110 years now! Thanks to the OP for sharing this vignette! Btw- Robert Merrill and Richard Ticker did this on their big tour. There’s a CD with their tour pieces on it, including this.
In my humble opinion, they were super-human, consider that they were let down by the stone age acoustic technology of the time, no digital enhancement, no nothing.. just pure art.
this is obviously a very old recording but it does not take from the emotional and absolute brilliance of the combination of their voices. It just amplifies the utter brilliance of this duet at the time it still inspires awe and wonder when listening in a quiet moment.
As it happens, I own this original recording on 78 and a vintage HMV Model M wind-up player w/horn to listen on. Perhaps it was fate that later, I was appointed Head of Reissues at BMG/RCA Records in NYC and was assigned the remastering of the first-ever CD version of "The Pearl Fishers" Duet with Jussi Bjoerling and Robert Merrill (with whom I eventually became good friends). Later, I traveled to Sweden to meet Bjoerling's widow, Anna-Lisa.
How good is it to have a recording from the early 20th century of these two superb singers. It's difficult to compare them to Robert Merrill and Jussi Bjorling as recording technology had advanced so far in 50 years. Both couples' renditions are just so wonderful to hear.
I'm with you. Jussi's and Robert's performance is incomparable. I've listened to it many time... including this morning... along with and several others. It's still electrifying.
Wonderful performance. The Björling/Merrill recording (better technology) is also wonderful. So sorry we do not have better recordings by Caruso. He was God's gift.
this was played at my fathers funeral 6 years ago,I don`t know what made me seek it out and play it today,but it brought him back for a minute and tears to my eyes
alan ward Some times we can be very fortunate when the veils between Heaven and Earth become very close and will allow us to sojourn for a few moments with those we love.
Anyway, in the midst of all the "tenor wars" the really important person tends to get overlooked - Bizet, who gave the world this piece of perfection. (I was going to write "pearl of perfection" but that sounded too cheesy).
What is incredible is that the Met cut the run short with Caruso, de Luca and Hempel. It's really only got 3 arias and they come at the start so perhaps that's it.
What a privilege it must have been to hear this most beautiful of men’s duets ever composed. To have heard The Great Caruso performing must have been a wonderful experience. The Recording is scratchy, given the age, when recording technology was just in it’s infancy. The beautiful voices are still marvellous & timeless.
Considering when this recording as made I am in awe with the result. I have heard recordings of Caruso and they were nothing like as good as this one. Thank you for sharing.
You hear two giants playing with each other. Yes, they are stylistically different from JB & RM, but it was a different time, and they so dominated their field. The fun they had, in this piece is apparent.
O h I think Gabriel Heymans comment on youtube 6 years ago is to the point : " Some tenor voices simply age "normally" with time, yet others grow progressively darker over the years. Bjorling's voice clearly darkened with age. He was first a light lyric, 1928-1935, a full lyric 1936-1949, a lyric dramatic from 1950-1956, and a dramatic/spinto 1957-1960. Listen carefully to his recordings throughout his unmatched career. Wrongfully he was criticized for "losing quality in the voice" after 1950, but the texture of the voice changed radically, TWICE, during the 1950's!"
Extremely moving! I agree, Bjoerling and Merrill are two favorites. Bjoerling! Il teeenore, magnifico. merrill! I heard him on the Tonight Show a number of times and had dismissed him as a bad baritone. He also was great in his prime. New York produced some great singers.
I know my dad would have chosen this version. It's so difficult for us to compare with later versions, but the voice is amazing and beautiful despite the age
Hi Meltzerboy . I enjoy your comments and immediate knowledge, especially Bjorling saying "close to Caruso Ancona" I can truly believe it. I'm sure these greats must have been great characters off stage aswell. imagine the fun they must have had and Oh! to travel with them.
