Jussi Bjorling "Recondita armonia" Tosca Live 1959

[ToryBoy55]

Just imagine the three tennors: Domingo, Pavarotti, Bjorling

[MrFrenchaccent]

God exists !

[tennesseelvr]

@MrFrenchaccent  and He shared His angelic Jussi with us ! thank God!!!

[SHICOFF1]

Too answer a comment made earlier. No JB was smart-- he did not ever sing the role of Calaf on stage and he knew what he could sing well and what opera's where for his voice and that's why he lasted and at 49 was still singing very well. He had great low notes for a basic lyric spinto voice besides the top being very fine.

[vpo2g2]

If you want great acting, see Shakespeare. If you want great singing, listen to Bjorling.

[The99Gambo]

If audiences can take to some of the pseudo operatic singers, who to their credit entertain millions, they would adore Jussi Bjorling. His smile and voice would do the rest. There would be queues from here to eternity.

[sgnmath1234]

The applause sounds like a reaction to the Beatles.

[The99Gambo]

Absolutely first class. A true and rare pleasure; a joy for the ears.

[45oldbear]

Bjorling is so high and deep in the giro that sounds are exploding with overtones. The audience reactionis telling. The audience is taken beyond appreciation, beyond admiration to a visceral connection and reaction. The audible human voice is unique in its ability to transport us to "god-space". I can only imagine what it must have been like to be there, and further, what it must have been like for Bjorling. Glory to God (who gives men such gifts).

[cajape]

One night about 35 years ago I happened to turn on the radio -- the program was called the Vocal Scene. I remember the moment like it was yesterday. The sound I heard was, I believed then and still do--the prefect, most beautiful tenor voice ever! It was Jussi Bjorling.

[ForAll23]

Is this really recorded in 1959?

[SHICOFF1]

I HEARD HIM JUST A YEAR BEFORE THIS IN CHICAGO AS THE DUKE IN RIGOLETTO. HE SANG THAT 1958 CHICAGO SEASON IN AIDA ALSO AND THE YEAR BEFORE IN 1957 HE SANG BALLO, MANON LESCAUT, LA BOHEME AND DON CARLO! FOUR OPERA'S IN CHICAGO THAT SEASON AND WE ALSO HAD DI STEFANO AND TUCKER THAT SAME SEASON. I WAS 17 YEARS OLD AND DID NOT REALIZE WHAT A GREAT PERIOD IT WAS FOR TENOR'S !  I DID HEAR ALL THOSE TENORS OVER THE YEARS THOUGH.

[vpo2g2]

Not only a great performance, but I think they were glad to have Jussi back. He hadn't sung at the Met for a while.

[RudySunseeker]

Listening to Jussi Björling, you soon realize the man was practically unable to produce less than absolutely glorious singing. That, however, did not come without tremendous sacrifice and hard work.

Drilled by his father from age 4, his innate physique and musicality was honed to perfection, for us and everybody after us to enjoy.

How lucky are we!

[SHICOFF1]

Bjorling was a lyric spinto . I have that interview Hobo is talking about. He was asked about Aida for the tenor and what kind of role it is by Mr. Wagner and JB said it is a Spinto role and so Wagner asked him than you are a spinto and JB said yes but his voice was basically a lyric spinto according to most. Corelli was a spinto/dramatic and Tucker a pure spinto. voice groups seem to be argued by many. I don't really care what JB was, he was a great tenor but live I like him lyric the best.

[hobo1975]

@SHICOFF1 i agree with ur analysis.

[Siriusfanatiker]

sep 1960. A year before but still with any competition.

[Mapman923]

Wheee! never heard that before; really thrilling.  I was actually looking for his "Donna non vidi mai." Love that.

[vpo2g2]

Talk about getting your money's worth. And today's poor chumps who go to the Met pay top dollar for second rate singing.

