Lanza sings this Aria so romantic. Pav's voice is fine but it sounds like he is mad at the lady he is in love with. Mario;s turn this aria a real love song. I can't stop listening to Mario's voice over and over again.
Deux ténors, l'un, Mario Lanza, qui a fait essentellement sa carrière au cinéma dans des films musicaux, avec souvent des extraits d'oeuvres lyriques, qui permit que l'opéra devint plus populaire auprés de personnes pas forcément attirées par l'Art Lyrique...Il devint une star mondiale, notre famille l'adorait, nous ne manquions jamais la sortie de ses films...Et l'autre, Luciano Pavarotti, qui a chanté sur les plus grandes scénes d'Opéras du monde, et devint le ténor préféré, voire l'idole, malgré la dure concurence avec José Carréras et surtout Placido Domingo...Ces trois chanteurs reconnaissaient d'ailleurs avoir été très influencés par Mario Lanza..Le timbre très séduisant de la voix de Mario Lanza parait plus sombre, avec un médium plus riche et plus viril, ce qui n'empéche pas de formidables aigus...Et celle de Luciano Pavarotti, qui semble plus claire, plus lumineuse, avec des notes aigues étincelantes...En ce qui me concerne, j'apprécie ces deux chanteurs, justement par leurs différences.
@@Monnarchmonnarchy😅The great Lanza, another Kaliber, sing Opera, Musical , Pop, fantastic Otello, all perfect, brilliant. Pavarotti was lyrical tenor with a bad Otello fake. I love Pavarotti, but have nothing to do with the great Lanza . Both are beautiful. Pavarotti sing the Genre of the fantastic Fritz Wunderlich.
@@ursmue1937 He sings this aria into a real love song. He caresses his high notes and made the lady he sings to feel his passion and ❤️ love. Pavarotti sings this too artificially and mad, and there is no way the lady will cling to him. Lanza’s voice is perfect for this aria. Would you believe I still listen to him sing this aria after more than 60 years?
What has to be taken into consideration is that this was the 2nd recording from Lanza's very first recording session for RCA(5 May 1949), at an age of 28, where as Pavarotti was by this time(1974, I think) aged 39, and in comparison a veteran of the recording studio and had sung the role many times on stage. From a purist point of view, one has to lean towards Pavarotti, but Lanza steals it for me. You just can't set aside the beauty and power of his voice which Pavarotti ever had.
I like both tenors, but Luciano was much to technical for me. Lanza had tremendous passion in his voice. He also had a much richer voice in the lower registers than did Pavarotti.
That's true too. Lanza's prime for me, artistically speaking, was the late 1940's. There he combined the great voice with very tasteful and restrained singing. I encourage you to listen to those if you haven't yet: "Lanza live at the hollywood bowl, " and "Live Lamento di federico 1948." The 3 singers you mentioned are all superb but in terms of raw talent I think Lanza had a greater natural voice than any of them. Of course, they were greater artists strictly in terms of singing opera.
Well said Dimare; I could not agree with you more, you are 100%correct and millions agree with you. Pav, Tucker, Corelli, Bjorling ,Di Stefano all had beautiful voices but Mario's voice was as you say here heaven sent.
Yes, yes, we know. :) Remember he died at 38. No one said Lanza had a great stage career. Just enjoy the great voice and the live perfs. that we do have.
For the record “All through his vocal studies, Lanza had experienced none of the problems that afflict many tenors-namely those of conquering the notes ... He never had to struggle in order to extend the compass of this voice, as even two giants such as Caruso and Domingo had to do. It took Corelli six years before he could sing a high C...Lanza had a splendid natural voice with a compass equivalent to almost two and a half octaves: from low A to D above high C.” A. Cesari opera authority
Lanza had a heavier voice than Pavarotti. Pav's high notes were almost certainly more effortless than Lanza's, true. But Lanza was (or would have been) more suited to the spinto roles like Chenier and Tosca. Both great artists in their own way; I think Lanza had the better voice personally. ;-) thanks for commenting
Pav's high range is like a kitten screeching in the night. Worthy effort, but all in all he could have done with more testosterone. Lanza has body and character in his voice... fills in the void that pav misses.
... Марио Ланца - лучший Рудольф 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋... как-будто и музыка "принимает в объятия" Марио Ланца... она так созвучна его красивешему голосу... Люблю♥️♥️♥️
Inquiz-Have you even listened to Lanza's live performances? (rare as they unfortunately are?) Every bit as good as in studio and in some ways better. Numerous high C's in concert, for one thing. On my post of Lanza live in London, someone recently posted that N. Gedda (tenor) who was present felt it was the best tenor voice he'd ever heard. Don't insult Lanza by implying that he only sounded good in studio. No one who has done a serious unbiased study of him can deny he had a GREAT voice.
Paragonare Pavarotti a Lanza...non esiste! Voce calda e timbro musicalissimo, nessuno sforzo nell'emissione quella di Lanza, voce tecnica, costruita e fredda, robotica quella di Pavarotti. Non ci sono dubbi!
Thanks for putting this together! The "phrase-by-phrase" comparison was perfect, I don't think it will definitively settle anything but it has been a glorious way to pass some time... I am a huge Pavarotti fan but I grew up listening to Lanza and others because my dad (I miss him so) was a huge fan. I'm gonna go cry now. Thanks again.