Creo, que es la mejor versión de todas, cantadas llanamente de forma magistral, como magistrales eran sus intérpretes, lástima que el tiempo y la deficiente técnica de principios del siglo XX, no favorecian, a las grandes voces, si lo hubieran grabado hoy, yo creo que no habría discusión posible, pues Ancona y Caruso, unían a su técnica legendaria, una sobriedad y pureza en su canto, que embrujada al auditorio. Foro Ever,😇
I'm about to learn the baritone role in this duet, and I've been listening to the versions that are available. The quality of this recording is amazing, and as the poster said, the voices blend beautifully. I'm not sure which I enjoy most, out of this one and that sung by two of my favourite voices, Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill. Either way, as a piece of music it moves me in a way that I don't think any other piece ever has. Thank you for posting it for us to enjoy, and to learn from. :)
Wonderful ; still Jussi Björling in my opinion had not the biggest m but t he most beautiful voice I ever heard There never was any tenor with his timbre, Still Caruso and Jussi are the greatest. singers to my mind. They must be Singing "The Pearl Fishers", in Italian.and French in Heaven !
Ohhh... those voices came through so clear. No overbearing orchestra to drown them out- just their voices, woodwind and a harp. The crackling didn't even interfere with the beauty of this recording. Less is more. x
Well fellows, Caruso's widow said Bjorling's voice was the most like here husband's that she had ever heard! So take that with a grain of salt---the recording equipment of Caruso's time made his voice much darker possibly. Certainly his wife knew the real tone of Caruso's voice.
***** Thank you, a few things here: it is my understanding that JB sang 60 operas, the "Itanlianish," opera community always looks at singers, tenors, baritones, and even sopranos from a comparison of what is considered to be most "Italian Singing," and I have no problem with that. About his voice, I am sure it was not as big as EC however Robert Merrill was asked about it and mentioned a time when he was rehearsing with JB and an incidence when JB called across the stage and related to the power of JB's voice as breaking his eardrums! So you have many comments about many artists in the past. And there are many comments by Pavarotti, Domingo, and from past sopranos about JB and there opinions. Needless to say, I have a very large collection of JB's recordings both commercially released and private recordings.
Jan Peerce,and maybe,Richard Tucker,perhaps.They were also great tenors no longer with us.but their music is still great thanks in a large part.to their recordings.A blessing from heaven.And our other tenors,who were blessed,by our Heavenly King.May the Almighty bless all who write music,and sing the music..
So many have done a great job with this duet........You can always argue which was the best.....I guess the real genius is in the piece of the music itself. I used to think of Bizet as "Carmen" and game over.........I was so wrong! Whenever I play this duet it stays with me for thru the following day. I connect well with the world after listening to this duet.
Well, the conductor and recording engineers were there too. The video is on youtube somewhere with Merrill talking about it. It is pretty commonly known that Bjorling had a small voice. Even Hines said he was disappointed the first time he sang with him on stage because of it.::)
Imagine these two incredible great artists singing together and recording with the technical equipment we can rely on today. Absolutely none of todays singers could compare to them.
This excellent considering the year and primitive recording,you have no where to hide here,no gimmicks no sound engineers,just stand in front of a big gramaphone horn and give it your best and here both are sublime,may i add mc cormack and samarcos recording of this duet,it too is excellent.for me though the best modern recording is bjoerling and merrill
Oh the joy to hear great singing by great singers!!! I would give a lot to have heard JB or EC but I think it is clear to me, anyways, that EC was unreal in his vocal production. I have heard Tucker on recordings a multitude of times and my listening ear tells me his method of vocal production seems very similar to EC's. Tucker had a magnificent method of producing vocal quality, power and control. Anyway, what's to dislike with these singers. NOTHING!!!
@8x8MaVerick8x8 Yes, but they all had great singer's formant. Not just Börling. His lack of size in the house was disappointing to many including Jerome Hines.
@jallfjallf That just really is not true that Björling had the same size of voice. I know you are a Swede, but Caruso's voice was much, much bigger. Even Jerome Hines said he was in shock at how small Björling's voice was. And he sang with him. That was never said of Caruso. And people who heard both said Caruso's voice was much larger, including Rosa Ponselle.
Ross Lynch who stars on the Disney series,Austin and Ally has a beautiful tenor voice,so does Calum Worthy,,In a recent episode they did a glee club,and the entire cast sung a may I say beautifully,the show is one of my favorites,as is Kicin 'it.And Lab Rats.vEry talented.If Billy Unger sings is he a baritone,or a Bass.And as for Spencer Boldman is he a tenor.I am a tenor too,a spinto-Lyric tenor.God bless.
