PAUL GERIMON, bass - COLD GENIUS - PURCELL

[Taenyr]

...I wonder if there's a basso profundo out there who could perform this aria in C, as written, but start not on a C3 but on a C2. Now *that* would be awe-inspiring.

[Firestarjude]

Klaus Nomi is chilly, but this version is the kind of cold you feel in your bones.

[Dysanfel23]

This is the way it was written, but Klaus Nomi did a great interpretation as a contretenor!

[louiscouturiaux]

Super cette interprétation... Bravo Paul de mettre ta belle voix en évidence

Louis

[SwizawPizayu]

thank you for the info. It was the first time i listend to this piece it was asked me to hear and to practice, i'm starting with it but in the original tone, there's a lot of breathing stuff to practice in this aria

[SwizawPizayu]

@ezio892

Sure off why not? In fact i like it this way, but actually i'm practicing this song and i told my self "hey this one is going through the easy way"

[chantalmauro]

Your voice is amazing.

:)

[SwizawPizayu]

But the tone is note correct... in wich tone is he singing it? it's a little bit high... anyway i have to admit that in this tone it sounds better

[ezio892]

@SwizawPizayu The Air of Cold Genius is written in C minor but at the time of Purcell the diapason was more or less a lower tone ! Thus this air should be sung normally in our time in B flat minor by a bass voice. Here, the air is sung in G minor (one and half lowest tone). A lot of contretenors sing it seven tones higher and one of the first purposes of baroque music is to arouse strong feelings... Thus why not...?

[ezio892]

@SwizawPizayu Personally the version of Klaus Nomi (singing it seven tones higher with slow staccati through a nice legato and an arrangement different from the original) is one of my prefered. Nobody can really say how must be executed the music of this time except for some rare instructions given by the composers. They often interpreted their works of different manners using makeshift devices of moment. ;-)

[ezio892]

@SwizawPizayu There are also Luciano Berio's wonderful arrangements on works of Monteverdi for Cathy Berberian... ;-). It is always necessary to distrust "rules" and "dogmae" even in music... This version of "Cold Genius" is what it is and if it arouses some emotion, the purpose is reached ;-). It is enough to open its spirit and its heart and to be positive ;-).

[ezio892]

@SwizawPizayu Anyway thank you for your interest ;-).

[ccdg1066]

Love it - in my opinion, this comes off much better for baritone or bass.

[timaenot]

Phantastic, soul-touching beauty of music and voice.

[Bentland]

this keyboard! terrible!

[Se5dg1wick9]

I hope this video are very long time here by youtube. I Iike this wonderful music and this wonderful singer

[cartesianus]

Bravo!



[heavyaesthetic]

The bass vocals are fantastic. It really evokes the otherworldly echoing of something not quite living and not quite dead, as if speaking through time itself. I am a huge fan of the Nomi version, but really this is an apples-to-oranges performance and unfair to compare the two interpretations so critically.

This is a powerful rendition. Bravo!

[timaenot]

@heavyaesthetic Wanted to mark your post positive but took the negative button by chance :( I am sorry - your comment is great!

[ftumschk]

Truly remarkable. Thank you, sir!

[GabrielMorera]

Lyrics:

What Power art thou, Who from below,

Hast made me rise, Unwillingly and slow,

From beds of everlasting snow!

See'st thou not how stiff, And wondrous old,

Far unfit to bear the bitter cold.

I can scarcely move, Or draw my breath,

I can scarcely move, Or draw my breath.

Let me, let me, Let me, Freeze again...

Let me, let me, Freeze again to death

[orhedresden]

great voice. but the keyboard is horrible.

[gadreel23]

Meh. I like Klaus Nomi's version better. ;)

[fingerprint211b]

@gadreel23 I agree

[GioDimatteo]

This version evokes many more images that play out the opera in my head... like some hulking snow monster... I LOVE it !

[TheEvaCarlson]

C'est impressionnant et touchant à la fois. Bravo !

[Swedchap]

Magnificent basso! Thanx for sharing this:-)

[AlainNaigeon]

Strange... and I don't like the music the orchestra is playing - Purcell didn't write *that* :-o

[68LVC]

Great ART. Incredible bass voice! Thanks for sharing.

[scottandrewhutchins]

It's definitely harder to perform this way, but it's worth the effort. I sing this piece, and it's easy, if doing it this way to have to catch an obvious cheat breath.

[NoctisMemoriae]

Très interessant! Ca ne suit pas la partition du tout, mais c'est fantastique! Une quarte en dessous, ca met bien les graves en valeur, j'aime bien ;)Bravo! Mais j'avoue préferer l'intro originale.

Very interesting! It doesn't follow the original score at all, but it's fantastic! A fourth lower, it makes low notes sound even better. I like! ;) bravo! But I must confess I prefere the original intro.

[oraur160903]

Magnifique interprétation qui se distingue justement du cold genius que nous avons l'habitude d'entendre. Interprétation créative et originale qui donne une épaisseur particulièrement tragique et sensible au personnage. Profondeur et intelligence... bravo.

[plozikou]

@oraur160903

D'accord ! Dieu du ciel! Voilà l’interprétation qui me plait le plus. J’aime ces voix profondes qui donnent un effet dramatique et intense que je ne ressens pas dans les interprétations avec des voix plus claires… Bravo!

[mysticharoun]

A great interpretation of the famous aria "Cold Genius" : a real bass voice with a beautiful tone, a big volume, staccati inside a nice legato and a true emotion !

[magicyvan]

You break the ice with this voice ! :)

PS: I heard others singers doing always the staccato-approach and I found this way of singing it in legato more interesting because I think it is more difficult to perform... needs more air, less possibility to breathe

Greaaaaat !! I'm frozen now !

[LUCREZIATITA]

good persormance...to add just a bit of tremolo or staccato in voice by cold perceiving. Bye