Björling - Di Stefano - Schipa - " E la solita storia " - L'Arlesiana

[Gennady622]

Ди Стефано не в форме - подхрипывает и наверх не идет.Пока что лучший - Бьёрлинг.Посмотрим,как споет Скипа...Оборвалось на самом интересном месте.

[SHICOFF1]

Di Stefano sang it as it was written without the high B but believe me he had it and in fact back then he could sing High C and also diminuendo on the note and in Faust he did just that. Actually I like it without the high B better, seems too flow better that way but most tenor's these days sing the B.

[macciboma]

@SHICOFF1 Caro signore mi fa molto piacere che trovi belle le interpretazioni di questi grandi tenori in questa spendida aria. Grazie da Walter.

[SHICOFF1]

Someone said GD was past his prime in this recording--NO this was 1947 and he never sounded better then in the 1940's Till middle/late1950's. I heard him in the house in Italy, Milan in  1959 give a fine performance in Tosca but it was a young Tebaldi who they went wild for that time, screaming Brava!

[SHICOFF1]

@gay tenor On you tube the Merrill tells of how they recorded the Rigoletto quartet and Jussi was not pleased with not being heard well enough so they did a few takes to get the balance of sound at the correct level and in the end Merrill said it worked well,and Merrill added, after all he was a tenor! Some fans who have heard JB also tell me what I thought that RCA really could have done a better job with the sound Merrill mentions this all in his book also. Columbia early was worse

[SHICOFF1]

Di STEFANO is so Italian and warm here, plus just a beautiful lyric tenor voice, sorry he got into heavier roles and wrecked it fairly fast but in his prime was on top as a lyric tenor in Italian and some French opera also. Schipa a fine musician, heard his farewell in 1962 but he was quite old, he lasted.

[gaytenor]

maxhansendk: 2 - as did for that matter the acoustic recording process. Listen to recordings by McCormack, Gigli, Lauri-Volpi, Martinelli, etc. very, very little difference can be heard. The difference you hear is the dry acoustic employed by RCA but the EMI recordings made by Bjorling sound like they had echo added to them or were done in a totally bare room. Live recordings done in an opera house or concert hall are better for ANY SINGER>

[SHICOFF1]

Love the Di Stefano here he has a combination of Italian sound, warmth, emotion and beauty early in his career that made him the best in the Italian lyric tenor field and as far as Pav. in his book "my own story" he talks of Di Stefano as his favorite. In his early days time he had no PR people to make him do anything as stated in comment here and he grew the beard after a fishing trip with his close friends in Chicago. ( Mr. L) had a beard and was also a big man, had Nothing to do with JB.

[suffes]

Sorry, he was forced to "thing ot" - shall ofcourse be - he was forced to "sing on".......

[suffes]

I don´t want to rank these performances in any way but comment one particular thing here. Björling has here a deep, deep genuine feeling wich hits exactly the right spot. No wonder if one knows his story. At five he was forced to thing ot his mothers funeral at 16 on his fathers funeral. later on at his brothers funeral. Such a life story is inbuilt in his tone and becomes real in an area like this!

[Siaroe1977]

@suffes

Just listen to a so called lighter song from 1933 "Min lantan ar Du", and you will hear that same genuine feeling.!

[injamaven]

this is one of the saddest arias I've ever heard.

[AleBro83]

tre angeli

[Ankhsnammon]

Qualcuno ha detto che é la piú bella romanza scritta per la corda di tenore..

Come scegliere tra questi tre angeli che ancora mi cantano quando,dopo tanto tempo,chiudo gli occhi e ci penso che andró in teatro,e li vedró ancora...?

Chissá che anche io vorrei dormir cosí...carissimi Jussi,Pippo e Tito...

Grazie a chi ha postato questo...

[macciboma]

@Ankhsnammon Grazie Nina. Condivido tutto. Saluti Walti

[rokbe4u]

@Ankhsnammon.Non dimenticate di ascoltare Roberto Alagnan.

[rokbe4u]

@Ankhsnammon.Non dimenticate di ascoltare Roberto Alagnan.

Grazie.

[maxhansendk]

Bjorling at 1:29 until 2:07 is as beautiful as singing ever gets!

Only trouble is... that recordings don´t reveal how powerful and beautiful Jussis singing really was.

At least Carusos widow said:

-You are the only one worthy of wearing Carusos crown!"

Recording technique back in the old days could not show all overtones from Jussi Bjorlings wonderful voice. Only attending a live performance could hear his silvery tone of singing.

But I also love to listen to all other good tenors.

