Of course he shouts - how in Hell would YOU act if you saw the ghost of someone you had murdered???? This is magnificent example of catharsis. Is the tortured mind supposed to be "politically correct" & whisper throughout this scene? Come ON, it's OPERA, after all!
My beloved Martti Talvela. He was, perhaps, my favorite singer of all time. If Pavarotti was the King of the High C's, Talvela was the master of bass. I know that Wolfgang Windgassen had a deeper voice, but Talvela's voice was much more flexible. Also, Talvela was a great actor. He had the looks of a Hell's Angel which was perfect for his roles.
@unclejuniorsoprano What a wonderful description! - "the looks of a Hell's Angel" had me in fits - but you're right! (now I know why I like Meat Loaf too!!) Who is it you reckon had a deeper voice? It's just that Windgassen was a tenor. But I never heard a deeper, darker, fuller or more beautiful voice than Martti's. He sounds unbelievably fantastic, has me crying every time, especially in the Monologue and Death Scene from this production.
@mdgaultney My mistake; I meant Han Hotter. How embarrassing to slip up like that. I don't know what I was thinking of. Great observation.
It's nice to see Talvela fans on YT these days. I have collected as much of his music as I could find. His singing of the Ode to Joy in LVB's 9th Symphony is my absolutely favorite version. I made a special CD with Norrington orchestra performing the forst 3 movements & the 4th mov. with Talvela. His performance of Daland in Hollander is superior!
Oh, that poor man. I call this scene 'Boris's freakout', and Martti doesn't just perform it, he lives it. He used to say he had to see images when performing - so playing Boris was downright heroic.
"he shouts trough the entire scene" yes!! but he studied with Luigi Ricci, like all the great singers of his era,(and before) and could "act" as well as sing. But he always keeps the voice at front, and that doesn´t hurt the instrument! Cheez, Boris, sung as Bel canto doesn´t really make it!
He shouts through the entire scene and hardly sings at all... unlike Pirogov. Compare them and see what you think. Nonetheless, very interesting to see and hear. He was a great singer; a sad loss.
Of course he shouts - how in Hell would YOU act if you saw the ghost of someone you had murdered???? This is magnificent example of catharsis. Is the tortured mind supposed to be "politically correct" & whisper throughout this scene? Come ON, it's OPERA, after all!
DonPaolissimo 1 year ago 2
My beloved Martti Talvela. He was, perhaps, my favorite singer of all time. If Pavarotti was the King of the High C's, Talvela was the master of bass. I know that Wolfgang Windgassen had a deeper voice, but Talvela's voice was much more flexible. Also, Talvela was a great actor. He had the looks of a Hell's Angel which was perfect for his roles.
BRAVO!!!
unclejuniorsoprano 1 year ago
@unclejuniorsoprano What a wonderful description! - "the looks of a Hell's Angel" had me in fits - but you're right! (now I know why I like Meat Loaf too!!) Who is it you reckon had a deeper voice? It's just that Windgassen was a tenor. But I never heard a deeper, darker, fuller or more beautiful voice than Martti's. He sounds unbelievably fantastic, has me crying every time, especially in the Monologue and Death Scene from this production.
tahileki 1 year ago
@unclejuniorsoprano Wingadssen deeper than Talvela? I'd love to hear evidence of that.
mdgaultney 1 year ago
@mdgaultney My mistake; I meant Han Hotter. How embarrassing to slip up like that. I don't know what I was thinking of. Great observation.
It's nice to see Talvela fans on YT these days. I have collected as much of his music as I could find. His singing of the Ode to Joy in LVB's 9th Symphony is my absolutely favorite version. I made a special CD with Norrington orchestra performing the forst 3 movements & the 4th mov. with Talvela. His performance of Daland in Hollander is superior!
unclejuniorsoprano 1 year ago
Wonderful but the best Boris ever was Nesterenko.
Great.
KevorkianM 1 year ago
Oh, that poor man. I call this scene 'Boris's freakout', and Martti doesn't just perform it, he lives it. He used to say he had to see images when performing - so playing Boris was downright heroic.
tahileki 2 years ago
Thanks for psting. But this is NOT clock scene, this is hallucination scene.
dorje1975 3 years ago
hallucination and clock scene are the same.
alexandrevlad37 3 years ago 3
"he shouts trough the entire scene" yes!! but he studied with Luigi Ricci, like all the great singers of his era,(and before) and could "act" as well as sing. But he always keeps the voice at front, and that doesn´t hurt the instrument! Cheez, Boris, sung as Bel canto doesn´t really make it!
gamath 3 years ago 3
My hometown Savonlinna :)
bassibazuuki 4 years ago 2
He shouts through the entire scene and hardly sings at all... unlike Pirogov. Compare them and see what you think. Nonetheless, very interesting to see and hear. He was a great singer; a sad loss.
jkircher314 4 years ago
This is incredible. Thank you!
BorisGodunov 4 years ago 2
Talvela forever!
Fafner79 4 years ago 2
This truly gave me chills.
Ionlyhavanhour 4 years ago 2
In Finnish - suomeksi - på finska. Talvela characterizing roles was truely awesome.
greve 4 years ago 2
What an awesome voice and presence he was! He died far too soon.
wartburg88 4 years ago 3