This recording of MESSIAH is still one of the best ever made - even 47 years after it was recorded. I have an LP copy of it which I bring out once every several years as part of my regular rotation of MESSIAH recordings during Advent and Lent. Thank you VERY much for sharing this well-sung, well-conducted, well-played gem with us. Both Gedda and Klemperer are clear, musical, and in great form here (as, of course, is the Philharmonia Orchestra).
Вut this Calaf aria is really the best! What a VOICE! Like Aeneas of Benvenuto Cellini! What a fermata with the resution at the end!! Real tenor - young, heroic, powerful, noble - without that traditional "dolcezza" of old hero, who still desires love... Nicolai Gedda forever!!!!!
Absolutely beautiful singing, actually faster tempo is a lot easier to sing. I find this is just perfect, it is up to the conductor, heavenly clean voice can sing it so passionately no matter fast or slower... Bravo!
I agree that it's a little slow. But Gedda is magnificent! As one with a larger voice, it pleases me to hear a tenor with that kind of size sing this so well. A great gift to me.
Nicolai Gedda told me personally, as I was studying with him, that Otto Klemperer was a great conductor. However in his later years he tended to take faster tempos (tempi) to slowly. Thanks for the upload!
....Tempi are either right or wrong. Maestro Klemperer choose always the right ones. Hearing habits have changed unfortunately. Klemperer and his long breath, the soloists were very much aware of that. Otherwise he wouldn’t have chosen them. The greatest singers of their time were keen on working with him, from Bach to Wagner. The hectic and so often only brilliant-fast Performances with small orchestras, choirs and tiny voices of an opus magnum like the Messiah make me return to this reference recording. It is a religious opera. Klemperer wanted opera voices! And if Klemperer was still alive, he would be recognizable among all conductors. A true master of music. Mi piace moltissimo
Noting the various comments about it being "too slow", I can't help feeling that those who feel so are probably of a younger geneeration than Gedda and Klemperer; for me it's good. A lot of music is performed too fast nowadays, IMHO, and loses a lot of feeling in being so but if you want to hear a master sing this then search for Kenneth McKellar, one of the finest Handel singers of all time, in the performance conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. The recitative is at exactly the same tempo as Gedda but the aria is faster, however McKellar interprets the aria so much better than just stringing a lot of words and notes together in strict tempo; also, as well as interpreting the music and words he also interprets the English language in his singing, something that singers aren't taught to do nowadays.
Yes, very excellent interpretation by McKellar, but something bothers me about an unevenness in his vocalization. It kind of jumps around from throat to head or something. Gedda's I feel is smoother, and has more flight. But certainly both are great renditions. Not sure this text was intended to have too much over-interpretation.
I am very much puzzled at the comments made by some people mostly on tempo and diction. There are many different interpretations by different conductors of course. But no one is talking about the expression of words and articulation to project the message written by Isiah 500 years before Christ and the John the Baptist. They all perform music without spiritual aspect of true meaning of the text.
Aha.... Usually a "lighter" voice does this repertoire. The tempi of first and second parts have to be in proportion; so since Gedda possibly needed a slower tempo for the runs, there was a slower tempo for the legato opening section. [ I have spoken! :-) ]
@skatesindreams I agree with the first part; it was beautiful. However, I'm not sure what you mean by the second. He has a noticable accent. It doesn't detract from the performance, of course, but I just find it odd that you made such a comment. I'm not sure where you live that native English speakers speak poorly, but you shouldn't overgeneralize - it tends to weaken your point and your credibility.
I couldn't agree more that the Larghetto is MUCH too slow, but that was Otto Klemperer. His approach to Baroque music tended to be heavy-handed lugubrious. Gedda's breath control is phenomenal to able to sustain Handel's florid lines at these stolid tempi. his voice, of course, is nothing less than superb, as always. He was a remarkably good sport to put up with Klemp's dogged approach. If only he'd done this with Harnoncourt, Gardner, Hogwood, Leppard, Norrington or Marriner! Now THAT would have been something.
This recording of MESSIAH is still one of the best ever made - even 47 years after it was recorded. I have an LP copy of it which I bring out once every several years as part of my regular rotation of MESSIAH recordings during Advent and Lent. Thank you VERY much for sharing this well-sung, well-conducted, well-played gem with us. Both Gedda and Klemperer are clear, musical, and in great form here (as, of course, is the Philharmonia Orchestra).
Superb singing. Love the tempo as well. Many thanks for posting.
I don’t care what everybody else is saying, I like this tempo and I love Gedda’s voice.
Because those have previous bias, they missed the boat, it must be sang with good dictation clean voice and spirit. Love master's voice badly...
The tempo seems fine to me.
Fabulous breath control, singing those long runs on one breath at this slower tempo....BRAVO!
Вut this Calaf aria is really the best! What a VOICE! Like Aeneas of Benvenuto Cellini! What a fermata with the resution at the end!! Real tenor - young, heroic, powerful, noble - without that traditional "dolcezza" of old hero, who still desires love... Nicolai Gedda forever!!!!!
Perfect control, clarity and power.
Wonderful metro--rhythm, slow movement 's alive melody... Nikolai Need was UNIQUE Tenor & his technic of BellCANTO was his gift !
Marvellous voice and sung with such emotion.
totally agree, that is what counted the most, Emotion. And clean clear youthful voice.
First time hearing the Great Nicolai Gedda singing this. Yes, his control & voice quality is superb, whatever the speed in this case.