[gaytenor]

@maxhansendk: Bjorling had a remarkable and exceptionally beautiful voice that carried well but I wasn't powerful in any way. You do not have a powerful voice when you push ahead of the other singers when recordng the Rigoletto quartet, have trouble being heard in Don Carlo at the Met, etc. As to Caruso's wife she openly admitted to not being musical or even liking operatic singing except for her husband's. The electrical recording process covered the whole range of the tenor voice:

[maxhansendk]

Jussi is Swedish tenor, singing in Italian language against two "Italian tenor giants!"

"di Stefano" and "Schipa"...

I find it the "highest praise" of Jussis singing that a Swedish tenor singing in Italian language is compared to the best tenors Italy had in those days...

And despite his (Jussis) language handicap...It is not clear who gives the better version. Sometimes....I don´t care...I enjoy them all. Different flavours enrichening my life. Sometimes I do care!

This time I care-Guess why

[maxhansendk]

As always...Bjorling is THE GREATEST TENOR!

The others can´t perform on his level. Thats why Bjorling is consistantly voted the best tenor of all times. Not once, not twice...but everytime listeners give their final vote.

BJORLING!!

[Lovelytenor1]

This is not a fair comparison as GDs recorded this after he had ruined his instrument. As Jussi B had a virtually perfect technique he never had an an "off" period. JB wins this hands down but again, it is not fair. Schipa, as always, adds a sweet grace to this aria & could not have sung the "B" at the end...which is, given the beauty of the interpretation, hardly important.

[djschlom]

I agree, this is not a good aria for Bjorling. Or at least not a good performance of it. the final B was almost comical...when do you stop a word in mid-word, in mid-phrase and load up with breath so you can blast the high note? Di Stephano was much, MUCH more sensitive. Far and away the better of the performances (he at least realizes that he can't hit the B...).

[amalek80]

Nice comparison. For me, Di Stefano is the clear 'winner' here, but I have trouble choosing between him and Pavarotti in this aria. Schipa does a good job too. Better than I expected after reading some of the comments. (Pity the end is cut off).

[DonPaolissimo]

Fine singing by all gentlemen involved. BUT, the clear "winner" here is Pippo, for not only vocal beauty, but the involvement & passion!!!

Still my very fav is, believe it or not, LANZA!!!!

[bodiloto]

Tutti i tre sublimi ,immortali ! Artisti di questo livello non esistono piu !Grazie per questo bellissimo video !

[mactopolis]

Bjorling may be good to some people's ears...but I am not tone-deaf....his rendition is not the best by far

[billyguns2]

Di Stefano gives us the character and brings the aria to glorious life, even though his conductor is WAY too fast in the first part. Bjoerling always sings magnificently, but I lose interest after remarking "what a beautiful voice and what a great technician!" I think Bjoerling's finest recorded achievement is his Des Grieux in Puccini's Manon Lescaut; his Turriddu is pretty great as well. Oh, yes, the live Manrico from 1939 is also stunning.

[ckrause5]

Let's discuss the only two that are operatic in proportion--di Stefano and Bjoerling. Bjoerling's singing is general, his Italian laughable, and he doesn't even bother to give us the pianissimi that the lamento requires. Di Stefano is, on the other hand, riveting, as always. His singing is so direct and personal. It has a range of dynamics that the other two can only dream of, and the beauty and emotion conveyed by his voice take one's breath away. He is number one by a long shot!

[maxhansendk]

@ckrause5 Silly...

Pavarotti has declared in public that Jussi Bjorling was unique! Later his PR-people made him say di Stefano was unique!

Of course, singing in Italinan is easier if you are born and raised in Italy.

Still, I think Pav was more admiring of Jussi then di Stefano.

Pav and Jussi have the same kind of tenor voices. To distinguish himself from Bjorling Pav grew a beard. My guess is that similar bodies and voices has to do with human "accoustics". Look at Pav in "Ingemisco" =JB

[AnryK2690]

Di Stefano!..

The great Pippo

[RickM5199]

My vote is:

1. Bjoerling for his impeccable breathing & phrasing;

2. Schipa for his lightness of voice (though he gets a bit syrupy just before the 6th minute); and

3 di Stephano (who had a most exceptional voice, but we must consider the qualities of the two with whom he is being compared).

In short, all three tenors are wonderful, and we are fortunate to be able to hear and compare their voices so many decades later.

[Kalidor85]

Di Stefano's rendition of this aria is the best in my opinion. This is the only thing one can say "hands down". Comparing and ranking tenors of this level is just plain retarded, but one can certainly compare performances.

[WANK83]

This aria is definitely not for Jussi Björling. Di Stefano sings quite better. As for Schippa...