Bjorling was a very tasteful and talented singer with great technique. I like him very much but I much prefer Mario's VOICE and probably always will. I understand and admit of course that others had far greater stage careers and should be evaluated in that light. I do have a soft spot for Mario's amazing voice and I grew up listening to him and both my father and grandfather are fans as well. However I love many- Wunderlich, Tucker, Bjorling, Gedda, Kraus, Di Stefano- all marvelous and unique.
I'm just grateful, as you seem to be, that these great artists have given me and many others so much enjoyment. I can't tell you how many times Lanza, Pav, and others have 'helped' me with my work, and chores, if you know what I mean. ;-)
That was AWESOME!! Thanks for that excellent splicing! BOTH were outstanding tenors. The Pav recording wasn't from a studio as Lanza so sound quality was far better for Mario. If age-matched aria for aria or song for song, I say who cares? Enjoy them both and be thankful you're alive and can hear. Can one criticize one of two birds singing their hearts out at sunset or sunrise? Please. And lets not forget or overlook the beautiful melodies and orchesration of such arias either that makes La Boheme the masterpiece that it is. Dolce vita!!
Round ring tone spear looks sublime, natural, Pav. its tone is not as beautiful as the Spear but agrees to the treble with astonishing ease, we must remember that the two share the characteristic of Spinto, but Lance with his voluminous voice more is not necessarily better for this aria, extraordinarily beauty, was able to provide a fresh and lively atmosphere, we note that Pav. tenor is more learned than Lanza, Lanza phrasing is at the height of the Italian divo! Thank you for sharing! !
Note: Every actual opera singer he worked with was very enthusiastic about his opera stage potential. Again, we can't blame for what his early death prevented.
Thanks for commenting, but.... Lanza NEVER transposed any of the arias he sang. He had great high notes and he sings a high C right here in this recording. You can try it on a piano or listen to Pavarotti's high C and then Lanza's. Same note. So, you've apparently been misinformed. It was Caruso in fact (and others) who sang a high B instead of C in this aria. Lanza also sang high C's in the Madama Butterfly duet, his recordings of "Granada," and a C# in "E il sol dell'anima" from Rigoletto.
RUclips critics say what they might.... the big Critics had something to say "In May 1949, he (Lanza) made his first commercial recordings with RCA Victor. His rendition of the aria "Che Gelida Manina" (from La Bohème) from that session was subsequently awarded the prize of Operatic Recording of the Year by the (United States) National Record Critics Association and was added to the RCA Hall of Fame. Enough revisionism here, huh?
Your points are well taken (and have been expressed numerous times already) but no comparison like this could ever be 100% fair anyway. Just take it for what it's worth. Lanza had a great voice (wasted it in many ways) but I think it's an interesting comparison if nothing else. Pavarotti incidentally admired Lanza greatly.
Lanza's voice has a richness and intensity as well as a tenderness which is expressed. Pavarotti has a more flowing quality with lyrical highs. I love them both, but Lanza is my favorite since I first heard him.
For the umpteenth time, I agree! My point was that Lanza by no means needed studio engineering to sound great. We have proof of that. He did make many studio recordings but there are also quite a few live recordings in which he sounds top-notch. Later
..depression, contractual issues, and other problems led him to cease performing publicly throughout most of the 50's, but towards the end of his life he gave a number of well received recitals (one of which is available- Lanza live from London, 1958.) At the time of his death he was also scheduled to make his return to the opera stage. (Rome opera house, "Pagliacci.") So the fact that he made movies and recordings should not be taken to indicate any lack of ability on his part to perform live.
OK. Recording quality and orchestration were definitely superior for Pav, we can't help that. I really think Pav sounds thin in comparison to Lanza, but there you go- people hear things differentl I guess ;)
OK. Suit yourself. :) But really, after any singer dies, all we have is recordings with which to enjoy them. Lanza and Pav were both classically trained tenors who's first love was singing opera music. I wish Lanza's life had progressed more positively but I would still enjoy Lanza's wonderful voice just as much whether or not he had a great stage career, as I'm sure many would agree. Unless the voice itself just doesn't appeal to you at all which is pretty unusual.
Perhaps insult was too strong a word :) But when you say things like "recordings which were engineered to perfection" and "Even back then one could do marvels in the studio" when reffering to Lanza, you IMPLY that the key to Lanza's great sound was studio engineering, which simply isn't the case. He had given nearly 300 live performances before he made his first movie and the live recordings we do have are all quite good. Can't ask for much more than that considering his brief career. Regards
This is my absolute favorite aria, and my favorite version depends on my mood, I suppose. There are just so many Pavarotti versions to choose from, and only a couple of Mario's. To me, Pavarotti's most famous versions sound like he stole some of his phrasing from both Lanza and Di Stefano. Clearly, Lanza sings the hell out of this. It's not quite as lyrical as some other versions, but it's right up there with Gigli for passion, but with more power.
It's hard to compare these two. Mario's voice is heavier then Pavarotti's. Plus Mario was 26 when he made this recording. That's pretty young for a tenor.
