Björling sings "Ah si ben mio....Di quella pira "

[hazelssister]

@I agree with  Bigbadseanydaddy

[Sophiestelle]

He sing like angel! ...God bless his beautiful soul!

[ejb61]

an excellent video. Thanks very much

[bigbadseanydaddy]

Personally I think Corelli did it the best, but Bjorling is a very close second.

[SHICOFF1]

I refer to the live 1947 Romeo below, from the Met. considered by many the Romeo of his time.

[SHICOFF1]

Well I like him best in lyric roles but as far as dramatic roles like Calaf and Forza or Chenier, he did not sing them, others like Pav . did not always wisely. Bjorling basically was a lyric or lyric spinto tenor. His 1947 was one of his very best . He sang lots of recitals and early sang over 50 roles is Sweden.

[Suturb55]

I once read a comment about the incomparable comedian Richard Pryor and the speaker said if you only "heard" him, you experienced only about a third of the impact of his humor. I think Victoria de los Angeles said the same of Bjorling -- you had to be there. Wish I had been!

[MrAndredekock]

His voice was an enigma! How could a lyric tenor sing dramatic roles?! The answer is simple: Impeccable technique! Technique, technique and technique again! Most of today's tenors could learn a thing or two, just by listening to Bjorling. Gedda certainly did. A Swedish thing?

[panenrico]

What to say.... ? a singing model. No comparison is possible, with nobody else.

[petereuropa]

Ok, take a brake. Take 5 or 9 - and listen to Caruso and Jussi singing 'O Holy Night'. It's Christmas time.

For example YT: O Holy Night - Caruso and Björling

Today 1213/2010 and Merry Christmas!

[arumtriphyllum79]

Bravo, bravo, bravo!

[mactopolis]

Jussi was a true technician..but greatest is pushing it way to far,for some think he was perhaps the greatest..but one thing I really did not like about his voice is that it was small and too light

[revallen]

@mactopolis You probably never heard him in person, and I'm guessing you're not a pro. I was - for 50 years. I'll bet you know nothing about the "Singer's Formant," which Jussi had in spades!! This formant is usually a buzz in the voice at anywhere from 800Hz for low voices to 3,000Hz for a soprano like Sutherland. I have seen spectral analysis of many singers. Jussi's voice looked like a perfect sine wave. Furthermore he had the so-called "Caruso vibrato" 7-9 per second. No space left.

[kimancuo]

A friend of mine told me that JB used to go to Puerto Rico just to vacation and enjoy drinking Puerto Rican rum. He said that JB was crazy about it.

[claudiooriental]

Thanks alot PRIMOBARITONO for this incredible document. Thank you really.

[CK18238]

What fabulous legato. Perfect style and phrasing with one line flowing into the next. This is why Bjorling was the favorite tenor of many opera fans!

[brucemichreb]

The effortless speed he flicks over every word in Di Quella Pira is amazing. No tenor has sang this aria with such ease. Whether it was how Verdi wanted it to sound is another matter, but im sure if he was here today, he would aprove

[andyroma72]

100 volte meglio di pavarotti"nemorino"

[bodiloto]

@andyroma72 come mai parli con le mie parole ? hai cambiato le tue orecchie ?

[halavey]

the recording called Kol Nidre --the title of the CD and original LP by columbia that Tucker did in 1959 was great but not as great as his live in temple Singing that has never been available at all or in good sound but when you heard it you never forget it. I saw grown men crying when he sang YA-ALEH second track or Band on the recording it was much more emotional then the fine recording. He was the greatest live in it but the recording I believe is on Premiere opera pod cast, Kol Nidre. LP

[halavey]

continued from below--- He said "this is like singing three opera's in a row" after all it was a more Orthodox service then the reformed and no short cuts allowed with an all male Chorus, tons of hard singing for hours on end. As for Jussi his wife said in the book 10% of his missed singing was because of alcohol, who knows exactly but on any recital stage he was a favorite of mine but in the house in roles like Canio , Boccanegra , Luisa Miller or Lescaut Tucker had searing power and beauty.