[tomfroekjaer]

@vpo2g2: we don't have any tenors of the calibre of Jussi, Caruso, Gigli anymore. The last one worth listening to, as far as I'm concerned, was (the young) Pavarotti.

[RudySunseeker]

@tomfroekjaer

Humbly agree,

Caruso, Gigli and Björling are the real three tenors.

[RudySunseeker]

@vpo2g2

You are so right!

The so-called stars of today sometimes make me feel embarrassed on their behalf, obviously they don´t have the decency themselves.

That is not to say there are no competent tenors today - but you and I want somebody like Jussi Björling - noble, poetic, majestic, glorious.

Somebody who can´t sing a second-rate note.

[Siriusfanatiker]

yes, it s the demention coatch.Don t forget the lyrics. Same as in american football. But he goes under the name quarter back in that "game". 14 hupp, 16 hupp. Don t run to the left u stupid nigger.

[texasfntc26]

can anyone else hear the talking in the background???

[Aetion]

@texasfntc26 Yes, I can, but it does not matter.

[madisonelectronic]

@texasfntc26 It is the prompter by the footlights.

[mefistofele]

@texasfntc26 That's the prompter. In this era, the met live recordings with the exception of broadcasts were made from the prompter box. You hear him giving the starting lyrics for each phrase just before the singer is to sing them. This was to prevent problems with singers forgetting what they're singing, which was a more common issue at that time because opera singers typically did far more performances of a greater variety of roles with much less rehearsal time than today.

[panenrico]

Spectacular! Beyond beautiful sound, musicality, taste, good diction and perfect technique Bjorling’s singing was spectacular too. Also that conveys to him a singular fascination as a tenor. This Recondita Armonia is a wonderful example of fine and spectacular singing. Very good!!!!

[Siriussupporter]

Have you heard anyone like Jussi on an operastage in your lifetime? In the last 50 years? Please tell me. WHO??

[RudySunseeker]

Hey, we can all die happily tomorrow, because we lived to hear the best ever, talk about good fortune!

[opera888able]

And to think this great singer was tormented by alcoholism all of his adult life.

In spite of it he was a total professional and committed singer. To slightly misquote Shakespeare," we shall not see (or hear) his like again".

[RudySunseeker]

Seems these opera-lovers of 1959 thought he was quite OK...

...and he is getting better and better by the year.

[Snackay]

horrendous video transitions..thanks for the post-traumatic stress.

[mauriciomille]

died really young!!... bocelli is older now no???

[TheInimitableKaka]

@mauriciomille are 50-year-olds "really young"?

[mauriciomille]

@TheInimitableKaka welll young for die, yes is young, 50 to live is some a little older dont you think??

[ophunka]

******************************­*****************!

[madisonelectronic]

If anyone knows please tell me what has happened to my friend pearlmuth3? We spoke sometimes with email but it seems he has disappeared. The last I knew he was in Chicago and was quite familiar with opera especially Tucker and family? I was going to meet him but I am afraid I am going to get bad news.

[vpo2g2]

It's hard to listen to ANY tenor after Jussi. All the rest are, mere, singers.

[tklogan11809]

great top notes but this is not an Italian sound, plus he forgot to trill on the final Tosca. Incidentally, the prompter turned Recondita armonia into a trio, why was he so loud.

[hansquad]

@tklogan11809 forgot to trill on the final Tosca? I heard crazy trill there.

[The99Gambo]

God bless you Sir. You continue to give us so much pleasure. Thank you so much.

[tempo986]

Great Jussi, as soon as I heard you, after hearing grat tenors before you, tears arrived due to your "velvet voice" that made me feel surrounded by such angelic music!!!!.

Before your passing away, my father was so proud to have had the pleasure of singing Alfio at the Met with you.

Now you are both up there! God bless you!

Vera Bardelli Perinati

[halavey]

Great singing even at the end of his short life!

[danmessias]

Who is the best? Björling is better than him.