To me, the timbre gap is pretty big between Lanza and Pav. Please listen to the Lanza recording of "Parmi, veder le lagrime," (I have it posted) particularly the last minute or so, (the big "La sfere agli ANGELI" and the last "Peeerr...teeee...." at the end) and compare with Pav. Same with the Andrea Chenier arias. I would probably agree with your top 3 though. :) I like Pav very, very much. I'm just explaining wy Lanza is my favorite.
for example if you sing in falsetto alot, your voice will want to sing in falsetto and your falsetto will become dominant which takes alot of air blowing through the chords versus a core sound where minimal air is used and support is engaged. it takes support to keep the core in the voice all the way up where in falsetto usage it takes the opposite. more air blowing through the chords and no real support. the feeling is completely different and so is the muscular process.i hope that makes sense
I always was a Pav fan but I really think as Frank Sinatra said "it's like a voice your never hear again" referring to Mario Lanza . Smooth sweet voice that Mario had, Pav seems to shout
Pav does sound rather open at times but exemplified the brilliant use of the passaggio so beautifully. I think Lanza held the edge though but Björling beats them all
I appreciate your comment very distinguished colleague and is truly pleasant to hear from you, that one of the most transcendent tenors of the twentieth century, as it was Tucker finds Lanza said that the knew full potential of Mario, but as you well said, unfortunately, Lance could not sing at La scala, but certainly is wrong to see it as one of the greatest singers and voices of history. ! Greetings!
Lanza singing is more credible, full, natural, best timbre, is saying a lot for an artist who is considered by some a simple artist Illuminati hollywood.
Lanza's voice is fuller, rounder and warmer than Pavarotti, who seems thin-voiced by comparison although he has an attractive melodiousness to his singing. Sixty years after his death, who will be playing Pavarotti? Not many I think!
Oh absolutely, Pav in his later years transposed like most tenors. Lanza, however never did- which is what I was responding to. However, had he lived and done more live opera he certainly would have eventually. Thanks for your excellent comment.
Yes exactly- Lanza's rec focuses on him, Pavs recording here is meant to sound more like a stage performance, which is why it sounds more distant and airy- if you play that Karajan recording series on a good sound system it's really qute gorgeous, especially the "O soave fanciulla." It may have lost some quality transferring to youtube though. As far as Lanza being too heavy for this, Caruso and others with even heavier voices were well-regarded in this role. Just a matter of taste I guess. :)
undoubtedly one of the most bland and futile comments I've heard, Lanza possessed a feature rarely seen in other and even the great tenors and was that amazing facility could manage more dramatic lyricism me his precious and wonderful voice, something Pav. logically could do much less on Sunday.
Thanks for your excellent comment.... it's interesting you singled out 2:32 and 2:56- ("vuole....") I like how Pav. sings that very softly as well... :) But (rather) it could be taken either way, as a 'may I?...' (gently) or as a 'MAY I...' (ardently) as Lanza did it. I like both interpretations. Thanks again! :D
That's fine. I have no problem with people not liking Lanza as much as I do, that's how people are, different tastes!! However a couple of the things you said about Lanza were simply incorrect so I wanted to address your comments. Sorry if I offended you.
I would beg to differ, but thanks for the comment :) Lanza had a "heavier" voice than Pavarotti and no doubt Pav's high notes in his prime were more effortless.
Lanza it seems has a more warm sound, more gentle perhaps. Pav's is a touch harder, but more dead on center in sound it seems. Both are great singers, but as I read here they are apples and oranges..True, but each has their special part and quality. Also what was the age of Pav in this recording compaired to Lanza. It would be nice to hear a 30 year old Pav and Lanza together and with that a better judgement can be made. Thank you for posting this..It is fun!
as you say I do not agree with Slavic melancholy, if Bjorling had been Spanish or Italian, no doubt his performances had been tinged with a spirit filled with more force and hot, but her voice has captivated me unfortunately never as Lanza.
Now this...this is much harder. Obviously Pavarotti's Canio is second rate...but he was most certainly one of the best Rodolfo's of all time (that is, when he sang it in the 60s and 70s) If I had to pick...well I can't on this one. Both fantastic. For other great Rodolfo's, we can listen to Jussi Bjorling, Jan Peerce, and Giuseppe di Stefano.
Il timbro e il colore della voce di Lanza non hanno paragoni ed anche la potenza. Pavarotti scompare con la sua vocetta acuta e monocorde.Per non parlare del fisico, chiaramente in favore di Lanza.
i heared pav n scotto live in this role.awsome but one could only imagine lanza in this role.he would of owned it.this aria is lanzas by far then distefano.lanza has a romantic sex appeal in that great voice.and a voice of excellent body.both are great here but lanza has a magic to him thats his alone
the inquisitive4 ever. no you have not heard lanza live,my dad has a few times. and he has seen a few live he is 90 now and he says lanza is the best. i agree with him its all down to taste, for me its lanza, di stefano, and kraus. there are many great singers, its just a fact lanza comes out tops with most...
I haven't heard alot of Live Lanza's, but i have a recording of Merechiare where he completely aborts any b-flats or a's for that matter. But its really the only live recording I've ever heard of Lanza.
I agree that live performance is the best test. I never said otherwise. I have posted some live Lanza and plan on posting more. As I said, when making these comparisons, I only use studio recordings for all artists, which is fair. There is nothing wrong with comparing the way two great singers interpret a piece of music. As I said in the description, this is not to detract from the accomplishments of either, ideally, you will appreciate them both.
estamos hablando de un hombre que murio a los 38 anos por DIOS, la gran mayoria sino todos los grandes tenores alcanzaron la madurez de su voz en los cuarente y tantos anos, com solo un anos de presentaciones en los mejores escenarios de opera , no se hablaria ni de CARUSO.