Einer der größten Tenöre aller Zeiten
Absolutely beautiful singing, actually faster tempo is a lot easier to sing. I find this is just perfect, it is up to the conductor, heavenly clean voice can sing it so passionately no matter fast or slower... Bravo!
Amazing, I'm so hoping I was born in the last centuries. Would have visited Handel, Mozart and the rest. Wow, bless God!
I agree that it's a little slow. But Gedda is magnificent! As one with a larger voice, it pleases me to hear a tenor with that kind of size sing this so well. A great gift to me.
Gedda was a leggiero tenor, his voice was not particularly large
That kind of size? Try Jon Vickers. ruclips.net/video/CURliKoAdQM/видео.html
@@NT-ih7ex Vickers is indeed a dramatic tenor. My favorite version of this is the one sung by Walter Widdop. ruclips.net/video/eBN2ZaUoidA/видео.html
Did Fritz Wunderich ever record this?
@@ColonelFredPuntridge Yes (In German translation) ruclips.net/video/lV36ThAMO5I/видео.html
OMG Waaaaay too Slow but beautifully and Masterfully Sung! I would Have DIED at this Tempo!
Nicolai Gedda told me personally, as I was studying with him, that Otto Klemperer was a great conductor. However in his later years he tended to take faster tempos (tempi) to slowly. Thanks for the upload!
Per me loro sono perfetti! Gedda e uno cantante molto versatile e questo me encanta!!!
Excellent!! The definitive performance!! Bravo!
Tempos: Whatever! But SO interesting to hear Gedda sing this.
Bellissimo ........
....Tempi are either right or wrong. Maestro Klemperer choose always the right ones. Hearing habits have changed unfortunately. Klemperer and his long breath, the soloists were very much aware of that. Otherwise he wouldn’t have chosen them. The greatest singers of their time were keen on working with him, from Bach to Wagner.
The hectic and so often only brilliant-fast Performances with small orchestras, choirs and tiny voices of an opus magnum like the Messiah make me return to this reference recording. It is a religious opera. Klemperer wanted opera voices! And if Klemperer was still alive, he would be recognizable among all conductors. A true master of music.
Mi piace moltissimo
What amazing diction from this great Russian tenor.
+Roger Moozil Not Russian. He is swedish, but his father was of Russian descent.
Roger Moozil h
Roger Moozil He was Swedish
Swedish singer!!!
swedish tenor that speaks all languages!!!(joking, 6 languages including Russian), deep into the roots of son and culture, most intelligent tenor!
Noting the various comments about it being "too slow", I can't help feeling that those who feel so are probably of a younger geneeration than Gedda and Klemperer; for me it's good. A lot of music is performed too fast nowadays, IMHO, and loses a lot of feeling in being so but if you want to hear a master sing this then search for Kenneth McKellar, one of the finest Handel singers of all time, in the performance conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. The recitative is at exactly the same tempo as Gedda but the aria is faster, however McKellar interprets the aria so much better than just stringing a lot of words and notes together in strict tempo; also, as well as interpreting the music and words he also interprets the English language in his singing, something that singers aren't taught to do nowadays.
Yes, very excellent interpretation by McKellar, but something bothers me about an unevenness in his vocalization. It kind of jumps around from throat to head or something. Gedda's I feel is smoother, and has more flight. But certainly both are great renditions. Not sure this text was intended to have too much over-interpretation.
Go Gedda! at least it is in the right key....
Alleluia alleluia allekuyia
Gedda and Michael Spyres are my favourite versions of this. This is a little slow for my taste.
Bello!
I like to listen this recording speeded up 1.25 time. Sounds great. The original speed sounds too slow for me.
And when I heard the tempo of the Orchestra introduction of the aria, I said to myself, this would kill me.
🤐
I am very much puzzled at the comments made by some people mostly on tempo and diction. There are many different interpretations by different conductors of course. But no one is talking about the expression of words and articulation to project the message written by Isiah 500 years before Christ and the John the Baptist. They all perform music without spiritual aspect of true meaning of the text.
Aha.... Usually a "lighter" voice does this repertoire. The tempi of first and second parts have to be in proportion; so since Gedda possibly needed a slower tempo for the runs, there was a slower tempo for the legato opening section. [ I have spoken! :-) ]
is that a piano in there?
WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT KLEMPERER
Otto Klemperer has many times conducted music to slow. This is very slow, it sounds lie they are ready to fall asleep.
@skatesindreams I agree with the first part; it was beautiful. However, I'm not sure what you mean by the second. He has a noticable accent. It doesn't detract from the performance, of course, but I just find it odd that you made such a comment. I'm not sure where you live that native English speakers speak poorly, but you shouldn't overgeneralize - it tends to weaken your point and your credibility.
Lovely to hear without the ubiquitous so-called ornamentations.
Too slow, it's only a small amount, but it spoils it for me Good diction & lovely voice.
Great tenor, but performance too slow.
I couldn't agree more that the Larghetto is MUCH too slow, but that was Otto Klemperer. His approach to Baroque music tended to be heavy-handed lugubrious. Gedda's breath control is phenomenal to able to sustain Handel's florid lines at these stolid tempi. his voice, of course, is nothing less than superb, as always. He was a remarkably good sport to put up with Klemp's dogged approach. If only he'd done this with Harnoncourt, Gardner, Hogwood, Leppard, Norrington or Marriner! Now THAT would have been something.