[Siriussupporter]

The speech about lack of acting is bull. Jeaolusy is the word in modern english if the spelling is right in my Swedish brain.

[Siriussupporter]

At the end you can hear the audience. They really hate him. (or not)

[tonyhan0903]

Yea, you are so right about that. Audience hated him so much because of bad acting. Whenever I hate the performance of singers, I applaud really hard and shout "Bravo". All opera fans do that, don't we?

[vpo2g2]

If you want great acting, go see Shakespeare. Bjorling could stand on state and sing the LL Bean catalog as far as I'm concerned.

[oakroom48]

Thanks for posting! :)

[madisonelectronic]

34 seconds of applause, an eternity in a performance recorded live.

[tonyhan0903]

Sweet and passionate, lyrical and dramatic... Wonderful rendition of Recondita Armonia.

[sublmbadfish]

Greatest of all time.

[brianlandrytenor]

Verily I say "Amen" to the last 2 comments!!  And thank you both for reinforcing my point.

[primobaritono77]

When you see how many people have actually clicked on this audio and heard JB sing this aria, it's a tragedy that not more

people are familiar with his phenomenal voice and renditions. Had Jussi been born later (say in the age of Domingo & Pav), my God what a feast for the opera world he would produced and may have even eclipsed the great Caruso!

[seektheforce]

Not to mention if he had been born later, his voice could have had the benefit and justice of better recording devices and techniques. I still view Bjoerling's voice as perfection, not in the sense that he didn't make mistakes. But it seems to me that he didn't engage in the ego strife that so many singers do these days.

[primobaritono77]

I often wonder how Jussi would have faired in the present climate of the opera world that singers have to be consummate actors as well. Let's face it, Jussi's theatrical skills were best described as tame and maybe "wooden".

However, I would gladly take a glorious voice with a limited actor than with many of these current singers who can act yet their voices are limited. Opera is first and foremost a SINGING medium....in my humble opinion.

[seektheforce]

I think with a voice like that he would have been coached on how to act and he would have learned how.

[strauss1987]

BRAVO!

[stevevandien]

I of course agree about opera as a singer's medium. But if you watch the few films we have of Bjorling in performance -- like his circa-1957 TV special with Tebaldi (Charles Laughton was the host), -- he's not so "wooden" in their "Boehme" excerpt. Granted. nobody would match him with Vickers as an actor. But Bjorling's acting, based again on the films, is at least competent. I've certainly seen much more "wooden" tenors with much less sheer voice, technique and artistry:) --

[Operafiend22]

I couldn't agree more. Opera has become a visually oriented art form, singing is secondary. Most of today's operatic stars have great voices, but poor technique...who needs technique as long as you can fit into a size 2 gown ;-)

[madisonelectronic]

Sounds like the audience in this recording does not care about "acting".

[aguacun]

... now days on opera stages you can find a lot of good looking actors... and that is not opera.

[suffes]

@primobaritono77 Good point! I often go to opera. Must say it has become something else than before. Much focus on the theathralic and acting things. Also the "effects" souranding the performance has become very important and dominating. We have a very famous and spectacular outdoor stage here called "Dalhalla". It´s always a great pleasure to join BUT something is missing. When i come home afterwards i have to put on Björling ore Caruso - dep. on what opera it was - to complete the evening!

[poolification]

But in his days he had Milanov, Tebaldi, Merrill, Warren, Los Angeles etc etc to sing with. I'm glad he wasn't born later.

[brianlandrytenor]

BTW, this is a fabulous performance, Bjorling (like Corelli) is one of my favorite tenors of all time. I half jokingly call Jussi my first teacher, since I listened to him obsessively for years while I "self taught". Curiously, though it has been attempted to make them seem worlds apart, Corelli also invoked the exact same level of intensity of reaction as Jussi does here...again, whe you're dinging at a banquet table with sivler dishes, let's not fall for the lame "apples and oranges" trap!!