@8x8MaVerick8x8 BUt Merrill was not near the mic when recording. Björling was. And that just points to the fact his voice was much smaller. Certainly Del Monaco would not have had that problem nor would Gigli.
I can't remember who wrote it, but somewhere I read that Jussi's lower and mid-range was not exactly small, but was slightly dead acoustically. In other words, it didn't carry or resonate as well as some singers. However, when he reached high A, B or C, the voice was crystal clear and as focused as a laser beam, and would cut through every other sound in an auditorium.
The sound quality and background rustle make it difficult to compare this with anything else, if only it was possible to really hear it alongside the Bjorling Merrill recording.
@8x8MaVerick8x8 What big voices does have have better overtones than? Any great singers have squillo or "properly produced overtones". He had that, but just a small voice. Del Monaco had tremendous overtones. Much more than he did. And much more F1. So did Caruso, Masini etc.
Thank you for your work in unearthing music that I would never have had the opportunity to hear otherwise. Gigli's acting is strange, so, second time around I am listening, with my eyes closed. Yes I can hear how Bjorling was influenced by Gigli At first De Luca's and Gigli's voice do not seem to mesh but in the declaration of friendship, no matter what, they come together.
@MrCafiero it doesnt matter. They were both good singers. I doubt you ever heard either of them sing live. Recordings and live performances are two different things, but the recording of this duet with Caruso/Ancona and Byorling/Merrill are both excellent in my opinion.
@MrCafiero Well, how do you measure size of voice? Is there any truths in a thing like preferences for singers? If you listen to the old recordings of Caruso, despite the sound quality, he is dynamic, charming, playing with his voice. Jussi, as Pavarotti put it, sang like moonshine... As for Rosa Ponselle, it's not likely that a protegé of Caruso would allow anyone getting close. But Hines gets me interested. Where did he comment Jussi's voice as small?
I also agree that this is the finest recording of the duet, if not of all time, certainly the best I have ever heard. Even superior to the great Gigli-DeLuca version. This one is warmer somehow.
It's comforting to see that people are still laying flowers at the grave of Bjorling. It's like people plastering Norma and Tosca videos with "Callas was better." Give it a rest. Great opera is not created in a vacuum.
I THINK THEY MISUNDERSTOOD HIM. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS SAYING BUT IT WAS MISINTERPRETED!!! I UNDERSTAND IT, I DON'T SING THE WAY THEY SING TODAY. I HAD AN OLD VOICE TEACHER, SHE IS 90 YEARS OLD NOW BUT SHE TAUGHT ME THE OLD ITALIAN TECHNIQUE AND SHE MENTIONED HIM. "MASK" DOES NOT MEAN NASAL, NOR CHEEKS, IT SIMPLY MEANS DO NOT GO TOO FAR BACK WHERE YOUR VOICE WILL NOT PROJECT. THAT IS ALL.
THAT IS VERY TRUE!!! BUT I THIN THEY MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WAS SAYING!!! THE "MASK" DOES NOT MEAN NASAL NOR IN THE CHEEKS. ALL IT MEANS IS THAT DO NOT SING TOO FAR BACK, WHERE YOUR VOICE WILL NOT PROJECT. I HAD A VOICE TEACHER WHO IS 90 YEARS OLD NOW, WHO MENTIONED HIM TO ME. SHE TAUGHT ME THE OLD ITALIAN TECHNIQUE. I DO NOT SOUND LIKE THE SINGERS OF TODAY!!!!
Gigli said the other tenors who were pallbearers at his funeral (including Martinelli and Gigli himself) were not worthy to carry his casket, so amazing was Caruso's voice. But I suppose you think, in your obnoxious mind, that you know better than all these people? And I could go on. Don't comment on my channel with your stupidity.
Not together? Caruso sharp and strained? You need a hearing aid. This is a great recording. If there is a singer who strained his voice in the end, then it is Björling. At least half of the Björling-praise here is based on fanaticism, not on a sober judgment of what can be heard on the respective records. Caruso's sound is bigger, softer, more relaxed and hence more beautiful. Bravo Caruso!
