Jussi Bjorling "Nessun dorma" Live 1958

[Bruchag]

Listen close as the pianist plays "bumm" notes and rememberere he sang this as a "request" if you gave parties ...

[archer1949]

The BEST. No one comes close. NO ONE.

[The99Gambo]

Pavarotti was a great tenor, but he freely admitted that Jussi B was even better. The three Super Greats (Caruso, Gigli and Bjorling) weren't great at everything (and acting was not their strong point) but they stand out as beacons of wonder against some superb tenors. And when you realise the strength of operatic talent in the last century, that's saying something. God bless them all.

[photo161]

@The99Gambo I would appreciate it if you would reveal where and when Pavarrotti "admitted" that Bjoerling was a "better" tenor than he, Pavarotti was. It would have been a highly uncharacteristic gesture on Mr. P's part, and in any case not at all true in my opinion.

[symba]

corelli is better.

[Kajsa305]

As a Swedish singer I'm so proud. This voice.... It's silverness, it's sorrow.... I love you Jusssi

[lpizzella]

the best of the century

[bkeay100]

Jussi Bjorling is the STANDARD for Nessun Dorma

Sorry Pav, Sorry Mario Lanza, you Guys Are Good !!!! No Doubt !

BUT Jussi is GREAT

[Merrillmiller99]

Jussi Björling was a gift from God! Did you notice that he sang the C as easy as if it was an A. Not bad for a singer who was professional at the age of 5, and had severe problems with his heart. He died only two years later!

[The99Gambo]

Wonderful. There is also the 'slow version' of 1944. A truly astonishing recording. And available on You Tube!

[baldassare01]

it's amazing. just the piano as accompaniment... it brings out the power in his voice.

[SHICOFF1]

@silvrlady Since Tucker did not sing Don Giovanni in his Long opera career I wonder if who you heard in the role was his Brother in law Jan Peerce at the Shrine in that opera? Sometimes people get the two confused. Jan did sing Don Giovanni often and it was excellent as he was a fine musician. He also sang at the Hollywood Bowl.

[SHICOFF1]

@silvrlady Bjorling after the early 50's sang in 1956 in Lescaut at the Shrine and for the last time in Los Angeles, Nov. 1958 he sang the Duke at the Shrine with Weede and Gencer. I heard him that year, also in Nov. as the Duke with a young Anna Moffo and Gobbi as Rigoletto.

[SHICOFF1]

@silvrlady I am your age also 70 and when Tucker sang at the Bowl in 1951- I was 11 so I didn't hear him and as far as Jussi he sang at the shrine in the early 50's so I was a young teen also and lived in Chicago but heard him in 1958 at age 18 and that was in Rigoletto in Chicago at Lyric opera and his voice was big enough for any opera house as a lyric spinto tenor and a great one yes. Tucker had a Spinto voice and did sing Calaf at the met and in Texas. Jussi recorded it with Nilsson/Tebaldi

[SHICOFF1]

@silvrlady It was not tucker on the Hollywood Bowl bill unless it was in 1951 so you must have been very young when you heard him but Tucker never sang Don G. in his life, he did sing I would guess at the Shrine. He had a big voice and would have no problem. His 1951 Bowl concert is in part on you tube. "Sound an Alarm" is very well sung and some arias also.

[petereuropa]

This year is Anno Domino 2011. Jussi was born 1911. Congratulation Jussi somewhere there up in the clouds above in heaven! We still like you very much.

[astrolog7000]

Definitely in Pav's league, and I think even better, if possible.

[hobo1975]

@astrolog7000 that comment is insulting.

[TheVerdiBaritone]

Please don't get caught up on the "size" of the voice. Bjoerling & Pavarotti both had beautiful voices. Pavarotti's voice, although it carried amazingly, was not large. All of us who heard him live know this. Pavarotti himself said he never believed he could make a career with his "tiny voice."

[RedzoneBrinch]

Agree - but we love them all :-)

[silvrlady1]

I feel fortunate to have lived in the time of some of the finest singers: Bjorling, de los Angeles, Siepi (I had a crush on him!), Schwartzkoph, Tozzi, Warren, Tebaldi, del Monaco, Christoff, Gobbi, etc., etc. Happily, I have the records & a phonograph. The record collection survived our house fire, the phonograph I replaced.

[silvrlady1]

Anybody who heard him sing in the Shrine Auditorium could never say he had a small voice. That place is a huge barn. His 'di quella pira' was electrifying. I was seated behind a lady at the Hollywood Bowl for a concert, & Richard Tucker was on the bill. She said to me 'Isn't he fabulous?'. I said he was very good, but not my favorite. She asked who was, & when I told her she said he was very good, too. Found out it was Richard Tucker's sister. I saw him at the Shrine, too, 'Don Giovanni'.