[brianlandrytenor]

...(part 2) Get a life, and try to stop pretending to relate with what you think you understand, and stop fearing what you don't understand, because clearly you understand neither!!

[brianlandrytenor]

Yeah, you will have to do battle with Corelli fans.The problem is, you imply the 2 are mutually exclusive (being a Corelli fan and a Bjorling fan).It is as ridiculous as making a statement as "Yellin Corelli". Also, to call Jussi intelligent, thereby implying Franco wasn't is a bit backwards. It is well known Jussi hated rehearsing,whereas Corelli's obsessiveness is legendary....(to be continued...)

[stevevandien]

I love 'em both. Why should anybody rate them against one another? As Robert Merrill once said, there's plenty of room at the top. Bjorling and Corelli were two of the greatest tenors we've ever been blessed with, and I thank God for both:) --

[madisonelectronic]

I remember reading that Bjorling did not show in England to record an opera while the cast and crew waited. The Maestro (Leinsdorf?) told him to show up when he felt like it, and it was OK because he (Bjorling) would be charged with paying everyones salary until recording could be started. They said he showed up from Sweden the next day. hahahaha

[solobelcanto]

incredibile si sente di sotto fondo il suggeritore.....grande jussi

[pearlmuth3]

I am talking about jose C. in 1974

[pearlmuth3]

Yes I was in los angeles and he was wonderful in 74 with Nilsson.

[pearlmuth3]

He was a lyric spinto and sang both spinto and lyric roles but not a heavy spinto like say Giacomini or Tucker Or Corelli who was really a dramatic/spinto, the basic color of the voice with Jussi was Lyric but he had a fine low range also so he sang some spinto roles I have that interview and others, yes he said he was a spinto,he was a lyric spinto. Merrill said tucker became a dramatic tenor he was not. he was a Spinto That all was discussed on opera L over a year ago.

[tat1685]

Really brings the house down, doesn't he?

[pearlmuth3]

Nice to come back and hear an intelligent singer sing not yell after an hour of Corelli. His fans as I said our nasty but I will do battle with them anyhow, great singing here. JB was a perfect singer ALWAYS. He sang with taste and intelligence.

[wiswert]

perfect!!!! thank you

[dibeling]

2:11-2:52 is beyond amazing.

[pearlmuth3]

I don't know why Corelli seems to have the nasty fans, they go insane over any comment about him that does not rave. No comparison really for voice can be made since he was a basic spinto with a dramatic color no matter what his fans say he was and he could never sing musically as well as JB with perfection of tech. Jussi was a lyric spinto but his basic voice color was lyric and with great low notes and a wonderful top he could sing many heavier roles like Don Carlo his voice did carry well.

[RudySunseeker]

You nailed it!

[Lovelytenor1]

@pearlmuth3 I think his fans on YT never heard him. I knew many people who did & they all agreed that his occassional top notes/good looks were worth price of admission. The rest was strained middle voice, cracked notes, singing flat, late entrances & death to some ensemble pieces. Still, he drew people in to buy tickets for whatever reasons so it was a good thing.

[sugarbist]

@pearlmuth3 Perhaps the Corelli fans retaliate the same way the Tucker fans do when someone says something derogatory about RT.Did Tucker ever yell like corelli?There is no doubt that your comment about JB being a perfect singer with taste& intelligence is accurate.But its simply distasteful to bring a spinto like Corelli or the untouchableTucker in for a NON comparable,comparison.Could Bjorling sing an Aida.Forza.Trovatore,Chenier or Turandot like Tucker or Corell.We probably both doubt it.

[suffes]

@sugarbist Have to make some correction conc. your statements here about the operas you mention.

In some arias from these operas like Celeste Aida and Nessun Dorma NOONE tops Björling!