A lot of Caruso/Björling partisanship going on! Caruso - a great singer. Björling - a great singer. Both very different but both able to get beneath the skin of the music and reveal something new about it. And as it happens both of them found ideal matches in Ancona and Merrill. My personal preference here is Björling, partly because there is a third shaper to the music - the conductor, who in Björling's account lets the music flow with tremendous beauty. But I'm so glad to hear Caruso too.
Do you think we are supposed to be impressed that you sang for 32 years? You can easily sing for 32 years incorrectly. Obviously if you think Caruso is "strained" and doesn't have a beautiful voice you, sir, have NO EAR! Serafin stated that Caruso was one of three miracles he heard in his life. Puccini said after hearing Caruso for the first time, "who sent you to me...god?" Rosa Ponselle said it was the greatest tenor she ever heard. cont'd...
Until now, I've always favored the Bjoerling/Merrill version, but I now see that these two voices (Ancona/Caruso) are better matched. Referring to a comment on this page, Bjoerling's voice may only have been "a fraction" of Caruso's, but I prefer his rendition of the Ombra Mai Fu above all others.
In many ways these recordings let us hear the true sound more. I listen to alot of older recodings, once I become used to the sound I started to enjoy it more than the more recent recordings
He also tells the story about that recording that Bjorling wanted to be able to sing right into the mic because Merrill's voice could totally overpower him. Bjorling had a great voice, but it was a fraction of what Caruso had.
It's interesting to note that all major opera critics and all major tenors seem to agree that Caruso wasundeniably the tenor . His commanding voice and such range despite early recordings......are just superior. He also lived in a time of very civil humans...alas sadly lacking these days. !
But it was well known, as Merrill spoke about, that Bjorling made SURE he had his face as close to the mic as possible when recording because he knew he voice was much smaller.
105 years on and 65,000 people still take time to listen. Now that's talent.
110 years now! Thanks to the OP for sharing this vignette! Btw- Robert Merrill and Richard Ticker did this on their big tour. There’s a CD with their tour pieces on it, including this.
Now 116 years and 238,057 listeners: it says it all.
In my humble opinion, they were super-human, consider that they were let down by the stone age acoustic technology of the time, no digital enhancement, no nothing.. just pure art.
this is obviously a very old recording but it does not take from the emotional and absolute brilliance of the combination of their voices. It just amplifies the utter brilliance of this duet at the time it still inspires awe and wonder when listening in a quiet moment.
As it happens, I own this original recording on 78 and a vintage HMV Model M wind-up player w/horn to listen on. Perhaps it was fate that later, I was appointed Head of Reissues at BMG/RCA Records in NYC and was assigned the remastering of the first-ever CD version of "The Pearl Fishers" Duet with Jussi Bjoerling and Robert Merrill (with whom I eventually became good friends). Later, I traveled to Sweden to meet Bjoerling's widow, Anna-Lisa.
Lucky you!
Thanks a lot for sharing - what an amazing story
Why must people compare performances .Just appreciate them all
How good is it to have a recording from the early 20th century of these two superb singers. It's difficult to compare them to Robert Merrill and Jussi Bjorling as recording technology had advanced so far in 50 years. Both couples' renditions are just so wonderful to hear.
I always felt Jussi and Robert Merrill owned this duet. You have given me food for thought. Thank you
I'm with you. Jussi's and Robert's performance is incomparable. I've listened to it many time... including this morning... along with and several others. It's still electrifying.
Agree with both of you 2 brilliant versions of this duet.
Wonderful performance. The Björling/Merrill recording (better technology) is also wonderful. So sorry we do not have better recordings by Caruso. He was God's gift.
this was played at my fathers funeral 6 years ago,I don`t know what made me seek it out and play it today,but it brought him back for a minute and tears to my eyes
alan ward Some times we can be very fortunate when the veils between Heaven and Earth become very close and will allow us to sojourn for a few moments with those we love.
RIP x
You are a beautiful person. How touching of you to remember your father in this way. I can totally understand his affection for this touching duet.