[Jaaakob]

@silvrlady1 Hi, saw your other reply about the change of accounts... That's great info :) I've always been torn on what to believe, as I said, but you've kind of cleared that up. And I suppose that if he couldn't make himself heard he just wouldn'tve been hired in the first place. Perhaps it's a question of expectations really; many came to listen to him expecting his voice to come out as it did in studio recordings, and when it didn't they were surprised to the point of thinking it was small :P

[wiseroldfart]

@nicolasfurrikane: Listen to Jussi's 1944 live version of this aria and then tell us Pav owned it. Also listen to Corelli, del Monaco, Gigli, Tucker, and a few other top tenors sing this aria and other pieces. You'll discover that Pav wasn't quite as smooth and powerful as the very best. Still, Pav was probably the best tenor of the last 50 years. Bjorling died in 1960.

[Antoniobuster12]

WAYYYYY under watched and under rated.

When musicians played around Bjorling, they became better musicians...

I'm sorry.. but it deeply disturbs me that the same piece sung by Pavarotti has over a million views... I guess that shows what having a good marketing team can do for you... or not do... :/

RIP Jussi Bjorling, in a place now where they hear the true beauty of your entire being.

Vibrate Higher

[toonbear1]

I just wish I could get a copy of the TV show he did in the UK many years ago, the commercial, Sunday Night at the Palladium on ABC tv.

[federic017]

Che tecnica ...Bravissimo. Saluti

[aguacun]

I´m really surprised because Bjoerling, in some time of his life, recorded and sung the arias with, at least, a half tone down. I strongly belive that he forced his voice with a heavy repertory and that´s the reason he losted his easy top notes that he had younger. FOR ME he was not a spinto...

[Bjoerrelli]

@aguacun Jussi had a deap admiration for Enrico Caruso´s baritonal tenor voice and tried to sing like him many times on the stage, but his wife Anna-Lisa didn´t like it and went in between acts and told him more Gigli which she sais in her book "my life with Jussi" helped him to get back on track. To me Jussi is a lyric tenor with a spinto attitude, and his fantastic stamina and perfect ring in the voice made this possible.

[aguacun]

@Bjoerrelli Spinto attitude.... I like that concept!

[vernokenn]

My favorite tenor. He sings this aria with more fervor than his other recordings.

[MrNurten]

The King!! Most powerful voice ever!!!

[lallinioh]

wooow! he is the best of all time. such a pure voice

[MrJMarquard]

Ingenting liker det? Jussie er den beste!

[Republicrat74]

Jussi's voice "live" was even more impressive than on recordings. I had the good fortune to hear him in concert at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, singing Nessu Dorma as an encore just as in the Carnegie Hall recording. In fact it was much the same program. That was his last appearance in Chicago.

[demosj]

This live performance reaffirms Bjorlin's greatness. In all the performances except those by Lanza and Pavaroti, I feel stirrings of emotion only once the orchestra launches into that spectacular finale at 3:03. The way Bjorling created that intensity with only the piano for accompaniment is incredible.

[halavey]

Bjorling also did not sing the role on stage but his complete recording of it with Nilsson is my favorite, live complete Corelli does it very well and I am not a Corelli fan.

[Siriussupporter]

Jussi was even better singing in swedish. (How is it possible??). Listen to Namner du Sverige.The standing fure is araising on your skin. Ståpäls in Swedish.

[tenorismo]

This is a wonderfull recording taken from his carnege hall concert. I don't think you can get it anymore

[aguacun]

I prefer it in the oroginal key

[Alfifa]

Beautiful!

Karlott

[aaronsande]

The best Nessun Dorma ever made! Jussi is the #1 tenor ever, to me, and no one sang this better than he did in this recording!

[CarmenMirandasHat]

My favorite tenor. Everything he touched turned to gold. I could probably listen to this on repeat forever.

Thank you for the wonderful video

Bravo!

[OperaFanCantor]

My favorite interpretation of Nessun Dorma. Like Caruso, Bjoerling lifts us to an ecstatic, superhuman level. These are my two most beloved tenors. Thank you for posting this.

[dagodemuro]

shit.... caruso never sang turandot!!!

[tomfroekjaer]

@dagodemuro: No, unfortunately, Caruso never sang Nessun dorma - although Puccini had intended the role of Calaf for Caruso. But Caruso died before the opera was finished - and Puccini before the opera was finished.... Two giants of opera dying before their time....

[LoverofLiszt]

It´s funny how all the tenors almost seem to have problem hitting the "low" D during the second "Nessun Dorma" but they take the high B (or H) at the end practically effortlessly.

[aguacun]

Specially because Bjorling is singing here not a low D but a lower note. The key was transposed down

[sarado88]

Great.. Fantastic.. Bravo!!!!!