...He also sang the C at the end of the duet "O soave fanciulla." High notes were not a problem for him! True, most of the recordings we have of him are studio, but it is not correct to say that Lanza was "strictly" a studio singer. There are a number of recordings of him singing live which show he was just as brilliant outside the studio. There are 5 or 6 of these among my own posts. He sang 100+ concerts even before his hollywood career began (unfortunately these were not recorded.)
The 1947 concert - which arguably put an end to his operatic ambitions, although that wasn't imagined at the time - attended by Louis B. Mayer, from which his film career sprang, was actually his 200th. This concert and several of his concert appearances with the Bel Canto Trio are available on record, and certainly give the lie to the idea that he was just a studio singer. His live performances received rave reviews right until the time of his death.
Firstly, I think that pavarotti and lanza were the best to sing this aria: It's a good choice to compare them. I prefer mario lanza because he had a hot voice and he song with a great charm as pavarotti but It isn't the same thing. They had fabulous voices although they were different. 1: Lanza 2: Pavarotti
I think Pav was late 30's, Lanza about 28. It's hard to match up the ages exactly especially considering Lanza's relatively short career. Both singers can be said to be in their prime. But these really can't be completely fair by their very nature, so just enjoy them for what they are. Anyway if you like high C's this is for you! lol. I have som nice live recs of Lanza that might give you a better read on volume.. I'm glad you enjoyed, I have a couple others posted and will likely do more.
OK. But obviously we are not comparing orchestration here, just voice. Lanza would probably lose every time as opposed to top notch modern recordings. I too am a big fan of Karajan's conducting though. :)
Mas que comparar la voz de Lanza con Pav. seria mejor hacerlo con Corelli, este poseia una voz mas pesada no tanto como Lanza, que algunos le atribuían cualidades baritonales naturales , pero la messo voce de Lanza es inclusive adecuada para papeles como Werther y bien pudo interpretar a Schubert, aunque no fue un tenor operistico propiamente dicho, aquí claramente luce superior a Pav. tan bueno como el maestro Corelli podría decir.
Pav had one of the greatest voices in history. Truly a gift from God. Lanza, however, had the voice of God. Listen. It's a familiar voice. It's the voice of our Heavenly Father. Pav is merely an angel.
His pronunciation doesn't put Pavarotti's to shame at all, I believe that Pavarotti had more clarity in his diction than Lanza. It's a case of taste and you should bear in mind that this is far from Pavarotti's best rendition. Lanza's high C is better in my opinion, but I've heard other Pavarotti high Cs better than Lanza's here.
@jgraif If you study the score, you will realise that these 'FOUR notes' are not written. Whether artistic or technical, Puccini is unlikely to have appreciated Lanza's ad lib here.
Hmm.. I'm not sure which recording you're referring to, I have a live Marechiare of his which is quite good... but I'm actually not crazy about his Tosti interpretations (though the voice was always great.) Be sure to listen to the live recs I have posted :)
I agree that Pav was one of the best stage Rodolfo's ever. Lanza's voice quality does it for me though (in the context of recordings.) The other 3 you mentioned are of course very good too. Many people need to expand their musical horizons a bit and not just listen to one or two tenors. :) Thanks for listening :)
Lanza sings this Aria so romantic. Pav's voice is fine but it sounds like he is mad at the lady he is in love with. Mario;s turn this aria a real love song. I can't stop listening to Mario's voice over and over again.
Mario Lanza for me the most beautiful voice of my time
Mario had so much color in his voice. He was easy to listen too
Боже наш какой красивый тенор, какой верх голоса, какой темперамент артиста!!! Марио Ланца будет жить в веках!!!
Deux ténors, l'un, Mario Lanza, qui a fait essentellement sa carrière au cinéma dans des films musicaux, avec souvent des extraits d'oeuvres lyriques, qui permit que l'opéra devint plus populaire auprés de personnes pas forcément attirées par l'Art Lyrique...Il devint une star mondiale, notre famille l'adorait, nous ne manquions jamais la sortie de ses films...Et l'autre, Luciano Pavarotti, qui a chanté sur les plus grandes scénes d'Opéras du monde, et devint le ténor préféré, voire l'idole, malgré la dure concurence avec José Carréras et surtout Placido Domingo...Ces trois chanteurs reconnaissaient d'ailleurs avoir été très influencés par Mario Lanza..Le timbre très séduisant de la voix de Mario Lanza parait plus sombre, avec un médium plus riche et plus viril, ce qui n'empéche pas de formidables aigus...Et celle de Luciano Pavarotti, qui semble plus claire, plus lumineuse, avec des notes aigues étincelantes...En ce qui me concerne, j'apprécie ces deux chanteurs, justement par leurs différences.
The great Lanza not only sings this aria, he opens his heart.
This aria is a masterpiece of the great tenor.
Cocozza was a baritone with forced notes.