MY DAD'S FAVORITE
alan ward Oh yes i can understand it , this call somuch memory,s up
Anyway, in the midst of all the "tenor wars" the really important person tends to get overlooked - Bizet, who gave the world this piece of perfection. (I was going to write "pearl of perfection" but that sounded too cheesy).
I agree with you entirely. Yeah, Bizet!
What is incredible is that the Met cut the run short with Caruso, de Luca and Hempel. It's really only got 3 arias and they come at the start so perhaps that's it.
I have to admit that the blending of these voices is perfection.
Truly a wonderful recording and Caruso's singing is really "clean" and his phrasing is wonderful.
Incredible recording for its time. It sent shivers down my spine.
Excellent!
What a terrific duet.
astonishing duet, a perfect match of two master voices
It's nice to listen to two men singing a duet who do not try to out sing each other.
What a privilege it must have been to hear this most beautiful of men’s duets ever composed.
To have heard The Great Caruso performing must have been a wonderful experience.
The Recording is scratchy, given the age, when recording technology was just in it’s infancy.
The beautiful voices are still marvellous & timeless.
Bellissima canzone! Incredibly beautiful. Imagine the same song with more modern recording.
Considering when this recording as made I am in awe with the result. I have heard recordings of Caruso and they were nothing like as good as this one. Thank you for sharing.
Amazing! One hundred and fifteen years ago. Thank you for posting this beautiful recording.
Beautiful...Jussi and Robert are good too...same styles. Complimentary, always works.
I agree. Voices are similar and we cannot do what we do today with technology. Beautiful.
My first record was Bob and Jussi. Immortal life-savers!
You hear two giants playing with each other. Yes, they are stylistically different from JB & RM, but it was a different time, and they so dominated their field. The fun they had, in this piece is apparent.
O h I think Gabriel Heymans comment on youtube 6 years ago is to the point : " Some tenor voices simply age "normally" with time, yet others grow progressively darker over the years. Bjorling's voice clearly darkened with age. He was first a light lyric, 1928-1935, a full lyric 1936-1949, a lyric dramatic from 1950-1956, and a dramatic/spinto 1957-1960. Listen carefully to his recordings throughout his unmatched career. Wrongfully he was criticized for "losing quality in the voice" after 1950, but the texture of the voice changed radically, TWICE, during the 1950's!"
Wow! Just wow. Such plangent sound from these two giants. 😢
Extremely moving! I agree, Bjoerling and Merrill are two favorites. Bjoerling! Il teeenore, magnifico. merrill! I heard him on the Tonight Show a number of times and had dismissed him as a bad baritone. He also was great in his prime. New York produced some great singers.
Can you imagine how wonderful thi swould have been to hear them in person?
I know my dad would have chosen this version. It's so difficult for us to compare with later versions, but the voice is amazing and beautiful despite the age
L'armonia della bellezza della voce elimina e supera il fruscio del tempo...
Hi Meltzerboy . I enjoy your comments and immediate
knowledge, especially Bjorling saying "close to Caruso
Ancona" I can truly believe it.
I'm sure these greats must have been great characters
off stage aswell. imagine the fun they must have had
and Oh! to travel with them.
Creo, que es la mejor versión de todas, cantadas llanamente de forma magistral, como magistrales eran sus intérpretes, lástima que el tiempo y la deficiente técnica de principios del siglo XX, no favorecian, a las grandes voces, si lo hubieran grabado hoy, yo creo que no habría discusión posible, pues Ancona y Caruso, unían a su técnica legendaria, una sobriedad y pureza en su canto, que embrujada al auditorio. Foro Ever,😇
A humble soul from 7 shepherds Bush market London w12 8dg really thanks the heaven's for their tears
I'm about to learn the baritone role in this duet, and I've been listening to the versions that are available. The quality of this recording is amazing, and as the poster said, the voices blend beautifully. I'm not sure which I enjoy most, out of this one and that sung by two of my favourite voices, Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill. Either way, as a piece of music it moves me in a way that I don't think any other piece ever has.
