Part II - Your Favorites: GEORGE LONDON

THIS PART IS FOR YOUR FAVORITES! Please discuss this artist with your comments!

George London, Bass-Baritone (1920-1985)

Richard Wagner - Das Rheingold
Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge
(Recorded 1957/58)

My personal opinion: When I came to opera in the early 1970´s, I always could read first how great George London was. And so, in good faith I bought the Cluytens-recording of "Les Contes d´Hoffmann" in which Mr. London sang Coppelius and Miracle - without exaggeration one of the most worst performance a singer with such a fame ever gave on records! "From the first note to the last, Mr. London sounded strained, if not even overwhelmed. In both parts, he stressed the audience!" This you can even read on the hompage of the Jacques Offenbach-Society. It is remarkable that critics always spoke about the effect from London´s singing, the spoke little about his way of singing itself. Many YouTube-users called him "magnificent" - a compliment I couln´d share. For me London ever was an one-dimensional singer, his expression was false and affected. And most of all: His voice wasn´t melodic! IMO he sang like he was in a voice-corset: Stiff and fixed... I´m sorry to say this, but the fame of George London is a mystery to me! It´s very interesting, some critics gave an opposing judgement: Even on records (so I could read) his singing have dramatic suggestive-strenght and effectiveness. Really? If you could read between the lines you may find other predicates: Kesting wrote, in London´s Boris-monolog the voice sometimes is inflexible, sometimes choppy (sometimes?). For me, his singing ever (!) was inflexible, a strange stiffness we know from singers like Wewel and Emmerich. London was high praised as a Wagner-singer, but his recordings gave me only mediocre impressions (compared against Friedrich Schorr, Hans Hotter, Hermann Uhde, Franz Crass, Thomas Stewart and even José van Dam). Maybe his voice was much better unfolded in the theatre. Recordings from his live-performances are suggesting this. And those elders, who saw him on stage, perhabs have another opinion about George London. I only can judge about his recording-legacy. And maybe George London was not well reproduced in the recording-studios. In 1967 a paralyzed vocal cord ended his singing career prematurely. Ten years later a heart attack with brain consequences let him half paralyzed until his death in 1985. I would like to present George London here with Wotan´s "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge" from Wagner´s "Rheingold". And there is no doubt: With 56 votings and place 12 you have a different opinion about George London! Well, I´m curious about your comments!

THE COMPLETE OVERVIEW: GO TO ALL SINGERS IN THIS LIST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBsScnQWVlU

Category:

Music

Tags:

• George
• London
• Bass-Baritone
• Richard
• Wagner
• Flying
• Dutchamn
• Holländer
• Rheingold
• Wotan

[vonmeppen]

Ihr Vergleich mit Wewel oder Emmerlich ist ein bisschen ungerecht. London war sicher kein perfekter Sänger. Aber ich bin der Meinung, dass er trotzdem ein sehr guter Sänger war. Sein Amfortas ist für mich immer noch der beste überhaupt, auch sein Rheingold-Wotan, selbst sein Walküre-Wotan unter Leinsdorf überzeugen mich vor allem stimmlich sehr.

Sie haben Recht, er war ein statischer Sänger, aber doch wohl einer mit künstlerischer Statur, nicht zu vergleichen mit Emmerlich und Co.

[100Singers]

1. Vielen Dank für Ihre Zeilen und Ihre Kritik. Dadurch bekomme ich Gelegenheit, erklärende Worte anzufügen: Natürlich war auch George London ein First-Rate-Singer (und insofern nicht mit den erwähnten Herren vergleichbar). Aber Spitzensänger werden nun mal mit gehobenen Maßstäben gemessen, und insofern stehe ich zu meinem Wort. Dennoch halte ich seinen Ruhm im Vergleich zu anderen Sängern seiner Sphäre für weniger gerechtfertigt.

[100Singers]

2. Von Herrn London gibt es tatsächlich Aufnahmen (und ich machte ja die Einschränkung, dass ich nur nach seinen Platten urteilen kann), die - einfach gesagt - "schlecht" sind: Schlecht hinsichtlich technischem Können, makelloser Klangbildung und Ausdrucksvermögen, wie man es von einem First-Rate-Singer erwarten kann. Bitte hören Sie nur einmal die erwähnte "Hoffmann"-Aufnahme. Es ist mir unbegreiflich, dass die Produzenten diese Einspielung veröffentlicht haben! Mike

[machiequesto]

What is going on on this page? 100singers who usually is very discreet and non-judging in his comments seems to loose his temper. Is it so hard to cope that a lot of his listeners have voted for George London, one of the greatest Wagner singers of the last century?