Pav was a real tenor
@@Monnarchmonnarchy😅The great Lanza, another Kaliber, sing Opera, Musical , Pop, fantastic Otello, all perfect, brilliant. Pavarotti was lyrical tenor with a bad Otello fake. I love Pavarotti, but have nothing to do with the great Lanza . Both are beautiful. Pavarotti sing the Genre of the fantastic Fritz Wunderlich.
@@ursmue1937 i dont care on pav. But he was s tenor not like your cheap baries fakes fritz, cocozza - they were a real disasters
@@Monnarchmonnarchy I'm sorry I'm stupid or you were born something complicated. Pav was Lyric and Mario a dramatic tenor in all his splendor.
@@ursmue1937 He sings this aria into a real love song. He caresses his high notes and made the lady he sings to feel his passion and ❤️ love. Pavarotti sings this too artificially and mad, and there is no way the lady will cling to him. Lanza’s voice is perfect for this aria. Would you believe I still listen to him sing this aria after more than 60 years?
What has to be taken into consideration is that this was the 2nd recording from Lanza's very first recording session for RCA(5 May 1949), at an age of 28, where as Pavarotti was by this time(1974, I think) aged 39, and in comparison a veteran of the recording studio and had sung the role many times on stage. From a purist point of view, one has to lean towards Pavarotti, but Lanza steals it for me. You just can't set aside the beauty and power of his voice which Pavarotti ever had.
I like both tenors, but Luciano was much to technical for me. Lanza had tremendous passion in his voice. He also had a much richer voice in the lower registers than did Pavarotti.
That's true too. Lanza's prime for me, artistically speaking, was the late 1940's. There he combined the great voice with very tasteful and restrained singing. I encourage you to listen to those if you haven't yet: "Lanza live at the hollywood bowl, " and "Live Lamento di federico 1948."
The 3 singers you mentioned are all superb but in terms of raw talent I think Lanza had a greater natural voice than any of them. Of course, they were greater artists strictly in terms of singing opera.
Well said Dimare; I could not agree with you more, you are 100%correct and millions agree with you. Pav, Tucker, Corelli, Bjorling ,Di Stefano all had beautiful voices but Mario's voice was as you say here heaven sent.
Yes, yes, we know. :) Remember he died at 38. No one said Lanza had a great stage career. Just enjoy the great voice and the live perfs. that we do have.
For the record “All through his vocal studies, Lanza had experienced none of the problems that afflict many tenors-namely those of conquering the notes ... He never had to struggle in order to extend the compass of this voice, as even two giants such as Caruso and Domingo had to do. It took Corelli six years before he could sing a high C...Lanza had a splendid natural voice with a compass equivalent to almost two and a half octaves: from low A to D above high C.” A. Cesari opera authority
Lanza had a heavier voice than Pavarotti. Pav's high notes were almost certainly more effortless than Lanza's, true. But Lanza was (or would have been) more suited to the spinto roles like Chenier and Tosca. Both great artists in their own way; I think Lanza had the better voice personally. ;-) thanks for commenting
Thanks again! I share your opinion that Lanza is the best tenor in recording history just as far as his natural voice is concerned.
Pav's high range is like a kitten screeching in the night. Worthy effort, but all in all he could have done with more testosterone.
Lanza has body and character in his voice... fills in the void that pav misses.
Dream of my youth .o to be that young again . love Lanza since I was 12 god bless him.
... Марио Ланца - лучший Рудольф 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋... как-будто и музыка "принимает в объятия" Марио Ланца... она так созвучна его красивешему голосу... Люблю♥️♥️♥️
Lanza Possessed! great voice!
COMO DICE SU, PERSONAJE, EN EL GRAN CARUSO LA VOZ LO POSEIA A EL. POR ESO LE DIJO A SU PADRE,EL DIA QUE NO CANTE MAS,..HABRE MUERTO.
Inquiz-Have you even listened to Lanza's live performances? (rare as they unfortunately are?) Every bit as good as in studio and in some ways better. Numerous high C's in concert, for one thing. On my post of Lanza live in London, someone recently posted that N. Gedda (tenor) who was present felt it was the best tenor voice he'd ever heard. Don't insult Lanza by implying that he only sounded good in studio. No one who has done a serious unbiased study of him can deny he had a GREAT voice.
Paragonare Pavarotti a Lanza...non esiste! Voce calda e timbro musicalissimo, nessuno sforzo nell'emissione quella di Lanza, voce tecnica, costruita e fredda, robotica quella di Pavarotti. Non ci sono dubbi!
Thanks for putting this together! The "phrase-by-phrase" comparison was perfect, I don't think it will definitively settle anything but it has been a glorious way to pass some time... I am a huge Pavarotti fan but I grew up listening to Lanza and others because my dad (I miss him so) was a huge fan. I'm gonna go cry now. Thanks again.
No comparison Mario Lanza was the best, nobody came close to him.
Aren't we lucky to have both? Two of my favorites.
Марио Ланца ещё никто не перепел!
Inigualable Lanza, Pav. solo otro discípulo mas
Silly comment
its what the ears, and heart want. not the know alls, who know nothink lanza had a voice the rest dreamed of..
Bjorling was a very tasteful and talented singer with great technique. I like him very much but I much prefer Mario's VOICE and probably always will. I understand and admit of course that others had far greater stage careers and should be evaluated in that light.