[martinmontes28]

Bjorling is the best tenor of the century, but in this aria the best is Jonas Kaufmann

[Kalidor85]

Don't make me laugh.

[maxhansendk]

Bjorling wins hands down as the best tenor ever!

At least when real experts and collegues have their say. He recorded only in mono when he was at his best, still better the everyone else!

[19olivier72]

Ovviamente, niente da dire su questi 3 Maestri del canto lirico. Peccata che la versione di Tito Schipa è stata tagliata...

[paulostroff99]

They are truly all wonderful and are some of the greatest tenors of the twentieth century. Let us just celibrate the fact that we were fortunate enough to have been blessed with the privilege of hearing them all.

[qklq42]

For me its impossebly to choose between these giants. They all bring there specialety. The brilliance of Bjorling, the tender phrasing of Pippo, and the almost unmanly, pure, chique of SchipaWe are the lucke ones that can listen to all these fantastic performers of the last 100 years!

Hans NL

[macciboma]

Molto saggio il tuo commento mi fa piacere che un giovine sappia aprezzare queste belle cose .

Grazie da Walter.

[daminzs]

di stefano, for me wins this, pure beauty....

[pippofan123]

6744sorn, permite que eu use as suas palavras? "I love the way his voice caresses the words and speaks softly to the soul". Esta é a melhor definição que já ví, da maneira do Di Stefano cantar."...his voice caresses the words and speaks softly to the soul". Você disse tudo.

[meltzerboy]

All three are superb, and I would even add Carreras (preferably the young Carreras) to the list for his sincere intensity as well as vocal prowess. If I had to choose between these giants, I'd go with Bjorling: the vocal combination of sweetness and brilliance is hard to match.

[6744sorn]

Its not just one element of a performance that appeals to us. As you mentioned, combined brilliance and sweetness set Bjorling apart here. DiStefano is dynamic and elegant as always, and Schipas phrasing and sweetness, especially on a sad piece, is so touching.

At this sublime level of artistry, the choice is so subjective.

I have to give it to DiStefano, because I love the way his voice caresses the words and speaks softly to the soul.

[macciboma]

Bella descrizione dei tre tenori anch'io trovo

migliore Di Stefano in questa aria

. Grazie da walter.

[meltzerboy]

I admit this is not Bjorling's best version of the aria but I still find his vocal qualities captivating (if not his Italian pronunciation). My choice is marginal and I could have gone toward either Di Stefano or Schipa (or Carreras, Gigli, or Tagliavini). They are all so great and individual!

[RickM5199]

Bjorling's phrasing is impeccable... one wonders when the guy stopped to breathe.

Di Stephano and Schipa are wonderful as well,,, when it comes to voices our judgments are very subjective.

But if I were forced to choose only one, it would certainly be Jussi.

[lpizzella]

Hay algo que se llama partitura, el que sabe me sabra entender, Bjorling lejos la mas bella voz, nunca le perdonaran no haber sido Italiano.

[lpizzella]

Pipo extraordianrio pero siempre quizo cantar como Bjorling y nunca pudo, por eso sus matices que necesitan dar efecto a una voz natural pero a punto de quebrarse en pocos años. Schipa el gran maestro de los tenores pero lejos de estos dos monstruos.

[mozzrt]

I've never liked this aria...Pippo sobs too much (and sounds uneven here and there), Jussi tries much too hard and Schipas voice is less beautiful, but I'll rather have his interpretation. Noone wins. Give me Bjorlings non-breathing, Pippos voice and Schipas way of singing.

[giriloti]

Non c'è confronto possibile. Schipa li surclassa tutti. L'unico che gli sta a pari e che per me lo sorpassa è Beniamino Gigli che dota d'organi virili quest'aria un po' melensa

[4ottave]

in this aria Schipa, only Schipa...

[lozerest]

De très loin Schipa, technique vocale inégalée, modèle d'élégance et de raffinement.

[adremoid]

il finale di Pippo strappa le lacrime. Dev'essere un Di Stefano giovane. Ma già grandissimo. Certo che Schipa è un bìvero maestro in arie come questa.

[salalavil]

Es el aria más hermosa que se ha escrito para tenor,y la mejor versión para mi gusto es la de Di Stefano, por los pianisimos tan bellos y por el sentimiento que pone. Schipa, Bjoerling, Kraus, también magníficos pero no tan convincentes como Pipo.

[macciboma]

Ha ragione il Pippo è imbattibile. Grazie.

[fabrizzzio48]

Schipa, Di Stefano, Bjoerling.

Pity, the Schipa is cut, but is most subtle.