[100Singers]

1 - I feel it´s time to give a statement for my sentiments about Mr. London. When I decided to go on with Part II of this project, my first thought was to quit my personal opinions. All singers in this second part are here as a result of many votings that all of you gave. So, it´s only natural with some i agree, with some not. I received many requests, to go on with "My personal opinion" - and so I did. And of course I respected your nomination of Mr. London.

[100Singers]

2 - You asked for my personal opinion about this singer, and all I did was to oblige. Some of you agree with me, others obviously are surprised about my honesty. What I wrote about Mr. London is no more, no less than my very own considered opinion. If you do not share my thoughts, I´m very curious about your own opinion. I don´t want to insult anyone, and I would not like to be insulted BY anyone. Don´t be upset, I don´t loose my temper. Kindest regards, Mike

[cdgray2]

London was fantastic; whether as Giovanni, Scarpia or Wotan - a truly monumental singer (and actor).

[primobaritono]

He was Wieland Wagner's personification of a singing actor! He hired him as Wotan for the Ring in Cologne and wanted him to sing it in Bayreuth (London got terribly ill). The critic and composer Virgil Thompson called him "The greatest singing actor of our times". London was a star at the Wiener Staatsoper, Bayreuth and the Met until his tragic illness. This man was a tremendous singer, artist and human being and just about everyone who worked with him or heard him knew it. Bravo George!!!

[PEAinSwe]

I have never understood the admiration for this singer. I totally miss the flow and the line.

[AlberichNibelungo]

Extraordinario Wotan. Mi preferido (con perdón de Hotter). La voz de London estaba llena de armónicos y era poderosa, viril, oscura, homogénea, sólida en la zona lata y suficientemente oscura en el registro bajo. Su timbre me resulta especialmente grato y adecuado para el gran papel del padre de los dioses. ¡Lástima que apenas dejara testimonios discográficos de este importante rol wagneriano!

[OKelleyPaidir]

@guardian2079 I agree ahaha. He has magnificent tops, but he is NOT Mandryka (a high lyric baritone.) Mandryka is Fischer-Dieskau, Hampson, people like that. He probably did that role because it was fun and he could show off. Whatever the case may be, London was a marvellous artist and singer. The perfect Wotan in many ways rivalled only by Hans Hotter.

[paulostroff99]

Remarkable singing!

[paulostroff99]

Wonderfully sung.

[stevevandien]

I sure don't think London believed he was suited to every baritone role. He specialized in a few roles, like Amonasro, Escamillo, Mefisto (in "Faust"), Scarpia, the Dutchman, Wotan in "Rheingold" and "Walkure," Amfortas, Boris Gudonov, Mandryka, the Count in "Le nozze de Figaro" -- that's pretty much it. If not for the paralyzed vocal cord that shut down his career, London would have been a great Iago and Falstaff --- possibly Macbeth as well -- also Sachs, of course:) --

[ilovecollecting]

I really LOVE this guy's voice - deep, yet like a warm and rich gentle caress... Lovely, dramatic Song too - thanks for Posting this - amazing!!

[guardian2079]

I agree. He had a very dark timbre which hits a spot on my ear that rarely gets any action. And despite having the black bass voice he had an excellent upper range that a baritone should have. But one quibble I have is that I don't think he's suited to every baritone role. Most of my exposure to him was through Wagner which he is very well suited for. However, I recently downloaded Arabella in which he plays Mandryka. It's hard imagining Wotan playing a romantic lead.

[vonmeppen]

Wie gesagt, ich kann Ihre Kritik durchaus nachvollziehen. Ich kann mir auch den Ruhm mancher Sänger nicht erklären, zum Beispiel den von Theo Adam oder Ruggero Raimondi. Einen Heldenbarition vom Format eines London sucht man meines Erachtens heute vergebens.

[vonmeppen]

Vollkommen richtig. Ich kenne die "Hoffmann"-Aufnahme. Sie ist tatsächlich eine Katastrophe. London ist dort wirklich schlimm und nur noch ein Schatten seiner selbst. Auch die anderen Sänger sind übrigens dort unter Form. Aber Aufnahmen, in denen große Sänger schlecht singen, gibt es viele.