he burned out very quickly (his career started after Tucker's but ended before Tucker's). The voice which resulted from Melocchi's technique was glorious, but short lived. A. Melocchi didn't teach his students to muscle the larynx down, that is a misconception, the technique is centered around directing breath to the point on the vocal cords which produces the maximum amount of squillo.

[Cesaare]

with all due respect his first Bflat was flat.

I repeat Tucker is a succesful tenor who achievements I recognize, he is very learned and knows his music scores well, which pleases Conductors, especialy Toscanini, but for me his is more like singing machine then a human being. Logicaly I don't know him very well but recordings that I have give me empessions that he had problems with facial tightness which is one of the vocal technical flows(and yes, I'm a former singer)

Your info about(cont)

[Cesaare]

(con) Melocchi is misinformed.

if you judge Melocchis method only by Del Monaco, then you are right.

Corelli, though never formaly studied with anyone, took his method as a guide(had 2 lessons with Maestro himself) and low larinx is a base of his method(read about it in a Hines-Corelli interview or Zucker-Corelli interviews)

[GermanOperaSinger]

Maybe so, but why was Corelli's career so short?

[Cesaare]

Ther may be several explanations:

1. He had terrible stage fright

2. He was a terible perfectionist and never liked his own singing

take a look at Corelli Zucker interviews, you will see Corelli give a perfect and streit analisis of his contemporary singers(Del Monaco)

All dramatic voice wore up faster then lyric ones, all emotional voices too(Caruso).

Singers like Tucker last longer, because they know excactly what they are doing, they sing technicaly not emotionaly, even emotions are T.

[mayflash67]

Tucker did it with a lot of emotions!!! Corelli was a great voice, but Tucker also!!! Both are best of the best!!!

[cjondoran]

there is no such thing as low larynx and good technique together. larynx must be flexible or you cant sing. What IS low IS the closure where the sound originates. two totally different things.

[Cesaare]

you have no foggiest idea, why even comment:)

[cjondoran]

maybe work on your "foggiest" use of the english language, then tell me i cant comment.

[Cesaare]

You can continue to show your ignorance as much as you like:)

[steakopera]

But Corelli diminuendos the ending of this aria beautifully. No one does it like Corelli in this aria.

[pearlmuth3]

Peerce and Bjorling also where in Toscanini's mind for this but Peerce would never touch it, too dramatic and Bjorling Tosc. felt was not as dramatic as Tucker was even then, this was in the book Jussi. Tucker did a great job even at 35 yrs. young and the entire performance I bought years ago on VHS must be on DVD bt now.

[Elvira1003]

I love Tucker in this. Thanks for the post.

[pearlmuth3]

but poor tech. never lasts in opera, maybe a few years and then they are done and can sing crap with a microphone. Tucker sang 30 roles and lasted well to the day he died and that was due to a fine foundation, cantorial first, hard operatic study and determination. He sang great cadenza's and had a fine legato and you have to have Technique for all that let alone being a cantor and he was a great one. Your comment is very wrong but then thats your opinion but not fact.

[pearlmuth3]

The one thing he had lots of besides power was a great tech. as German opera singer says he was the the met. 30 years 1/45--1/75 till he suddenly died and watched younger singers come and go and 24 hours before he died he sang a rehearsal I heard of Cav. with Jo Ann Grillo filling in for Bumbry and was great. perhaps this guy is joking, who cares and yes Toscanini the greatest conductor in the world at the time picked Tucker for this brdcst and he was very young, 35 and never was on TV before.

[Mooorhe]

Wow, I'd love to perform under Toscanini's baton. He's so accommodating, a true master of music. Beautiful singing from Tucker, powerful top notes.

[pasfresh123]

Tucker had a terrible vocal technique.

[GermanOperaSinger]

You literally made me laugh with that comment...his terrible vocal technique is indeed why he ONLY lasted 29 glorious seasons with the Met, all first rate, in perfect voice, isn't it?

[pasfresh123]

longevity is not synonym of good technique. laughing at people is not synonym of being right.

[Yoni89]

LOL!!!