I do have a soft spot for Mario's amazing voice and I grew up listening to him and both my father and grandfather are fans as well. However I love many- Wunderlich, Tucker, Bjorling, Gedda, Kraus, Di Stefano- all marvelous and unique.
I'm just grateful, as you seem to be, that these great artists have given me and many others so much enjoyment. I can't tell you how many times Lanza, Pav, and others have 'helped' me with my work, and chores, if you know what I mean. ;-)
Thanks for your comment, actually, If I'm not mistaken Lanza was about 28 or 29 at the time of this recording. It was made in 1949.
Del gran Lanza ya esta todo dicho, quizás fue la voz mas brillante y potente de la historia, al menos para mi.
That was AWESOME!! Thanks for that excellent splicing! BOTH were outstanding tenors. The Pav recording wasn't from a studio as Lanza so sound quality was far better for Mario. If age-matched aria for aria or song for song, I say who cares? Enjoy them both and be thankful you're alive and can hear. Can one criticize one of two birds singing their hearts out at sunset or sunrise? Please. And lets not forget or overlook the beautiful melodies and orchesration of such arias either that makes La Boheme the masterpiece that it is. Dolce vita!!
Round ring tone spear looks sublime, natural, Pav. its tone is not as beautiful as the Spear but agrees to the treble with astonishing ease, we must remember that the two share the characteristic of Spinto, but Lance with his voluminous voice more is not necessarily better for this aria, extraordinarily beauty, was able to provide a fresh and lively atmosphere, we note that Pav. tenor is more learned than Lanza, Lanza phrasing is at the height of the Italian divo! Thank you for sharing!
!
Note: Every actual opera singer he worked with was very enthusiastic about his opera stage potential. Again, we can't blame for what his early death prevented.
Dos voces marvillosas no se cual es mejor
Любимый голос великого Ланца.
Thanks for commenting, but....
Lanza NEVER transposed any of the arias he sang. He had great high notes and he sings a high C right here in this recording. You can try it on a piano or listen to Pavarotti's high C and then Lanza's. Same note. So, you've apparently been misinformed. It was Caruso in fact (and others) who sang a high B instead of C in this aria. Lanza also sang high C's in the Madama Butterfly duet, his recordings of "Granada," and a C# in "E il sol dell'anima" from Rigoletto.
RUclips critics say what they might.... the big Critics had something to say "In May 1949, he (Lanza) made his first commercial recordings with RCA Victor. His rendition of the aria "Che Gelida Manina" (from La Bohème) from that session was subsequently awarded the prize of Operatic Recording of the Year by the (United States) National Record Critics Association and was added to the RCA Hall of Fame. Enough revisionism here, huh?
Your points are well taken (and have been expressed numerous times already) but no comparison like this could ever be 100% fair anyway. Just take it for what it's worth. Lanza had a great voice (wasted it in many ways) but I think it's an interesting comparison if nothing else. Pavarotti incidentally admired Lanza greatly.
They are both great ! Unique in their own way. I've just posted a video response with the Caruso version. Also spectacular.
Lanza's voice has a richness and intensity as well as a tenderness which is expressed. Pavarotti has a more flowing quality with lyrical highs. I love them both, but Lanza is my favorite since I first heard him.
For the umpteenth time, I agree!
My point was that Lanza by no means needed studio engineering to sound great. We have proof of that. He did make many studio recordings but there are also quite a few live recordings in which he sounds top-notch.
Later
..depression, contractual issues, and other problems led him to cease performing publicly throughout most of the 50's, but towards the end of his life he gave a number of well received recitals (one of which is available- Lanza live from London, 1958.) At the time of his death he was also scheduled to make his return to the opera stage. (Rome opera house, "Pagliacci.")
So the fact that he made movies and recordings should not be taken to indicate any lack of ability on his part to perform live.
Other tenors admiration of Lanza certainly is warranted. Not discussing careers, just pure vocal quality.
Lanza is best IMHO
OK. Recording quality and orchestration were definitely superior for Pav, we can't help that. I really think Pav sounds thin in comparison to Lanza, but there you go- people hear things differentl I guess ;)
OK. Suit yourself. :) But really, after any singer dies, all we have is recordings with which to enjoy them. Lanza and Pav were both classically trained tenors who's first love was singing opera music. I wish Lanza's life had progressed more positively but I would still enjoy Lanza's wonderful voice just as much whether or not he had a great stage career, as I'm sure many would agree.
Unless the voice itself just doesn't appeal to you at all which is pretty unusual.
Pavarotti voice suits Better High notes his High notes are perfect. Lanza voice Is heavier. Both wonderful
Perhaps insult was too strong a word :) But when you say things like "recordings which were engineered to perfection" and "Even back then one could do marvels in the studio" when reffering to Lanza, you IMPLY that the key to Lanza's great sound was studio engineering, which simply isn't the case. He had given nearly 300 live performances before he made his first movie and the live recordings we do have are all quite good. Can't ask for much more than that considering his brief career.
Regards
This is my absolute favorite aria, and my favorite version depends on my mood, I suppose. There are just so many Pavarotti versions to choose from, and only a couple of Mario's.
To me, Pavarotti's most famous versions sound like he stole some of his phrasing from both Lanza and Di Stefano. Clearly, Lanza sings the hell out of this. It's not quite as lyrical as some other versions, but it's right up there with Gigli for passion, but with more power.