[halavey]

Well yes Tucker had lots of heft for spinto roles and a good Cadenza and trill say in Ah Si Ben Mio but then as a cantor without that he would have been finished. I heard him just 3 mos before he died in temple in Chicago do the service singing all day off and on the stage and he fasted , not even water to drink and wet his throat and I was sin his room with him afterwards for the party that followed and he invited me to attend. I asked him over cocktails how it compared to opera (continued).

[halavey]

LP also said later Tucker was a great italian tenor also when TR asked him . LP also did praise Tucker a lot in the james drake book Richard Tucker. I knew Tony and I believe his favorite tenor from what he told me was Jussi. I worked in Calif. in Radio in the 60's and met him then.

[Lovelytenor1]

At Tucker's death LP said something like, " As I moved forward, ahead of me was always THAT VOICE".

I had one friend, who spent his life going to the MET. He said, "Yes, JB was the better singer, but he was never there." He was referring to the booze problem. Some friends left me some old playbills w/JB as the printed tenor. Penciled in was Kurt Bohm on a few of them.

Met Tucker after a concert. When he found I was a young tenor he was very kind to me. What a lovely man.

[Lovelytenor1]

Some will prefer the more heroic voices for this role, but ask a singer( or any other singer): I have not nor do I expect to hear this sung better in my lifetime.

[FabioPBarbieri]

@Lovelytenor1 Yes. Apparently, Pavarotti - a man who did not suffer from shyness or from a low opinion of his own skills - answered, when asked to compare himself to Bjoerling: "I'm only human"!  That about sums it up.

[Lovelytenor1]

I saw the interview, between acts w/Tony Randle, when TR asked LP if Juss B was not the greatest of the Italian tenors. LP, being cordial, said yes. Can you imagine the heat he took for that from the Italians?

Later, in "LP & the Italian Tenor" LP spoke to correct that.

[FabioPBarbieri]

@Lovelytenor1 Hey, I'm Italian, and I think these are as good as any performances I ever heard, from Caruso to Pippo di Stefano. I think it would be wrong to write a list of great tenors as if it were a football championship, but it does not take a lot of effort to say that JB is right up there with the best of the best.

[Lovelytenor1]

You're right about the football list. Each of the great ones gives a somewhat different gift & we should appreciate them for that. I am also a fan of Schipa, Valletti, etc. What wonderful artistic recordings they have left us. They influenced my own singing & love of the art.

[ninawally]

Amazing interpretation. He is, was and always will be my favorite tenor.

[njtenor57]

i notice you have no videos of your singing here on youtube, yet you critique perhaps one of the greatest tenors of all time with out any validity at all...bjorling...throaty, forced..where is his placement??? please get a clue as to what you speak of before you make an ass of yourself like this again!!!

[raigekimaru]

love the voice (although I prefer this on a much darker, more luxurious voice), hate the tempo, WAY too fast.

[FabioPBarbieri]

@raigekimaru Are you joking? Di Quella Pira is to be sung at a ferocious tempo, as if in a consuming rage; and the love song that precedes it seems to me done perfectly.

[raigekimaru]

rage does not mean rushed. rage means dramatic. if cannot sing like a dramatic or lirico spinto tenor, you cannot sing this piece well. that's all there is to it.

[FabioPBarbieri]

@raigekimaru I cannot express my view of what you said without becoming very, very rude. All I can say is that the world of opera fans does breed plenty of oddities. But to those who are not deformed or ignorant, this is as good as it gets.

[allahpower777]

very good

[LardoDiColonnata]

Astonishing!

Everything it perfect!

Including the italian pronunciation, with not strange accent at all...

Just GREAT!

[albertop952]

You are quite wright!

[Cornour]

VERY TRUE, he was incredible!!!

[claudiooriental]

BRAVO, BRAVO, IMPECABLE.Inmortal como su arte. BRAVO MAESTRO.

