Part II - Your Favorites: GEORGE LONDON

[PEAinSwe]

I have never understood the admiration for this singer. I totally miss the flow and the line.

[AlberichNibelungo]

Extraordinario Wotan. Mi preferido (con perdón de Hotter). La voz de London estaba llena de armónicos y era poderosa, viril, oscura, homogénea, sólida en la zona lata y suficientemente oscura en el registro bajo. Su timbre me resulta especialmente grato y adecuado para el gran papel del padre de los dioses. ¡Lástima que apenas dejara testimonios discográficos de este importante rol wagneriano!

[paulostroff99]

Remarkable singing!

[paulostroff99]

Wonderfully sung.

[ilovecollecting]

I really LOVE this guy's voice - deep, yet like a warm and rich gentle caress... Lovely, dramatic Song too - thanks for Posting this - amazing!!

[vonmeppen]

Ihr Vergleich mit Wewel oder Emmerlich ist ein bisschen ungerecht. London war sicher kein perfekter Sänger. Aber ich bin der Meinung, dass er trotzdem ein sehr guter Sänger war. Sein Amfortas ist für mich immer noch der beste überhaupt, auch sein Rheingold-Wotan, selbst sein Walküre-Wotan unter Leinsdorf überzeugen mich vor allem stimmlich sehr.

Sie haben Recht, er war ein statischer Sänger, aber doch wohl einer mit künstlerischer Statur, nicht zu vergleichen mit Emmerlich und Co.

[100Singers]

1. Vielen Dank für Ihre Zeilen und Ihre Kritik. Dadurch bekomme ich Gelegenheit, erklärende Worte anzufügen: Natürlich war auch George London ein First-Rate-Singer (und insofern nicht mit den erwähnten Herren vergleichbar). Aber Spitzensänger werden nun mal mit gehobenen Maßstäben gemessen, und insofern stehe ich zu meinem Wort. Dennoch halte ich seinen Ruhm im Vergleich zu anderen Sängern seiner Sphäre für weniger gerechtfertigt.

[vonmeppen]

Wie gesagt, ich kann Ihre Kritik durchaus nachvollziehen. Ich kann mir auch den Ruhm mancher Sänger nicht erklären, zum Beispiel den von Theo Adam oder Ruggero Raimondi. Einen Heldenbarition vom Format eines London sucht man meines Erachtens heute vergebens.

[100Singers]

2. Von Herrn London gibt es tatsächlich Aufnahmen (und ich machte ja die Einschränkung, dass ich nur nach seinen Platten urteilen kann), die - einfach gesagt - "schlecht" sind: Schlecht hinsichtlich technischem Können, makelloser Klangbildung und Ausdrucksvermögen, wie man es von einem First-Rate-Singer erwarten kann. Bitte hören Sie nur einmal die erwähnte "Hoffmann"-Aufnahme. Es ist mir unbegreiflich, dass die Produzenten diese Einspielung veröffentlicht haben! Mike

[vonmeppen]

Vollkommen richtig. Ich kenne die "Hoffmann"-Aufnahme. Sie ist tatsächlich eine Katastrophe. London ist dort wirklich schlimm und nur noch ein Schatten seiner selbst. Auch die anderen Sänger sind übrigens dort unter Form. Aber Aufnahmen, in denen große Sänger schlecht singen, gibt es viele.

[cdgray2]

London was fantastic; whether as Giovanni, Scarpia or Wotan - a truly monumental singer (and actor).

[billyguns2]

Great choice to showcase George London,a s this is one of his greatest recordings.

[xav71176]

Hi "100singers"

I don't find London that fantastic in Wotan - especially wrt Hotter as you mention - but he was great at Amfortas

[TheWisemonkey8]

its your channel do as you please. I for one am happy and pleased you take the time to share this wonderful music with us all!!! Kind and warm regards my firend in music.

[podkivanok]

I can't say that I like all what he did, but I also can't agree with you. His Amfortas in Knappertsbusch's 1962 recording of "Parsifal" is unforgettable.

[machiequesto]

Thanks for your personal statements. I haven't seen anybody insulting you. I have only realised that you have been erasing some comments, that apparently did not match your opinion. Is that the way you are curious about other opinions?

[machiequesto]

What is going on on this page? 100singers who usually is very discreet and non-judging in his comments seems to loose his temper. Is it so hard to cope that a lot of his listeners have voted for George London, one of the greatest Wagner singers of the last century?

[100Singers]

1 - I feel it´s time to give a statement for my sentiments about Mr. London. When I decided to go on with Part II of this project, my first thought was to quit my personal opinions. All singers in this second part are here as a result of many votings that all of you gave. So, it´s only natural with some i agree, with some not. I received many requests, to go on with "My personal opinion" - and so I did. And of course I respected your nomination of Mr. London.