[perezlafont]

Los tres son extraordinarios. Cada uno tiene un estilo unico y diferente. Por eso la grandeza y renombre de cada uno. This is a win on win situation...

[zlatantillifk]

Jussi.

[NEMORINO1976]

haha, Bjorling says "nel sono lamen..." instead of "nel sonno almen". Anyway, hs's a great master!!

[macciboma]

Bravo conosci bene l'aria che ti sei accorto dell'errore di Jussi,ma canta con molto cuore.

Saluti e grazie

[sefferpot]

1.Jussi

2.di Stefano, Schipa

[delmonaco74]

La più bella interpretazione: Jussi, Jussi.

[neronnenn]

Hanno proditoriamente scelto una brutta versione del brano canata da Jussi, che è al solito il migliore ma non qui, per esaltare gli altri che non hanno bisogno certo di questi mezzucci.... Pippo canta bene tranne una nota incerta ed al limite della stonatura. Schipa? Il migliore in questo ruolo :)

[rouman7]

di stefano, then schipa, then bjorling..

[BariTenoreDram]

la naturalezza di Di Stefano la sua musicalita la sua bella voce l'interpretazione....non c'è dubbio per me è il numero 1 in questo brano come in ''mi par d'udir ancor''

[pearlmuth3]

Schipa had a better tech. then di stefano but a pure lyric and di stef a lyric spinto so hard to compare but for emotion and dynamics di stefano here is my choice, Bjorling here is not as good as usual his later recording in 58 is hot but has a lot of vibrato. This one of him is in the 40's and just not his best singing.

[gumieltrece]

Credo che no sia difficile stabilire una graduatoria delle tre esecuzioni:

1° Schipa

2° Di Stefano

3° Bjoerling

[Ankhsnammon]

Totalmente d'accordo con voi!

ankhsnammon

[dagodemuro]

bjoerling...jesus, thanks for bringing him to us,,,,

[pearlmuth3]

Di Stefano great reading of it but Bjorling recording here not as good as a copy I have which sounds better then this one. I generally like JB better but not this time.

[paulostroff99]

All three are superb! You might add Tagliavini to this awesome mix. He had a smaller voice,but as sweet as Schipa! Bravo! TY.

[Sbordomus]

There is no "contest" here -- only "contrast"

Here are three incomparable tenors giving what could be a voice lesson. Who today is their equal?

[macciboma]

Sbordomus lei ha ragione tutti e tre sono bravi.

Piccola preferenza per Pippo.

Grazie. Walter.

[Andante735]

Equal?? The aren't any "tenors" today worthy enough to shine their shoes.

[mactopolis]

First of all at least given Schipa a fighting chance with the complete aria....Bjorling does'nt even belong being compared to Italian tenors final....

1st is De Stefano

2nd is Schipa...

there is nobody here for 3rd

[ideiao]

Bravissimo!Avete detto tutto!!!

[macciboma]

Mi fa piacere sentire l'apprezzamento dall'estremo oriente, certo la musica non conosce, confini, barriere, la bella musica

commuove tutti i popoli sensibili. Grazie.

Walter.

[ideiao]

Si Walter,la bella musica penetra nel core!

Grazie a lei.

Riccardo

[ironfuscia]

di stefano FTW. schipa should have stuck with beppe and bjoerling sounds like 'goat boy'.

[operabitch77]

there is NO comparision between the three of them in this aria, di stefano is hands above the other three. jussi's is a great tenor and schipa is a legend!

[teachertenor]

Como siempre gracias Macciboma por estos videos estupendos. Sin duda "Tres Dioses del Olimpo Lírico".A mi entender en esta romanza bellísima, el Maestro Supremo es Tito Schipa, Maestro de todos los demás, incluído Di Stéfano y Bjorling que lo admiraban.Di Stéfano estupendo cuando tenía la voz intacta y Bjorling con problemas de fraseo por su barrera idiomática, escuela muy nórdica.-

[macciboma]

Ero certo che questo video l'avrebbe gradito

conoscendo la sua sensibilità, per la bella musica e i bravi cantanti. Grazie saluti Walter

[pearlmuth3]

Yes, Schipa fantastic in Italian songs and lyric roles with a lesser voice then the other two, heard him in 1963 farewell recital, he was a great artist, warm but not hammy, try listening to the later Bjorling recording also but I like this one for a pure beautiful sound.

[macciboma]

1 Di Stefano

2 Bjòrling

3 Schipa, Più corto il pezzo, ma un poco lento

cantato.