[halavey]

1952 studio recording he was 41.

[trombspanien]

i love jussi!!!!

[TraVoiBelle]

Perfect! What's the year? He sounds so young here.

[petelovesbevsills]

Sublime perfection. Singing at its ultimate best. A superb singing lesson for today's ho dee hum, wanna be, might have been and what was that tenors to learn from hopefully. Bravo Jussi and primobaritono.

[PickBit]

No doubt. I have to say though that I prefer him in softer arias. I feel he shines more in the first part (ah si ben mio) where I can fully appreciate the velvet-like texture of his golden voice rather than in the second part (di quella pira) which is more enlivened and faster paced

[bradybraidz]

I absolutely love the way that on the 'Avro piu alma intrepida Il abraccio' part just before the big G# he doesnt take that breath the every other tenor does just after Intrepida. He must have had lungs like tents! Amazing and my favourite tenor. Can't wait to see Il Trovatore in London! :D

[cicadada]

Bjorling's voice is so...touching!!!!

[kittycrunch456]

Christ what i wouldn't give to have Jussi sing this to me as if i were his wife lol!

[fofesni]

i dont like the voice of this men.

[RudySunseeker]

Thank you for your well-versed comment, priceless information for mankind!

[noonah08]

"It's Bjorling's EFFECT on the listener in particular that sets him apart from the rest... Bjorling the light is cooler and tinged with a touch of sadness that always moved his audiences - the tear in his voice communicates instantly; it connotes tenderness, sweetness and sincerity. And the remarkable 'ping' of his easy upper register is thrilling- even heroic. He means business. His singing was as natural as speech there is such joy in his singing that it becomes and end in itself."

[jlnucla1]

What a wonderful comment. I wish I could communicate in such a terrific manner. Excellent

[vintagevoices]

a long time ago I was in a vocal competition and one of th criticisms i received was that I sometimes lose "ping" in my high notes. I never could figure out for sure what that meant. I noticed you used the same word, by ping do you mean resonance??

[HMW]

yeah, exactly. by losing the ping, they mean that the sound just seem to sound "dead." an example would be what dario volonte sometimes sounds like. don't get me wrong, i think that he's a fine tenor, but sometimes his voice just doesn't ring...

[btsg]

Dario has not a clue. He is forcing, straining,grinding, slamming the larynx down.

Where is his support, placement?

It is all throaty leather.

[MTondeleo]

@noonah08: 2 yrs ago, so I'm late responding. Yours is the best characterization I've read of the Björling sound, and nothing exhibits it better than this clip, from the sweetness of "Ah si ben mio" to dramatic attack of "Di quella." In 50s a physicist published a paper in, I think, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, showing oscillograms of famous opera singers. Most notable in Björling's sound image was a far greater abundance of harmonics, overtones. Hmm.

[suffes]

@MTondeleo Think this is a famous quotation. I have red this before. Think it was on a cover to a CD?

But yes, it really captures the special feeling with Björling!

[pearlmuth3]

YES BUT i HAVE FRIENDS WHO SAY HE WAS REALLY A SPINTO BUT i HEARD HIM IN THE HOUSE AND IT SOUNDED DRAMATIC TO ME, MORE SO THEN CORELLI, maybe not as big on top yes but very dark and not an Italian sound . You are correct

[pearlmuth3]

Tucker also matched her for power, no problem I have him doing a live Ballo with her, 1963 and his C with her in the duet ending could not be over powered, Some famous singers I spoke with say Corelli was a Spinto but in any case he had a great voice but as far as Dramatic tenors singing Otello, for that one, Del Monaco was the one in my time and boy was he dramatic! Labels are funny, Spinto, Dramatic, whatever. Corelli had a dramatic sound for sure. Bjorling a lyric spinto.

[GermanOperaSinger]

True Corelli a spinto with certain dramatic qualities and timbre in the voice...this could be said about the older Tucker as well...Vickers was dramatic as well yes? But not Italian dramatic.