[Cesaare]

as I mentioned above Tucker was not a great technician, but to say horrible, that would be too much.

Though I recognized is great achievment at Met I always found him a little boring, uninspired singer, contrary to some of my friends who take him as a very emotional singer. I don't find Carreras emotional either, yes, Jose, like Richard, is leaned musician and follows the script but without, personaly and emotionaly experiensing it.

Conductors like singers like them but people like DiStefano:)

[Cesaare]

(is leaned musician) I meant learned:)

[GermanOperaSinger]

Toscanini + Tucker = Musical perfection

[liedersanger1]

And Toscanini was 82!!!!! Impossibile.

[Greatfan]

Tucker was fantastic, he deserved his success and much more !!! I love his steady voice, his heoric stance, his stage presence. I was lucky to have heard him a lot in my teens ! A remembrance to this great divo !

[hillwills]

Just watch that man conduct! So beautiful, so elegant, so involving and communicative - every smallest detail. The master!

[pearlmuth3]

yes he was the American Caruso!

[ilbacioditosca]

Tucker was the best US Tenor ever.Peerce and Shicoff great singers but not in the same quality.

[azzxxy]

ich finde es ziemlich toll...ich....aus chile

[pearlmuth3]

Tucker died on this date. Jan 8th 1975-aged 61 of a massive heart attack and many of us who heard and knew him still and always will miss him, the man and his voice. I still feel the loss.

[winhuber]

maestro toscanini, das orchester und die sänger, ein traum, man findet es heute nicht mehr,

[ValentinAmadeus]

E vero!

[pearlmuth3]

JERODA 4330-- my comment was for you, nasty to attack someones LOOKS as you did in the Tucker- Moffo post, did I ever attack Pav. on a basis of his looks? Did I ever attack your Moffo for any reason? I could have believe me. NO, CAUSE I ONLY CARE FOR VOICE, DOES IT FEEL GOOD TO ATTACK A DEAD MAN WHO WAS LOVED BY MANY FOR HIS LOOKS? I HAVE THE MESSAGE AND KNOW YOUR REASONS, WE BOTH KNOW.

[pearlmuth3]

perhaps you say he is grotesque as far as tech. because he was so good you are Jealous an American Jewish tenor was so great, try Neil Shicoff, he out sang Pav. in every role he did also with a lyric voice . When you attack Tucker's looks as you did in that moffo post you show your an idiot and a bigot, I know where you are coming from.

[pearlmuth3]

great high B, end of aria

[pearlmuth3]

when I say they did not like each other I mean Jan and Richard. Tosc. was close especially to Peerce but got along well with Tucker who was not a difficult tenor as so many where. He and Peerce just did not like each other, common in many families.

[pearlmuth3]

Peerce was NOT HIS COUSIN BUT HIS BROTHER IN LAW SARA WAS JAN's SISTER AND MARRIED RICHARD. TUCKER'S HIGH B HERE AT AGE 35 A WONDERFUL POURING OUT OF SOUND FOR 1949. THE TWO MEN DID NOT LIKE EACH OTHER HOWEVER.

[pearlmuth3]

Tucker, Fantastic high B and voice at 35 years old

[tausendgold]

oh tucker,wieviel von den deutschen spießbürgern haben dich unterschätzt,mögen sie dich jetzt mal lieben!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tomasjuhasz]

Thank you for posting!!!Its great!

[paulostroff99]

Wonderful,thank you.

[billyguns2]

The ryhtmic integrity, the tautness of the always singing musical line and the shaping of the phrases are stunning. He made the orchestra play as if their lives depended on it! One wonders if we will ever hear this type of committed playing again, thanks to the Unions and the comfortable three figure salary orchestral players of today; also conductors don't demand these qualities anymore.

[lhiram23]

for once, someone tells the truth ;-) bravo!

[RVP57]

amen to that!!

[tanynzh]

can you upload the complete set of the performance? we simply adore it!!

[tonytib]

Toscanini, is the greatest of all time. Richard Tucker one of the greats in his era.

[canegrace]

Orpo! Sotto la direzione di Toscanini.

Grazie per questa chicca.