Grazie Walter

[pearlmuth3]

I heard both di stefano and bjorling live but bjorling seems on stage no more spinto then di stefano and both where lyric spintos, lyric's who could sing spinto roles both. Bjorling's voice in the house was not quite as large as Di Stefano but neither where big voices, bjorling was smarter he did not mess with Forza ever, Aida except in Europe and once in Chicago 3 times in 58' He by then re-recorded this aria with a darker voice and was fantastic, great tech like Schipa but better top.

[Shoreseeker2]

These are 3 great Tenors in there own right. Bjoerling is a Spinto, DiStefano and Schipa are lyric tenors. DiStefano and Schipa's performance of this aria is more intimate but Bjoerling's performance is head and shoulders above the other two.

[reduxmisc]

It's really unfortunate you couldn't fit the full Schipa rendition. To me he remains the standard to which all the others are judged.

His phrasing and musicianship is with out equal.

[macciboma]

Ha ragione signore schipa è unico nel suo modo di cantare purtroppo è capitato alla fine dei tre e il tempo. Grazie Walter

[Carusogigli]

Excelente vídeo,com três dos maiores tenores do sec XX.São interpretações maravilhosas.

[jorgepoveda]

Curioso alguna vez un critico llamo a Boejrling muerto tragicamente tan joven : " el mejor tenor italiano" pese a que su pronunciacion en otras lenguas dinstintas al sueco y al aleman , obviamente dejaban mucho que desear. Una excelente version de esta misma aria por el tenor sueco se encuentra en un disco conmemorativo: Jussi Bjorling, Tenor de Legende ,del año 2003 (ADD) La Collection.

[KyotoMelody]

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to listen to these superb voices. Grazie.

[osctello]

Pippo es demasiado, casi perfecto, pero escuchando a los tres recuerdo algo que escuchaba hace mucho tiempo respecto a Schipa, lo que trasmite en el canto es algo parecido a lo que se siente al escuchar a la Callas, que no tenía la mejor voz pero era la mejor. No digo que Schipa sea mejor que Pippo pero su instinto para el canto no creo que lo tuviera nadie. En cuanto a las versiones, la de Pippo está al nivel de la de Tagliavini que tb me gusta mucho, pero me sigo quedando con Schipa. Gracias.

[macciboma]

Caro osctello me gusta il suo giudizio su queste tre esibizioni, Bjorling è perfetto, Di Stefano

Per me il migliore anche se non ha la voce più

bella, ma la grazia e il cuore nel cantare,

Tito è stato particolare per il suo modo di grazia di cantare. Saluto grazie

[HelgeKS]

Great versions. Björling's absolutely heartbreaking 1959 version would outshine all 3 of them though.

[coreTenore]

Por Dios que versiones!!!!!! Sobre todo la de Pippo....

[macciboma]

Schipa per il suo particolare modo di cantare.

Bjorling per la bella voce, ma Di Stefano possiede la grazia e cuore che lo distinguono,

preferibile. Grazie Walter.

[coreTenore]

Gracias a usted, por la generocidad de compartir tan nagno y emocionante material.

Realmente un gusto.

[macciboma]

Grazie core Tenero per il riconoscimento del gusto per questo brano, ma la musica sensibile,

vive nel nostro cuore.

Walter.

[NEMORINO1976]

Tres grandes! Pippo, me pusiste la piel de gallina!!!

[jmarqueslr]

Of course Schipa is the one for whom this aria seems to have been written,like the "Pourquoi me reveiller", but Bjorling and Di Stefano are also first class.Thank you for the opportunity of listening and comparing these superb voices,not "of the past",but of the present of all Music lovers.

[macciboma]

Schipa ha una grazia particolare nel cantare,

Bjorling a parte la pronuncia è molto bravo,

Per me il migliore Lo scomparso da poco Di Stefano.

Grazie

[belcantomania]

Schipa li schiaccia tutti..tanto di cappello per la natura vocale degli altri,ma Schipa ha un che di indicibile superiorità artistica.

[macciboma]

Hai ragione ha una grazia superiore. Aparte la pronuncia Bjorling è molto bravo. Pero Di Stefano è eccezzionale.

[jbjoerlingfan]

They sing so differently, but all 3 are wonderful. Thanks for posting.

[macciboma]

Caro Pippo ci hai lasciato, ma la tua arte

resterà immortale.RIP.

[paulostroff99]

Superb! Bravo! TY

[macciboma]

Una delle arie belle del repertorio italiano, del grande Cilea, cantata da tre tenori famosi

Grazie .

[paulostroff99]

Famosa y magnifico!

[Dobrib]

Marvelous voices and singing three tenors from the past. Thank you maestro Walter!

[macciboma]

In questa aria meravigliosa di Cilea, tre tenori

che si equivalgono con il loro canto accorato