[ideale123]

Amazing how a grown man can sound so pure, untainted...

[tonyantony]

Corelli wasn't spinto ,he was dramatic with a huge baritonal voice ,both mezza voce and high notes were great but he could mach Nilsson in power and his voice was more baritonal even than del Monaco's.A huge spinto was Tucker.

[pearlmuth3]

You cannot compare a lyric voice like bjorling to a spinto big voice like corelli, very different, Franco very hot and Bjorling the perfect singer for more lyric roles and concerts. Favorite is up to you, live at a concert Bjorling was great and at home in my house on record but live in opera in a verismo role like Chenier or Calaf, Corelli was the one or Del Monaco and Tucker. Romeo Boheme ballo or the duke where Jussi roles he was fantastic in. He also recorded very well, sang perfectly.

[bradybraidz]

This is my favourite song and Jussi is my favourite tenor. I think he sings this song the best, just beautiful phrasing and passion, no one matches him on this. Just beauty in a song

[ilbacioditosca]

Bojerling and Pavarotti both had a extremely beautifull voice and sung with musicality like nobody else, especially Bjoerling. Who can match them in musicality ? Miguel Fleta, Wunderlich, I think Gedda and Kraus were excelent high voice singers with musicality but the sound wasn't beautifull like them. Jaume Aragall, incredible sound, not so good legato.

[kamikazekate]

Simply one of the best musicians that ever lived. His beauty of tone and delivery are fantastic. I am a fan of beautiful musicianship which only a few tenors ive ever heard possess, jussi is one of the best.

[pearlmuth3]

Primo Baritono makes a good point several months ago here. They enhance modern recordings. I heard Pavoratti first in 1973 live in Boheme and thought, beautiful but not a big voice of course and then heard his recordings, much bigger. Years later in the 80's I heard him again, twice and his voice was much larger by then. Heard Bjoerling in 58' live and it was about Pavoratti's size when pav. was younger.They both transposed down when older, singing live.

[pearlmuth3]

Very interesting how fans of both go on. I heard both in person and neither tenor is my favorite . I understand the point of Bjoerling cool on studio recordings, yes not as hot usually-- but as for Corelli being a dramatic tenor, no he was a spinto. He would never sing Otello like Del Monaco who was a dramatic or Martinelli and he did not sing with Bjoerling perfection, sure a bigger voice, Bjoerling basically a lyric. . Bjoerling did not have a really big voice live but it did carry. .

[pearlmuth3]

First of you cannot compare a basically lyric or lyric spinto tenor to a spinto, much different and Corelli was a spinto tenor, not a lyric like Bjoerling.Bjoerling was a greater artist as you can compare technique and his was better. He sang in Italian , german , English or French and Swedish of course. Corelli sang mostly in Italian with some French, had a bigger voice for more dramatic roles like Turandot, Chenier but was not a better singer, The rest is personal taste.

[bradybraidz]

Jussi is definitely my favourite tenor and this song is why. When i first heard it it just took my breathe away! The best at the song and the greatest tenor. franco corelli is better...please!

[cicadada]

The greatest!

[canafinwe]

Where are the tenors in our days? :'(

Björling IS Manrico.

Tenors in our days are yelling and not singing. And they sing Stretta in H Major... a shame!

[tamalesytortas]

may be you are losing your hearing, there is plenty of them, try Sergio Blazquez

[Yoni89]

We're coming.

[Luonnotar70]

I'm always spellbound when I hear Di quella pira sang by Björling. Not only by the force he gives to the attacco, but also by the effordless semiquavers in the first part of the area. Even the best dramatic tenors often struggle with them, making them sound guttural.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Beautiful voice and extremely beautiful musicianship. However, I think he, like di Stefano, lacks the power Manrico calls for, and he does seem slightly detached emotionally.

[paulostroff99]

Blows me away!

[wubejaja]

Bjoerling is truly the greatest tenor. He has the beautiful and powerful voice and exact technique.  Always so touching.