It's hard to compare these two. Mario's voice is heavier then Pavarotti's. Plus Mario was 26 when he made this recording. That's pretty young for a tenor.
To me, the timbre gap is pretty big between Lanza and Pav. Please listen to the Lanza recording of "Parmi, veder le lagrime," (I have it posted) particularly the last minute or so, (the big "La sfere agli ANGELI" and the last "Peeerr...teeee...." at the end) and compare with Pav. Same with the Andrea Chenier arias. I would probably agree with your top 3 though. :) I like Pav very, very much. I'm just explaining wy Lanza is my favorite.
my best 5, are. lanza, kraus,di stefano, gigli,mccormack. each excellent. with lanza having, the most complete voice. with krause not far behind.
Thanks for your thorough comment. I agree that these two did the best renditions of this. (my opinion.)
this is a lanza gem...
for example if you sing in falsetto alot, your voice will want to sing in falsetto and your falsetto will become dominant which takes alot of air blowing through the chords versus a core sound where minimal air is used and support is engaged. it takes support to keep the core in the voice all the way up where in falsetto usage it takes the opposite. more air blowing through the chords and no real support. the feeling is completely different and so is the muscular process.i hope that makes sense
I always was a Pav fan but I really think as Frank Sinatra said "it's like a voice your never hear again" referring to Mario Lanza . Smooth sweet voice that Mario had, Pav seems to shout
philip Philipc
Pav does sound rather open at times but exemplified the brilliant use of the passaggio so beautifully. I think Lanza held the edge though but Björling beats them all
Marthinus van der Westhuizen , ?????????????
I appreciate your comment very distinguished colleague and is truly pleasant to hear from you, that one of the most transcendent tenors of the twentieth century, as it was Tucker finds Lanza said that the knew full potential of Mario, but as you well said, unfortunately, Lance could not sing at La scala, but certainly is wrong to see it as one of the greatest singers and voices of history. ! Greetings!
Lanza singing is more credible, full, natural, best timbre, is saying a lot for an artist who is considered by some a simple artist Illuminati hollywood.
Lanza's voice is fuller, rounder and warmer than Pavarotti, who seems thin-voiced by comparison although he has an attractive melodiousness to his singing. Sixty years after his death, who will be playing Pavarotti? Not many I think!
😳😳😳😳😳😳
Oh absolutely, Pav in his later years transposed like most tenors. Lanza, however never did- which is what I was responding to. However, had he lived and done more live opera he certainly would have eventually. Thanks for your excellent comment.
Yes exactly- Lanza's rec focuses on him, Pavs recording here is meant to sound more like a stage performance, which is why it sounds more distant and airy- if you play that Karajan recording series on a good sound system it's really qute gorgeous, especially the "O soave fanciulla." It may have lost some quality transferring to youtube though.
As far as Lanza being too heavy for this, Caruso and others with even heavier voices were well-regarded in this role. Just a matter of taste I guess. :)
undoubtedly one of the most bland and futile comments I've heard, Lanza possessed a feature rarely seen in other and even the great tenors and was that amazing facility could manage more dramatic lyricism me his precious and wonderful voice, something Pav. logically could do much less on Sunday.
If God had a voice it would be Lanza's.
Again here, no comparison; Lanza rocks!
Thanks for your excellent comment.... it's interesting you singled out 2:32 and 2:56- ("vuole....") I like how Pav. sings that very softly as well... :) But (rather) it could be taken either way, as a 'may I?...' (gently) or as a 'MAY I...' (ardently) as Lanza did it. I like both interpretations. Thanks again! :D
That's fine. I have no problem with people not liking Lanza as much as I do, that's how people are, different tastes!! However a couple of the things you said about Lanza were simply incorrect so I wanted to address your comments. Sorry if I offended you.
Yes it's a shame there doesn't seem to be a recording from his New orleans performances.
I would beg to differ, but thanks for the comment :)
Lanza had a "heavier" voice than Pavarotti and no doubt Pav's high notes in his prime were more effortless.
Lanza it seems has a more warm sound, more gentle perhaps. Pav's is a touch harder, but more dead on center in sound it seems. Both are great singers, but as I read here they are apples and oranges..True, but each has their special part and quality. Also what was the age of Pav in this recording compaired to Lanza. It would be nice to hear a 30 year old Pav and Lanza together and with that a better judgement can be made. Thank you for posting this..It is fun!
I like this idea...maybe I'll post some 'tenor duels' too.
as you say I do not agree with Slavic melancholy, if Bjorling had been Spanish or Italian, no doubt his performances had been tinged with a spirit filled with more force and hot, but her voice has captivated me unfortunately never as Lanza.
I agree 100%.
thanks for the comment! :)
Now this...this is much harder. Obviously Pavarotti's Canio is second rate...but he was most certainly one of the best Rodolfo's of all time (that is, when he sang it in the 60s and 70s)
If I had to pick...well I can't on this one. Both fantastic.
For other great Rodolfo's, we can listen to Jussi Bjorling, Jan Peerce, and Giuseppe di Stefano.