[sugarbist]

@suffesYou have a point.Bjorling does sing both arias beautifully.JB is undeniably equipped with a beautiful quality of voice and vocal line of singing.I personally enjoy Corelli and some other more spinto& dramatic voices in these arias like Merli, Lauri Volpi,Cortis.Many fans make proclamations about their favorites,but no1 tenor is perfect.JBsings these arias beautifully but i DON'T think he can compete with the likes of Corelli Volpi Tucker&Del Monaco in the more heroic parts of these operas

[suffes]

@sugarbist........... " i DON'T think he can compete with the likes of Corelli Volpi Tucker&Del Monaco in the more heroic parts of these operas" Here we can agree, he is not spinto enough for this. But this was not my point! My point was this; when you mentioning some operas wich "is not for Björling" it can be understood from not so experienced listeners - we are on YouTube - that he can´t sing one single note in these operas.

Example: he is not Callaf but he is certainly Nessun Dorma!

[sugarbist]

@suffes I am in agreement with you.JB IS CERTAINLY Nessun Dorma My intent is to share information as appose to diminishing the greatness of certain singers like Bjorling etc . I'm not always successful.Even though MDM Corelli Volpi are my favorites, I do prefer JB DiStefano Gigli in La Boheme. I Prefer different tenors in different roles even though I have My favorites, which are MDM Corelli DiStefano Volpi & Lanza more so in the so called American songs and shear beauty of voice. Enjoy

[pearlmuth3]

The prompter is loud cause it was recorded from the prompters box but sure worth having

[pearlmuth3]

Someone said Corelli the greatest tenor! for him maybe so but that depends what he is singing, say Faust, well Jussi sang it wonderfully, Corelli even on Studio recording was not all that good in the role, Kraus, Bjorling- more lyric and in Boheme, well Corelli did it here and JB, Tucker, Bergonzi where better and I heard all of them in the house but you can have your opinion of Corelli he was the greatest live Calaf in my time but on records it was JB, he seemed to sing perfectly always.

[cjondoran]

jose carreras in his prime nailed this role back in the 70'S with monserrat. Check that recording if you dont have it.

[pearlmuth3]

Bjorling was a much greater singer as for technique then Corelli who was not in his league at all but as I said one is lyric and one is spinto and yes corelli was a spinto not a dramatic tenor he had great high notes a great voice but next to JB little polish. He sang for the balcony and was exciting but JB really had it all, Tucker also was a spinto with a fine tech. Corelli was fine as calaf and in Aida but thats just IMO.

[hobo1975]

bjorling called himself a spinto!

[stevevandien]

When, and where, please?

[OettingerCroat]

that was AWESOME!!!!

[sebreathnach]

Don't ask me to choose between him and Di Stefano. Puccini is lucky to have both of them and an army of seconds in the background.... Jussi in Swedish and Di Stefano in Italian... No; No; don't ask for a choice....!!!!!!!

[GermanOperaSinger]

This was months before his passing, and he sounds as good as ever, still fresh and magnificent voice...they go crazy and with good reason. Bjorling never had a prime, his whole career was his prime.

[RudySunseeker]

GermanOperaSinger and pearlmuth3,

great comments!

[Lovelytenor1]

@GermanOperaSinger

Yes, people say that Fritz W would have sounded like this had he lived (I am his fan also). However, Juss B was singinglike this in his late 20's. Simply one of the best singers of the century.

[Jaaakob]

@Lovelytenor1 I haven't read the comment about Fritz Wunderlich prior to this, but I've heard that idea before... I think Fritz Wunderlich would have been incredibly good with time, but I think he'd moved in another direction. He had a completely unique sound - like Bjorling, an instantly recognizable timbre. What I sometimes think is that the palette of colours/overtones present in his voice wasn't quite up to Bjoerlings level. But who's to say it wouldn'tve been with time...