[angelsears]

are there any Italian Bjorling lovers out there? To my shock and dismay I read that operalovers from that country regard Jussi as "bravo" but "freddo" virtuoso but cold. is it that Italian arias can on ly be sung by a native to be appreciated; I mean Jussi makes me and so may others weep with his his superbly emotional rendition of Nessun Dorma for instance but not Italians so what is wrong?

[ucrebel59]

As an Italian, and an Opera fanatic, I tell you that the problem I have with Jussi is that is his style is too bland. No feeling or emotion! I know a lot of people admire him, but I never have a great desire to listen to him, I beleive Corelli, DiStefano, Gigli, Del Monaco, Pavarotti, In that order, were far superior. Corelli for instance was on another planet in terms of vocal ability

[primobaritono]

I disagree strongly. Jussi's characterizations have great passion and stylistically he was superb. Corelli had greater vocal ability ? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I know that you probably won't revise your opinion and that's fine, I just wanted to voice my uttermost disagreeance with your statement. Peace.

[paulostroff99]

I'm with you on this pb.Bjorling is my musical god!

[caribolas]

I think Corelli, Gigli, Lauri-Volpi, etc. are from of an era in opera when the tenors were true artists - they were part of the spectacle, not just a tool. They stressed a little bit farther their own freedom to sing and to evoke emotions. This is what self-absorbed english n american critics can't understand, and usually mistake it for "lack of technique". This is y opera will be always italian business, 'cause the italian buff can comprehend its about heart, not to please highbrow affectation

[ucrebel59]

I agree, I think you nailed it! I always find it funny, how other people feel the need to tell us Italians what is or isn't great opera singing!

[phantom4087]

You, in turn, nailed that point. The Italian language is the root of the operatic voice. For the most part, Italians tend to be better singers, but American critics aren't always like that (snooty and such): that only happens at the MET. At the SF Opera, we tend to be more liberal about interpretation (as we are about many other things lol).

[zgopify]

@ucrebel59 Funnily all you mention are Italians. Caruso was the greatest in my book, but he isn't included. As for your list only Di Stefano is on the same level as Bjoerling. Gigli sobbed, Del Monaco had a booming voice but was incapable of subtleity, he yelled, Corelli had a terrific voice but so what, he misused it. Pavarotti was very good when he was good, but not in the Bjoerling league. No feeling? The feeling is in the voice, not in exaggerated expression a la Lanza.

[TheInimitableKaka]

@zgopify I'd put Gigli ahead of di Stefano--at least he kept his voice long enough to have a worthwhile career, and in his youth, was amazing.

[zgopify]

@TheInimitableKaka Yes he had a real rubber voice, sadly he sobbedtoo much for my taste. As for di Stefano he didn't take care of his voice sadly enough!

[Kallistono]

Don't know if I can say my opinion as neighbour Spaniard - I admire Bjorling's voice a lot and I find a lot of emotion in many of his renditions but for my ears it is the voice that lacks warmth, this metallic timbre many times described "silver" that I find a bit cold.

[Kallistono]

Also I don't prefer the described "stylish" tenors in general: Kraus, Gedda, even Bergonzi etc I will listen rarely, I dont find them as interesting and moving for me as for example DiStefano, Corelli.

[69brancaleone]

Bjorling is great, i love his voice but in my opinion the best tenor of all time was and will be Caruso....unfortunately at our time opera singers are so bad...so sad.

[abednego20]

Ay, acababa de oir la versión de Alagna, y siento como si me hubiese elevado a kilómetros de altura. ¿Que Björling no era un dramático? ¡Pues claro que no, qué se han creído! Pero eso no obsta para que su interpretación sea una de las mejores.

[davidnoar]

una de las mejores versiones de este fragmento de Il Trovatore

[haggbah85]

no one sings Di quella pira better than Björling...love his voice

[maxhansendk]

I agree! All things considered - Bjorling was the greatest! tenor of all time!

No one comes close when it cames to blending registers!