Thank you for posting it for us to enjoy, and to learn from. :)
The flow is not there. Robert and Jussi made magic.
Stunning
A great video. Thank you
he sings the heart sounds of the world. forever in love with this man's heart = sublime and illuminating; might i say tranfigurative.
Goosebumps. Purity Artful Balance Intonation
Wonderful ; still Jussi Björling in my opinion had not the biggest m but t he most beautiful voice I ever heard
There never was any tenor with his timbre, Still Caruso and Jussi are the greatest. singers to my mind. They must be Singing "The Pearl Fishers", in Italian.and French in Heaven !
That doesn't change the vocal quality of each singer.
Ohhh... those voices came through so clear. No overbearing orchestra to drown them out- just their voices, woodwind and a harp. The crackling didn't even interfere with the beauty of this recording. Less is more. x
I agree unsurpassed harmony and voices.
Well fellows, Caruso's widow said Bjorling's voice was the most like here husband's that she had ever heard! So take that with a grain of salt---the recording equipment of Caruso's time made his voice much darker possibly. Certainly his wife knew the real tone of Caruso's voice.
*****
Thank you, a few things here: it is my understanding that JB sang 60 operas, the "Itanlianish," opera community always looks at singers, tenors, baritones, and even sopranos from a comparison of what is considered to be most "Italian Singing," and I have no problem with that. About his voice, I am sure it was not as big as EC however Robert Merrill was asked about it and mentioned a time when he was rehearsing with JB and an incidence when JB called across the stage and related to the power of JB's voice as breaking his eardrums! So you have many comments about many artists in the past. And there are many comments by Pavarotti, Domingo, and from past sopranos about JB and there opinions. Needless to say, I have a very large collection of JB's recordings both commercially released and private recordings.
***** Imo. Your comments are excellent fair and accurate. My Best
I read Dorothy Parker's book (more than 50 years ago) and I seem to remember she said Richard Tucker's voice was the most like that of Enrico Caruso.
Jan Peerce,and maybe,Richard Tucker,perhaps.They were also great tenors no longer with us.but their music is still great thanks in a large part.to their recordings.A blessing from heaven.And our other tenors,who were blessed,by our Heavenly King.May the Almighty bless all who write music,and sing the music..
So many have done a great job with this duet........You can always argue which was the best.....I guess the real genius is in the piece of the music itself. I used to think of Bizet as "Carmen" and game over.........I was so wrong! Whenever I play this duet it stays with me for thru the following day. I connect well with the world after listening to this duet.
Well, the conductor and recording engineers were there too. The video is on youtube somewhere with Merrill talking about it. It is pretty commonly known that Bjorling had a small voice. Even Hines said he was disappointed the first time he sang with him on stage because of it.::)
Imagine these two incredible great artists singing together and recording with the technical equipment we can rely on today. Absolutely none of todays singers could compare to them.
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
C'est magnifique ! Es ist prachtvoll! Outstanding!
A,most as great as the Bjoerling/Merrill or the Gigli/De Luca. Bravo! Bravo!
Thank you....
OUTSTANDING!!!
Oh, if only modern sound recording. One can hear in the voices, the promise it would deliver.
One of the best recordngs I have heard of Carusp, and there aren.t many.
This excellent considering the year and primitive recording,you have no where to hide here,no gimmicks no sound engineers,just stand in front of a big gramaphone horn and give it your best and here both are sublime,may i add mc cormack and samarcos recording of this duet,it too is excellent.for me though the best modern recording is bjoerling and merrill
Caruso is the greatest !!
Oh the joy to hear great singing by great singers!!! I would give a lot to have heard JB or EC but I think it is clear to me, anyways, that EC was unreal in his vocal production. I have heard Tucker on recordings a multitude of times and my listening ear tells me his method of vocal production seems very similar to EC's. Tucker had a magnificent method of producing vocal quality, power and control. Anyway, what's to dislike with these singers. NOTHING!!!
Astonishing
Fantastico
Just wow.
@8x8MaVerick8x8 Yes, but they all had great singer's formant. Not just Börling. His lack of size in the house was disappointing to many including Jerome Hines.