[100Singers]

2 - You asked for my personal opinion about this singer, and all I did was to oblige. Some of you agree with me, others obviously are surprised about my honesty. What I wrote about Mr. London is no more, no less than my very own considered opinion. If you do not share my thoughts, I´m very curious about your own opinion. I don´t want to insult anyone, and I would not like to be insulted BY anyone. Don´t be upset, I don´t loose my temper. Kindest regards, Mike

[Herur22]

Strange, I usually agree with Mike's comments. But (not as a singer, which I am not, but as a simple listener) in this case I have a different opinion, because I like London.

[100Singers]

Please allow me a few lines: A singer never should sing for his own pleasure alone, he should sing for the audience. And only the audience in the theatre or at home in front of the loudspeakers has the privilege, to admire or refuse a singer. The audience pays for a singers profession. The singers is addicted to the audience. This has nothing to do with ignorance or envy (and if a listener is a singer or not!) It´s the privilege of every listener to tell, what or whom he like or doesn´t like!

[primobaritono]

I am quite irritated by the comments on this video and the description. I know several professional singers who heard Mr London live and they were immensely impressed by both his voice and artistry. Fischer Dieskau names him as one of his idols! As I am of a younger generation I only know him from his recordings. I have NEVER heard a greater Wagner bass-baritone on record or live!

..... see next post -->

[primobaritono]

The beautiful black timbre (darker than ANY other Wagner baritone I know) combined with the ringing overtones (especially in the upper range) and the wonderful enunciation of the German text. His voice was not stiff and fixed. You cannot sing high G's and F# the way London did if it was. He had a better top than ANY of the bass-baritones you compare him to! Listen to his Ford monologue, Pari Siamo etc.. His stage presence and acting were unbelievable as well ... next post -->

[primobaritono]

He was Wieland Wagner's personification of a singing actor! He hired him as Wotan for the Ring in Cologne and wanted him to sing it in Bayreuth (London got terribly ill). The critic and composer Virgil Thompson called him "The greatest singing actor of our times". London was a star at the Wiener Staatsoper, Bayreuth and the Met until his tragic illness. This man was a tremendous singer, artist and human being and just about everyone who worked with him or heard him knew it. Bravo George!!!

[guardian2079]

I agree. He had a very dark timbre which hits a spot on my ear that rarely gets any action. And despite having the black bass voice he had an excellent upper range that a baritone should have. But one quibble I have is that I don't think he's suited to every baritone role. Most of my exposure to him was through Wagner which he is very well suited for. However, I recently downloaded Arabella in which he plays Mandryka. It's hard imagining Wotan playing a romantic lead.

[stevevandien]

I sure don't think London believed he was suited to every baritone role. He specialized in a few roles, like Amonasro, Escamillo, Mefisto (in "Faust"), Scarpia, the Dutchman, Wotan in "Rheingold" and "Walkure," Amfortas, Boris Gudonov, Mandryka, the Count in "Le nozze de Figaro" -- that's pretty much it. If not for the paralyzed vocal cord that shut down his career, London would have been a great Iago and Falstaff --- possibly Macbeth as well -- also Sachs, of course:) --

[OKelleyPaidir]

@guardian2079 I agree ahaha. He has magnificent tops, but he is NOT Mandryka (a high lyric baritone.) Mandryka is Fischer-Dieskau, Hampson, people like that. He probably did that role because it was fun and he could show off. Whatever the case may be, London was a marvellous artist and singer. The perfect Wotan in many ways rivalled only by Hans Hotter.

[Mooorhe]

Not a singer I'd opt for. Many have sung the roles he did much better than London did. However, I can see how some would be drawn to him.

[paulostroff99]

Certainly belongs at least in the second rung of the top 100. Bravo George!

[TheWisemonkey8]

Sonorous and magnificent. How lucky we would be if there were a man of this stature singing Wotan on the stage today. Lol I love armchair critics and their embittered musings. Wonderful channel my friend in music. Kind and warm regards to you and yours.

[tenorvoicefan]

So deutlich wurde Sie, Mike, noch bei keinem anderen Künstler. Und leider haben Sie, in meinen Augen vollkommen recht.

Herr London auf dieser Position ist mehr als eine unerfreuliche Überraschung. Wenn ich dieses uninspirierte Singen höre, noch dazu mit einer Stimme wie dieser, so schüttelt es mich schon gewaltig. Selbst wenn man ihn nicht vergleicht mit Hotter oder Schorr, sein Gesang alleine reicht schon aus um ihn nicht zu mögen! Und ich mag ihn nicht!

[meltzerboy]

Mike, I agree with you that George London's recordings do very little to justify his esteemed reputation among many opera lovers. The voice itself is dark and strong, but also often flat and unsteady, stiff and not lyrical. Certain roles he portrayed are somewhat better, such as Golaud in Pelleas et Melisande, Scarpia, and Boris, which I do not find all that choppy. But his Wagner is generally not the kind I wish to hear compared to the splendid lyrical singing of Friedrich Schorr, for example.