Listen to the ending of "Ingemisco" (Verdi)

No one had his fiery tone from low to high register. Rich, rich overtones all the way! (Pavarotti had a weak low register.)

He sang in at least 5 more languages than his own. Leading opera roles that is!

[bradybraidz]

I think Bjorling is the greatest tenor - in my opinion anyway! His voice is so defined and everything about it perfect and his lung power is incredible and he is just so powerful to listen too.

[csmjr91090]

I think it is pointless also comparing (though I do it all the time). We are looking at two different voice types. Bjorling was an excellent lyric tenor who's high c's are the most beautiful I have ever heard. Where as Corelli, is a dramatic tenor who has an awesome b-flat and a huge instrument. I prefer Corelli's but this is great to.

[canzonettasullaria]

breathtaking!

[ucrebel59]

No way near Corelli!

[primobaritono]

You're right. He was by far greater.

[primobaritono]

Bjoerling that is.

[ucrebel59]

No offense, but you cannot compare the two. Corelli's high C coupled with his bronze timber was simply amazing.  I know not everyone liked his style of singing, but to me he was incredible, and, his version of Di quella pira, plus many other dramatic tenor roles will always be the standard.

[jblo9]

Bjorling clearly was not a dramatic tenor. Why must people insist on comparing performers. You have to sing what the punters want, not necessarily what your best at. Verdi didn't write those C's

[xav71176]

@primobaritono I fully agree with you !! too many "dégueulendi" (exaggerated portamento) with Corelli, and shouting

Björling is fabulous !!

[johnoxuk]

Well I never liked Bing either. But I think Callas did have a magnetism which drew eyes to her even when she wasn't singing (and Jussi was reputed to be a wooden actor - which may be a bit unfair). Jussi himself described Callas's Leonora as 'perfection' - so often one finds that her fellow singers are complimentary about her as a colleague, whereas it is the critics who tear her apart!

[csmjr91090]

Agreed. But yes I read Bjorling's comments and agree, I tend to take the singers opinion over the critics anytime. And yes many of Maria's fellow singers have been complimentary. Corelli, Di Stefano, Bjorling, Vickers, Gobbi, and the list goes on. They were both great.

[johnoxuk]

Oh, if only we had Callas and Jussi in this opera! What were they thinking of in Chicago? The performances should have been recorded.

[primobaritono]

I remember Rudolf Bing saying about a Trovatore with Jussi and Maria, that during this aria all eyes were on Callas and not Bjoerling. One more reason I can't stand Bing.

[csmjr91090]

I am a huge Callas fan and I hate Bing! But I remember him saying that Callas' eyes were always on her partners, and that when Bjorling sung she would respond with dramatic acting and that "he didn't know what he was singing, but she did." Which I think is true. But Maria also had a striking stage presence which drew eyes to her.

[bradybraidz]

Jussi is the only one to do the whole "Avro piu alma intrepida il abraccio" in one breathe, no one else does not even Pavarotti. Jussi does this song the best without a doubt. Beautiful expression and delivered perfectly; Superb and dramatic

[LordMoe]

I have to say that Pavarotti's recording of "Di Quella Pira" on his "Arias" album is better. His High C's are also much clearer, and he holds them out forever.

[primobaritono]

Pavarotti was a great singer. One should however keep in mind, that modern day studio recordings do not give an authentic replication of someone's voice. There's a lot of enhancing going on.

[LordMoe]

That is true, but what is this recording of Jussi coming from? If it's from his remastered CD, than that probably has been enhanced too.

Jussi is still one of the greats though.

[LordMoe]

don't get me wrong, Bjorling is one of the greatest ever. But there's a reason why they call Pavarotti the "King of High C's". I've heard a recording of him singing "Ah! Mes Amis!" live, and his high register is unmatched imo.

[bicucciolo]

Pronuncia quasi perfetta, nemmeno certi italiani hanno tale chiarezza, e poi, che voce limpida.

Commuovente.

[blakemooney]

The greatest one!

[stevevandien]

The great one is right!