Thomas Allen - Whither Must I Wander

Sir Thomas Allen performs 'Whither Must I Wander', the seventh of nine songs in Ralph Vaughan Williams' song cycle, 'Songs of Travel'.

Sir Thomas Allen, baritone

Simon Rattle
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

1983

Category:

Music

Tags:

• thomas
• allen
• ralph
• vaughan
• williams
• songs
• of
• travel

[MaestroJosephShore]

Admittedly a nice voice. He came to the university where I was teaching and sang a concert and masterclass. I have to say that none of the faculty were terribly impressed by him in either venue. In the concert his voice seemed smallish and not impressive of timbre. In the master class he only gave a few generalities to the students, nothing that affected them deeply. When he left I think the whole faculty was thinking, "what's the big deal about this guy?"

[schweitzer006325]

Allen's voice isn't a big one, that is true. Anyone expecting to be blown away by a dramatic baritone certainly would look to others instead. It's each to his/her own, I guess. What I like about Allen is not solely his voice but the emotion he puts into his singing; little subtle touches here and there which make his interpretation more memorable. Singing-wise, probably there might be many other baritones to choose from but acting-wise, Allen is truly a master at work.

[sesanner]

@MaestroJosephShore Ah! From my six decades in music, I recognize a translation of MaestroJoesephShore's message . . .

. . . Jealousy! In all its unmusical loudness. See before you whole rests, good sir, and the silent opportunity to receive our forgiveness.

[Slambertmilam11]

goodness this song makes me cry, wish his diction was a bit more present however.

[ballbasher100]

Beautiful. Not contrived, unmannered, honest, rich, no over the top word painting. Not like the likes of all the rubbish english Baritones we get today.Hooty falsetto, signifying nothing, mindless effects. god I'm Angry.

[Ccwb1231]

I have been a music teacher for many years. Sir Thomas Allen has one of the richest baritone voices that I have ever heard. The head voice is bright and full of color. In transition, there is great consistency from chest voice to head voice. His vowel placement is "spot on".

[CDRphoenix]

@MaestroJosephShore When he left I think the whole faculty was thinking, "what's the big deal about this guy?"

Well, then the question must be ... why was he invited in the first place? Did nobody listen to him before the invitation? This doesn't speak very highly of your faculty...

[raigekimaru]

@MaestroJosephShore

"not impressive timbre?" if this isn't impressive timbre, I don't know what is

[raphabenbenjamin]

@MaestroJosephShore re: Sir Thomas Allen. His fach comprises the vast majority of male voices. Not big, but very musical: on pitch and concise rhythm. Suited more for art song than opera, but very presentable in Mozart. Could he have been having a difficult period with his health? No substitute for good health.

[pjthemofo]

Well done. Only Bryn does it better. Allen makes it sound easy.. And it's not!

[arpeggio1358]

@schweitzer006325 I agree. What is great about Allen is the interpretation he puts into his singing. Sir Tom is one of my favorites. There is a Billy Budd DVD with Allen in the title role at the age of 42. I found him completely believeable as the young Billy. He's some actor...as well as being a very fine singer.

[bassfanne45]

I like Allen very much, but my favorite among baritones is Benjamin Luxon. Such beauty of tome is so rare. Unfortunately he no longer sings because he went deaf in the early 1990s. He has a cochlear implant, which allows him to hear spoken word, but he still can no longer sing. Alas, his was a beautiful instrument.