Il timbro e il colore della voce di Lanza non hanno paragoni ed anche la potenza. Pavarotti scompare con la sua vocetta acuta e monocorde.Per non parlare del fisico, chiaramente in favore di Lanza.
i heared pav n scotto live in this role.awsome but one could only imagine lanza in this role.he would of owned it.this aria is lanzas by far then distefano.lanza has a romantic sex appeal in that great voice.and a voice of excellent body.both are great here but lanza has a magic to him thats his alone
the inquisitive4 ever. no you have not heard lanza live,my dad has a few times. and he has seen a few live he is 90 now and he says lanza is the best. i agree with him its all down to taste, for me its lanza, di stefano, and kraus. there are many great singers, its just a fact lanza comes out tops with most...
I haven't heard alot of Live Lanza's, but i have a recording of Merechiare where he completely aborts any b-flats or a's for that matter. But its really the only live recording I've ever heard of Lanza.
I agree that live performance is the best test. I never said otherwise. I have posted some live Lanza and plan on posting more. As I said, when making these comparisons, I only use studio recordings for all artists, which is fair. There is nothing wrong with comparing the way two great singers interpret a piece of music. As I said in the description, this is not to detract from the accomplishments of either, ideally, you will appreciate them both.
Why does people want to compare Lanza to all opera singers to this day ,it must tell us all he was something special
Like both but prefer Lanza!
Both have awesome tenor voices . Mario has a better tenor sound especially the high notes. I always listen to Mario’s high notes . Awesome .
estamos hablando de un hombre que murio a los 38 anos por DIOS, la gran mayoria sino todos los grandes tenores alcanzaron la madurez de su voz en los cuarente y tantos anos, com solo un anos de presentaciones en los mejores escenarios de opera , no se hablaria ni de CARUSO.
...He also sang the C at the end of the duet "O soave fanciulla." High notes were not a problem for him!
True, most of the recordings we have of him are studio, but it is not correct to say that Lanza was "strictly" a studio singer. There are a number of recordings of him singing live which show he was just as brilliant outside the studio. There are 5 or 6 of these among my own posts. He sang 100+ concerts even before his hollywood career began (unfortunately these were not recorded.)
The 1947 concert - which arguably put an end to his operatic ambitions, although that wasn't imagined at the time - attended by Louis B. Mayer, from which his film career sprang, was actually his 200th. This concert and several of his concert appearances with the Bel Canto Trio are available on record, and certainly give the lie to the idea that he was just a studio singer. His live performances received rave reviews right until the time of his death.
Firstly, I think that pavarotti and lanza were the best to sing this aria: It's a good choice to compare them.
I prefer mario lanza because he had a hot voice and he song with a great charm as pavarotti but It isn't the same thing. They had fabulous voices although they were different.
1: Lanza
2: Pavarotti
There is only 1 Mario Lanza.
He is the best tennor ever ❤
Lanza!
Magnificent Mario 💖 💝 💘
Different, but both very good.
I guess this could go on forever. :P
I think Pav was late 30's, Lanza about 28. It's hard to match up the ages exactly especially considering Lanza's relatively short career. Both singers can be said to be in their prime. But these really can't be completely fair by their very nature, so just enjoy them for what they are. Anyway if you like high C's this is for you! lol. I have som nice live recs of Lanza that might give you a better read on volume..
I'm glad you enjoyed, I have a couple others posted and will likely do more.
OK. But obviously we are not comparing orchestration here, just voice. Lanza would probably lose every time as opposed to top notch modern recordings. I too am a big fan of Karajan's conducting though. :)
Stop with this comparisons . They are boh great and we are lucky that we have had this two. Tenors now sucks so bad
Mas que comparar la voz de Lanza con Pav. seria mejor hacerlo con Corelli, este poseia una voz mas pesada no tanto como Lanza, que algunos le atribuían cualidades baritonales naturales , pero la messo voce de Lanza es inclusive adecuada para papeles como Werther y bien pudo interpretar a Schubert, aunque no fue un tenor operistico propiamente dicho, aquí claramente luce superior a Pav. tan bueno como el maestro Corelli podría decir.
Pav had one of the greatest voices in history. Truly a gift from God. Lanza, however, had the voice of God. Listen. It's a familiar voice. It's the voice of our Heavenly Father. Pav is merely an angel.
Ha nice analogy :) Thanks for listening :)
Among those who performed this on stage, I would take Pav over Bjorling personally.
Good comment, tks
Right. I understand. I think he would have made a great Rodolfo on stage though especially early in his career.
His pronunciation doesn't put Pavarotti's to shame at all, I believe that Pavarotti had more clarity in his diction than Lanza.
It's a case of taste and you should bear in mind that this is far from Pavarotti's best rendition.
Lanza's high C is better in my opinion, but I've heard other Pavarotti high Cs better than Lanza's here.
@jgraif
If you study the score, you will realise that these 'FOUR notes' are not written.
Whether artistic or technical, Puccini is unlikely to have appreciated Lanza's ad lib here.
Thanks for the comment rouman7!
Hmm.. I'm not sure which recording you're referring to, I have a live Marechiare of his which is quite good... but I'm actually not crazy about his Tosti interpretations (though the voice was always great.) Be sure to listen to the live recs I have posted :)
I agree that Pav was one of the best stage Rodolfo's ever. Lanza's voice quality does it for me though (in the context of recordings.)
The other 3 you mentioned are of course very good too. Many people need to expand their musical horizons a bit and not just listen to one or two tenors. :)
Thanks for listening :)
ShawD
AMAN