@jallfjallf That just really is not true that Björling had the same size of voice. I know you are a Swede, but Caruso's voice was much, much bigger. Even Jerome Hines said he was in shock at how small Björling's voice was. And he sang with him. That was never said of Caruso. And people who heard both said Caruso's voice was much larger, including Rosa Ponselle.
I first heard this in the Gallipoli film
Wonderful these fellows sang songs....not just pieces .
I think that there are only different renditions of this, but I have never heard a bad one.
Ross Lynch who stars on the Disney series,Austin and Ally has a beautiful tenor voice,so does Calum Worthy,,In a recent episode they did a glee club,and the entire cast sung a may I say beautifully,the show is one of my favorites,as is Kicin 'it.And Lab Rats.vEry talented.If Billy Unger sings is he a baritone,or a Bass.And as for Spencer Boldman is he a tenor.I am a tenor too,a spinto-Lyric tenor.God bless.
sublime
@RickManchester Björling was often compared to Caruso, but had nowhere near the size of voice of Caruso.
@8x8MaVerick8x8 BUt Merrill was not near the mic when recording. Björling was. And that just points to the fact his voice was much smaller. Certainly Del Monaco would not have had that problem nor would Gigli.
I'm sorry for being an ignorant ! But Please Up the Volume! Beautiful!
I can't remember who wrote it, but somewhere I read that Jussi's lower and mid-range was not exactly small, but was slightly dead acoustically. In other words, it didn't carry or resonate as well as some singers. However, when he reached high A, B or C, the voice was crystal clear and as focused as a laser beam, and would cut through every other sound in an auditorium.
The sound quality and background rustle make it difficult to compare this with anything else, if only it was possible to really hear it alongside the Bjorling Merrill recording.
My comments 5 yrs ago are still valid and unchanged. !!
@8x8MaVerick8x8 What big voices does have have better overtones than? Any great singers have squillo or "properly produced overtones". He had that, but just a small voice. Del Monaco had tremendous overtones. Much more than he did. And much more F1. So did Caruso, Masini etc.
Thank you for your work in unearthing music that I would never have had the opportunity to hear otherwise. Gigli's acting is strange, so, second time around I am listening, with my eyes closed. Yes I can hear how Bjorling was influenced by Gigli At first De Luca's and Gigli's voice do not seem to mesh but in the declaration of friendship, no matter what, they come together.
How many singers are there after 1:57? You can listenten to this to. Jussi Björling & Robert Merrill / Pearl Fishers Duet
Beautiful, What else can I say.
So ergriffen. So geweint. Diese Schlichtheit bei Caruso. So erhaben. Groß!
@MrCafiero it doesnt matter. They were both good singers. I doubt you ever heard either of them sing live. Recordings and live performances are two different things, but the recording of this duet with Caruso/Ancona and Byorling/Merrill are both excellent in my opinion.
@MrCafiero Well, how do you measure size of voice? Is there any truths in a thing like preferences for singers? If you listen to the old recordings of Caruso, despite the sound quality, he is dynamic, charming, playing with his voice. Jussi, as Pavarotti put it, sang like moonshine...
As for Rosa Ponselle, it's not likely that a protegé of Caruso would allow anyone getting close. But Hines gets me interested. Where did he comment Jussi's voice as small?
I also agree that this is the finest recording of the duet, if not of all time, certainly the best I have ever heard. Even superior to the great Gigli-DeLuca version. This one is warmer somehow.
It's comforting to see that people are still laying flowers at the grave of Bjorling. It's like people plastering Norma and Tosca videos with "Callas was better." Give it a rest. Great opera is not created in a vacuum.
A-W-E-S-O-M-E !!
@MrCafiero Unfortunately, Jean de Reszke made up the term "mask singing" and it has caused many problems in the voice world.
I THINK THEY MISUNDERSTOOD HIM. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS SAYING BUT IT WAS MISINTERPRETED!!! I UNDERSTAND IT, I DON'T SING THE WAY THEY SING TODAY. I HAD AN OLD VOICE TEACHER, SHE IS 90 YEARS OLD NOW BUT SHE TAUGHT ME THE OLD ITALIAN TECHNIQUE AND SHE MENTIONED HIM. "MASK" DOES NOT MEAN NASAL, NOR CHEEKS, IT SIMPLY MEANS DO NOT GO TOO FAR BACK WHERE YOUR VOICE WILL NOT PROJECT. THAT IS ALL.
