Ildebrando D'Arcangelo - Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori (Score Animation)

[dcoveyamericamd]

My jaw literally dropped at 2:53

[seancoxen]

This seems to be a reworking of an aria from "Sosarme", or is it the other way round?

[Agorante]

Someone asked to hear me sing this. I had never heard of it. The range is a bit challenging. I have a lot of D'Archangelo recordings. I'm surprised that he would sing something this low but he only whispers the low notes and goes into falsetto on the high notes. This dreamy crooning approach seems wrong for a cyclops. I can sing the quick top Gs without much trouble but I'm worried about the A. I may have to adopt a falsetto yelp. Its like "Credeasi Misera" for bass.

[leonardo94ism]

maravilloso

[handelfan610]

wow Handel...just wow.

[violinistx100]

My low notes sound like dying cows....I'm jealous of his clear, flawless notes...

[tamerlano]

I believe this aria was written for a specific basso in Handel's stable of singers who was famous for his wildly rangy voice...it's a lovely aria, if a little nutty.

[Chanteusette]

Ok, one of my new favorites!!! LOVE HIS VOICE!!!

[contandrey82]

Сумашедшая АРИЯ! Гендель великий прорицатель!!!

[barwyton]

Incredible voice.

[HectorsShadow]

I listened this opera last friday here in Paris, where I live, and it sound like this, so low. Then I guess this singing is correct.

[Sorrentodellesirene]

@indispettito: di sicuro non è un basso profondo!!! Per me è un basso cantante magari con una voce piu corposa ma non profondo

[Sorrentodellesirene]

Non ha senso un brano così....

[indispettito]

@Sorrentodellesirene

per me è più simile a un esercizio di vocalizzi

e poi posso dirla tutta? il basso basso non è il suo registro

ecco, l'ho detta!

[indispettito]

@suora88

grazie per la puntualizzazione che ci voleva tutta

ma il mio appunto era per l'esecuzione del brano non tanto per il pezzo in sé

a me Indebrando piace molto ma quest'aria trovo che non sia adattissima alla sua estensione. Tutto qua

Riascoltando il pezzo poi hai ragione: fa venire i brividi!!!

[suora88]

@indispettito ciao indispettito ^^

Sì è vero, D'arcangelo è molto dotato e bravo, preferisco comunque Naouri (in quest'aria e in generale).

Per i bassi si possono definire operisticamente 3 periodi coincidenti con i tre bassi importanti: il primo periodo che corrisponde appunto a quello di Boschi (il basso per cui fu scritta quest'aria), fu un basso dalla immensa estensione ma con una certa preferenza nel registro acuto piuttosto che nei gravi (non è escluso che fosse più baritono che basso)...

[suora88]

@indispettito Il secondo periodo coincide con Montagnana,un basso meno esteso(ma questo non significa poco esteso visto che Boschi era semplicemente spaventoso in quanto ad estensione)ma con una timbrica più forte e dei gravi probabilmente più convincenti ed infine l'ultimo periodo,dalla scrittura musicale sempre bellissima ma con un cantante certamente meno virtuoso,il povero (cuoco?)Waltz e nello stesso periodo includerei un Montagnana ritornato un po' stanco e con una estensione più limitata.

[suora88]

@indispettito caspita un vocalizzo...Penso che questa sia una delle più belle arie scritte nel barocco per basso-baritono...Non senti l'accompagnamento?C'è una retorica musicale elegantissima: a "farfalla confusa" dei dolci trilli creano un'atmosfera sognante che ricorda proprio i battiti d'ali di farfalla, il violone grosso accompagna polifemo senza cembalo in modo da generare il senso di gravezza e cupezza del personaggio, la discesa iniziale di tutto l'organico orchestrale..ecc

[drisspissdriss]

This recording is in fact in a=395, two semitones under written pitch, one semitone under the CD pitch. Why? So he has to go down to C and up to g'. Stupendous! I quite like his voice.

[primohomme]

No, I played along my keyboard the lowest is Db2, I don't know where you got that it's in 395, and the highest note in this recording is an A4.

[primohomme]

Well I think you should try playing the notes on a keyboard, the first note he sings is an A, it's written as a B-flat, so that's indication this is in 415, not lower.

[gonzoli]

@primohomme you´re right the score is one semitone lower

alexXx

[primohomme]

The first note he sings is an A, in baroque pitch that would be a B-flat almost, so I'm guessing this it at baroque pitch, not lower.

[drisspissdriss]

Well, I am fairly proficient in this business. Because I was sure that you are as well, I just called my wife and asked her to listen. You will not believe it, my PC here plays the stuff 1 semitone too low, in 395. My wife's Macbook plays it in 415, as does my iPhone. You are completely right, it is in 415. I am puzzled. Sorry for Off Topic!

[drisspissdriss]

Found it! The PC's Asus board has a Karaoke function which was activated and transposed everything 1/2 tone down! Sorry for bothering you.

[primohomme]

It's fine ;) don't worry

[ajwolf]

The lowest note hi sings is C#2 and the highest is G#4. So the range is 2 octaves + a fifth. Very difficult and very well done. But it's not uncommon for trained singers to have 2 octaves and a fifth of usable modal voice when both the upper and the lower extensions are iemployed.

[primohomme]

Actually the highest here is an A4. The highest written is G#4 though. The A4 is interpolated in an ornament. And he is singing in baroque tuning, so that would be counted as Bb4 in baroque tuning.

[Taenyr]

@primohomme Where is the A4? I only counted an Ab4, by modern tuning.

[Taenyr]

@Taenyr Oh haha my bad...I found it. The sustained high note at the end, of course...

[Agorante]

@Taenyr There seems to be a lot of controversy about the key and the pitches. I don't know. This opera isn't in Groves. But the modern score widely available on the web in in B Flat Major. The first high note is a quick F. The next is a G. Then an A Flat and finally an A Natural. All of these high notes are very quick while the low notes are sustained. This is the version written for Manna. The Boschi version has no low notes at all.

[dt195k2]

Actually seeing these notes in the score is rather scary. Another good thing about this bass is that he is only 40 years old, I believe. So we have many more years ahead to enjoy his excellent voice.

[primohomme]

Yes, also what's surprising is that this voice past his 20's can sing high notes into the tenor register! and still deliver convincing solid low Db's.

[readerjoy]

Thank you for posting this. It helps us see the amazing range of this aria, and the performer, with our own eyes as well as hear it. I love this rendition.