[Lovelytenor1]

@Jaaakob If FW were singing today I would fight for tickets. Still, he never achieved that incredible flow of sound, evenly through the range as did JB. JB's "Adelaide" is a good example. FW can be heard changing registers, like the rest of us mortals, while JB sounds like a musical instrument throughout. Thanks for your intelligent reply.....doesn't happen much on YT.

[saiserieht]

@GermanOperaSinger Well, he did have an "off-time" around mid fourties. He was in bad shape physically and that was quite audible. But you are right, his technical mastery is unsurpassed.

[GermanOperaSinger]

@saiserieht Off time around mid-40s? Check my posts of the 1945 Met Rigoletto with Bjorling/Sayao/Warren. He was on fire in that performance!

[saiserieht]

@GermanOperaSinger hm, you are right ... there are some studio recordings though, where he is not quite as good as usual, he never sang badly of course!

[Cantormatis]

@saiserieht Of course, off for Jussi was almost godlike for everyone else.

[dbzpalermo]

Shimmering gold! Perfect in every way.

[pearlmuth3]

Cannot compare a spinto like Corelli with a basic lyric or lyric spinto like Bjorling, heard them both and very different, one a great artist and one a large great voice with great looks. In my house I prefer Bjorling on a record but in the opera house say in a more dramatic role, Corelli but in Recital or Concert surely Bjorling he was a singer of perfection especially in lyric roles.

[madisonelectronic]

@pearlmuth3 Please anyone knows what has happened to this my friend on YouTube please tell me. We would speak to each other about Tucker and others. He had great knowledge of Opera and singing.

[suffes]

@madisonelectronic trye SHICOFF1 should be the same gay!

[hobo1975]

@pearlmuth3 bjorling on a radio interview said he was a spinto.

[sugarbist]

@hobo1975 Richard Tucker,Franco Corelli Lauri Volpi are spintos.Bjorling had a beautiful voice, but was not a spinto by anyone's Declaration.

[hobo1975]

@sugarbist well you know better than Bjorling,what would he know.he was a lyrical spinto!

[sugarbist]

@hobo1975 Dear Hobo, It's not that I know better than Bjorling.It is more like a consensus that he was a Lyric Spinto. If you listen to the spinto tenors like Corelli,Tucker,Fillipesschi,Ca­mpagnano,Barioni,Bonisoli,Mart­inucci& Martinelli, you will see that their voices have a darker timber than Bjorlings.Even though JB DID NOT have a spinto voice, it does not diminish his greatness as a superb artist.JB did sing some spinto repertoire as Di Stefano did, But they both were not spinto tenors.Enjoy

[wiseroldfart]

@pearlmuth3: That's pretty much how I feel. Corelli had a presence and a powerful voice to boot. However, when I listen to the recordings of the same arias done by these two, I prefer Bjorling.

[zuleron]

the best tenor EVER!

[GermanOperaSinger]

Two very different tenors with two very different voices. They are tied for the greatest, each in their own ways.

[Toutbon]

The prompter should have appeared in the cast list. Nevertheless a great performance by Bjorling and MacNeil. And Curtis Verna as Tosca isn't bad either.

[pearlmuth3]

Can someone translate what the above is? This was recorded in the prompters box so you hear the prompter all through but so what, sounds great. He died in 1960 but was in fine voice here as usual.

[lpizzella]

Una voz maravillosa que perdurará por los siglos de los siglos, mientras sigamos pasando de generacion en generacion esta pasion por el arte de jussi Bjorling. Mi abuelo se la paso a mi padre, mi padre a mi y yo a todo quien quiera escuchar una voz maravillosamente bella junto a unas melodias acordes a esta belleza vocal que las embellece aun mas en su voz.

[lpizzella]

Una voz maravillosa a la cual no se le puede comparar ninguna. Tenores hubo, hay y habrá muchos, y muy buenos, pero Jussi fue único. Agradezco a mi padre que me lo hizo escuchar por primera vez por los años 90 y este a su vez yo sé que agradece al suyo quien se lo hizo conocer alla por los años 50.