Nicholas Spanos," Élégie" by Massenet

Oh, doux printemps d' autrefois..... "Élégie" by Massenet, a wonderful piece of music that has been arranged so many times and for numerous constellations of instruments, presented here through the voice of Nicholas Spanos at a recital in Waidhoffen an der Ybbs, Austria on November 20th, 2009. Piano: Anastassios Strikos.

Élégie
by Jules Massenet (1842-1912) , "Élégie", 1869/72, published 1875. [voice and piano]
a text in French by Louis Gallet (1835-1898)


Ô, doux printemps d'autre fois, vertes saisons,
Vous avez fui pour toujours!
Je ne vois plus le ciel bleu;
Je n'entends plus les chants joyeux des oiseaux!
En emportant mon bonheur, mon bonheur...
Ô bien-amé, tu t'en es allé!
Et c'est en vain que [le printemps revient!]1
Oui, sans retour,
avec toi, le gai soleil,
Les jours riants sont partis!
Comme en mon coeur tout est sombre et glacé!
Tout est flétri
pour toujours!


http://www.nicholas-spanos.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Nicholas
• Spanos
• Nikos
• Nicos
• countertenor
• Élégie
• Massenet
• Νίκος
• Σπανός
• Κόντρα
• Τενόρος
• contre-ténor
• Kontratenor
• controtenore

[serenaluce]

Not just beautiful, stunningly beautiful! Now I know how moving and emotional this piece can really sound when this unique artist is singing it! I'm speechless. It made me cry... And a real countertenor's voice (not a fake one) is the best match to this great music! With all my respect to great Chaliapin or Gigli, THIS is the best version!

[miguale]

Quelle magnifique voix ! que d'émotion dans l'interprétation !

Je suis sous le charme... merci à Nicolas pour sa prestation..Michèle

[serenaluce]

@carolineleiden It's arranged for a countertenor voice.It's a song, not a certain aria, and he doesn't have to sound like some female sopranos though as a singer Nicholas Spanos has no limits and can sing in an exquisite MALE soprano like in Cara Speme, Orgogliosetto and Dream with me, and can also sound very low like Oh sea, trees, though overall he is mezzo. The PITCH doesn't make somebody's singing warmer. It's the SOUL which an artist shares does. But he doesn't sound lower than Shalyapin:-)

[carolineleiden]

What key is this in? He sounds lower than some other versions I heard.

Very good though. The untrained ear would not immedialtely embrace it, but very skillfull, warm, full.

[dragerger]

Wonderfull! Thanks, plavos! And which is the best: Spanos, Shaliapin or Misha Maisky?

No matter, I think. I had three great experiences today, listening them.

[serenaluce]

@TelmarP No,I don't understand. Can you substantiate which fraction of a second the start of which note sounds sharp to you? You said his last note? I've listened to it again and it sounds perfectly smooth to me. In any case, if your ear caught the sharp start of this evasive note, then the middle and the end were perfect and the very last impression must be the most favourable for you. I think that this version is just TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!You can't believe your own ears that it's THE BEST EVER!

[TelmarP]

@serenaluce Any sustained note has a start, middle, and end.

[serenaluce]

@TelmarP Thanks for expressing your opinion, but can I ask you what is "the start of his last note"? It's a NOTE, not a PASSAGE. I wonder where is its start, middle and its end:-).

[TelmarP]

A wee bit sharp on the start of his last note. Otherwise, wonderful interpretation!

[68LVC]

Magical, Fine Art of singing!

[lolita7961]

Amazing!!! I have't heard better performance!!