[notlracstabb]

Whew....he tore that up, Pavarotti.......??? Placido??? Bjorling may have bested them from what i hear on this recording.

[thesp467]

He sure did, and I adore them both, my new hero is Bjorling.

[Republicrat74]

Super, and much like I heard him live in concert in 1958 at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, but I much prefer my LP of his 1959 recording or Turandot.

[canio59]

Ahhh! Björling! Need you say more. One of my all time favorite tenors!

[highfields1]

this is not only his best but, the best.

[saloabad]

thanks for sharing tjallew

[kittycrunch456]

Great quote by R. Levine on Jussi's incomparablenss: "... but its effect on the listener is very different... he 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 an end in itself."

[viking1938]

I was so fortunate to hear Jussi sing live in the '50s in Los Angeles. He sang in IL TROVATORE, & I promise you his voice was powerful enough for the big Shrine Auditorium. He was, & is far & away my favorite tenor of my lifetime, & I'm 70.

[Jaaakob]

@viking1938 it's strange... some people insist that he had a small voice, even in a documentary I saw the other day... others say, like you, that his voice was of adequate size. It's so hard to know who is right. I can only think that people wouldn't have liked him so much if he couldn't prove his worth (let alone make himself heard in a house) in live situations too.

[silvrlady1]

@Jaaakob P.s. I was Viking1938, but had to change emails, etc.

[holkn]

@viking1938 are you really a viking?

[GermanOperaSinger]

No direspect to Pavarotti, who in his prime was sensational, but Jussi was 10 times the singer that Pav was.

[Mooorhe]

In your opinion*

[Yoni89]

Actually.. Technique wise, I believe Jussi was far superior to Pavarotti- not a fan of Jussi all that much- so I'm not bias

[Mooorhe]

Seeing as you dislike Pavarotti, I think there might be some bias there. Both supported perfectly, both had very perfected passagios, what evidence can you present to me that Bjorling's technique was 'far superior' to Pavarotti's?

[Yoni89]

I dislike Pavarotti post 1970, pre-1970 I think he's amazing.

And the one thing that makes Jussi superior in my eyes is his support and ease in the high register. Jussi from the recordings I've heard could use one breath for an absurd amount of time, it's extremely impressive.

[Mooorhe]

The longest I've heard Bjorling hold a high C for was 9 seconds live... Pavarotti sang a 9 second high C in La fille du regiment in New Orleans, only stopping because Bonynge got fed up and moved on.

Many tenors could have held Cs for much longer, but did not as it is not considered tasteful.

[Yoni89]

I'm not talking about sustaining notes, I'm talking about using one breath for a certain amount of time, controlling that breath to no end. It's extremely hard to do.

[Mooorhe]

And Pavarotti could do it too... I'm yet to hear a recording of Pavarotti in his prime gasping for breath because his control wasn't good enough. It doesn't matter whether you use one breath for many phrases, or take a breath between, so long as it doesn't interrupt the singing in my opinion. I think both managed to control their breath in a fashion that it didn't interrupt the singing.

[Yoni89]

I have heard so many recordings of Bjorling singing with one breath where he shows his excellent control, you expect him to take a breath and he just keeps singing.

It didn't interrupt the singing, no- but it shows more breath control and better technique when you can sing beyond what people expect.

[kittycrunch456]

Great quote by R. Levine on Jussi: "... but its effect on the listener is very different... he 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 an end in itself."

[Jaaakob]

@GermanOperaSinger That seems a bit harsh. I would say that Jussi paid more attention to each note, making an obvious effort to make it as beautiful as any other note in his register. Pavarotti might not have concerned himself as much with this. I think he was more of an outgoing, affected singer which makes them even more different - not only by nature but by personality.

[unclejoeoakland]

@GermanOperaSinger My father's family were all Italians, in America. Grampa was a very simple man of humble station but immensely enjoyed Björling, after being introduced to him by my father. They had a running, good natured dispute until the day that Grampa passed on, that Jussi was in fact an Italian, one Giuseppe Birolino. Visit Jussi's house, now a museum, in Borlange. Bravo, Jussi!

[stevevandien]

@GermanOperaSinger Or at least 3-4 times. I love Pav, but Bjorling was the greater technician and (all other things being at least equal) the greater singer.

[bkeay100]

@GermanOperaSinger Agreed this guy makes Pavarotti and Lanza sound like 2 boys trying out for the local Church Choir

And I like Pavarotti, Lanza,and Bocelli

[noonah08]

"the tear in his voice communicates instantly; it connotes tenderness, sweetness and sincerity." cont.