THAT IS VERY TRUE!!! BUT I THIN THEY MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WAS SAYING!!! THE "MASK" DOES NOT MEAN NASAL NOR IN THE CHEEKS. ALL IT MEANS IS THAT DO NOT SING TOO FAR BACK, WHERE YOUR VOICE WILL NOT PROJECT. I HAD A VOICE TEACHER WHO IS 90 YEARS OLD NOW, WHO MENTIONED HIM TO ME. SHE TAUGHT ME THE OLD ITALIAN TECHNIQUE. I DO NOT SOUND LIKE THE SINGERS OF TODAY!!!!
wonderful despite the poor quality of the recording
Wow
Heaven
Gigli said the other tenors who were pallbearers at his funeral (including Martinelli and Gigli himself) were not worthy to carry his casket, so amazing was Caruso's voice. But I suppose you think, in your obnoxious mind, that you know better than all these people? And I could go on. Don't comment on my channel with your stupidity.
Who are the blessed tenors who were pallbearers for Caruso??
Formidable !
Not together? Caruso sharp and strained? You need a hearing aid. This is a great recording. If there is a singer who strained his voice in the end, then it is Björling.
At least half of the Björling-praise here is based on fanaticism, not on a sober judgment of what can be heard on the respective records.
Caruso's sound is bigger, softer, more relaxed and hence more beautiful. Bravo Caruso!
A lot of Caruso/Björling partisanship going on! Caruso - a great singer. Björling - a great singer. Both very different but both able to get beneath the skin of the music and reveal something new about it. And as it happens both of them found ideal matches in Ancona and Merrill. My personal preference here is Björling, partly because there is a third shaper to the music - the conductor, who in Björling's account lets the music flow with tremendous beauty. But I'm so glad to hear Caruso too.
Not too shabby; no not at all shabby.
Alagna & Terfel in the 1990's and Alfredo Kraus as well did a fantastic job in early 70's
Do you think we are supposed to be impressed that you sang for 32 years? You can easily sing for 32 years incorrectly. Obviously if you think Caruso is "strained" and doesn't have a beautiful voice you, sir, have NO EAR! Serafin stated that Caruso was one of three miracles he heard in his life. Puccini said after hearing Caruso for the first time, "who sent you to me...god?" Rosa Ponselle said it was the greatest tenor she ever heard. cont'd...
Until now, I've always favored the Bjoerling/Merrill version, but I now see that these two voices (Ancona/Caruso) are better matched. Referring to a comment on this page, Bjoerling's voice may only have been "a fraction" of Caruso's, but I prefer his rendition of the Ombra Mai Fu above all others.
Can only image what they would sound like if they had today's equipment!
In many ways these recordings let us hear the true sound more. I listen to alot of older recodings, once I become used to the sound I started to enjoy it more than the more recent recordings
@SHICOFF1 - Interesting; you say that del Monaco and Tucker sounded even-BETTER, in live performances. Can you give examples? Thanks!
Amen!
He also tells the story about that recording that Bjorling wanted to be able to sing right into the mic because Merrill's voice could totally overpower him. Bjorling had a great voice, but it was a fraction of what Caruso had.
Caruso was a dramatic tenor, Bjoerling a "lirico spinto" tenor whose voice was admirably suited for the Pearl Fishers duet.
Non c'è comparazione possibile. Biorling e Merril grandissimi ma non comparabili nè a Caruso-Ancona né a Gigli-De Luca.
@@G.Andrea_PirasHa,ha,ha😂
It's interesting to note that all major opera critics and all major tenors seem to
agree that Caruso wasundeniably the tenor .
His commanding voice and such range despite early recordings......are just superior.
He also lived in a time of very civil humans...alas sadly lacking these days. !
But it was well known, as Merrill spoke about, that Bjorling made SURE he had his face as close to the mic as possible when recording because he knew he voice was much smaller.