[noonah08]

"... Many years ago I sat beside a very old woman at the Metropolitan Opera and she reminisced about singers long gone. She spoke kindly of Gigli, di Stefano, Tucker, martinelli, and her critical acumen was to be admired. But when I asked her about Bjorling, she could barely speak: 'Every note of his went straight to my heart,' she said through barely choked-back tears. 'God must have wanted to listen to him alone in heaven.'"

[5isgrace]

What a great quote. This should be in a book.

[noonah08]

Amazing writing by(robert levine). Maybe i should post the full length version lol. Anyway thanks, glad u guys enjoyed it ).

[phantom4087]

It is in a book.

[hobo197]

i think this is the most beutifully expressed version of this aria i have ever heard,and i have heard most of them from the first recording of alexandro valenti.bjorling sings it with an epression most fail to do, generally there is no change in expression just a straight out sing.

[pearlmuth3]

I am 67, heard Jussi live in 1958 in Chicago sing the duke OK, the voice was not big but did carry fine, no problem hearing him in the big house I heard Corelli at the met and it was of course bigger he was a spinto, jussi basically a lyric who would not sing calaf live but he sang a better romeo boheme (ballo and rigoletto) both roles Corelli would never sing, too hard! Jussi was a class act and a better concert artist also, tech you can compare however Corelli did have looks and fine voice.

[primobaritono]

This is MAGNIFICIENT singing!! Bjoerling's voice is still in near to perfect shape even after 28 years of heavy operatic singing and a terrible heart condition! BRAVISSIMO JUSSI !!!

[moorfan1]

To ucrebel59...this was NOT a "power" voice. It was a beauty voice. He could still be easily heard over other singers due to his brightness of tone. Of course I prefer Corelli singing this aria...but they were different singers with different vocal types.

To Trivou...are you crazy? Bjoerling has never "sucked". Listen to the beauty of the opening phrases...the resonance, the overtones.  Certainly you are mentally ill.

[ELLOS19]

Maby he was drunk that day

[tenor74]

now folks, to be honest. maybe björling isn't in his best form on this recording.

but one is for sure: there was - taking everything into content(beauty of the voice/timbre, ease of tone production, great musicality an versatility, etc. ...)no better tenor-voice in the 20th century than björling's - with perhaps one exception: caruso! but that's really a matter of taste then.

by the way: your replies are more than welcome.

[Jaaakob]

i get pissed when people say Björling lacks power. For one, how many of you are old enough to have heard björling live?

If a voice that carries very well with incredible ability to sing lyrically as well as with heft isn't "powerful", then what kind of voice is?

IMO I find that many other great tenors lack the focus and core that bjorling has 95% of the time. Sure they have other strenghts to smoothen that over, but still...

[pearlmuth3]

No he never sang it on stage but did the aria live in concert. Corelli on stage was the best in our time of those who did the entire role. Bjoerling did not have a powerful voice but it would carry fine and he sang spinto roles like Don Carlo and trov I heard him live, it was beautiful.

[lpizzella]

No hay discusion sobre que Jussi Bjorling fue no solo el mejor calaf sino que fue tambien unos de los mejores sino el mejor de la historia de los tenores.

[sugarbist]

@lpizzella Bjorling DOES sing the aria beautifully but how can you say he's the best Calaf ever, if he never sang the opera live?

[Pagudo]

Best Calaf ever. Bravo!!!

[Luonnotar70]

Well, Björling never did Calaf on stage. Corelli did, so people claiming he was the best Calaf just might be right. But to say that Björling didn't have colour, ring or yes, even power, is absurd. The colour even comes through mono recordings, his resonance is really textbook and his crescendos impressive for someone with a natural lyric tenor voice as his.

[tenor74]

If Björling had no ring - Corelli could not sing!!!

[ucrebel59]

I stand by my statement. No one perfomed this aria or was a better Calaf than Corelli.

listen, say what you want, but Bjorling didn't have a 1/3 of a voice that Franco Corelli had! No one did!

[tenor74]

ok, ucrebel. If you think: the louder, the better, you are right. no one was a better singer than corelli then.

[ucrebel59]

Listen, I'll leave you Bjorling fans alone. No point in this pissing contest. I really don't think you have true understanding of opera.

[tenor74]

ucrebel, I am sorry, but I'm not going to discuss anything further with you on the level you have chosen with your last reply.

[Jaaakob]

please elaborate on your "true understanding of opera", I am curious as to how you motivate your own comprehensive superiority.

[GermanOperaSinger]

I agree with the first part of your comment. Second part, no. Can't compare Corelli with Bjorling as the voices were completely different, one Italian spinto and the other Swedish lyric sound, yes Bjorling didn't have 1/3 of Corelli's voice but Corelli also did not have 1/3 of Bjorling's voice, as I said, they are completely different. Both fantastic singers.