Youtube Singers #25/#26

Singer #25...
Nicolai Gedda, tenor singing E lucevan le stelle from Tosca by Verdi...

Isn't it interesting how haunting, (seemingly that's my word for the day) a simple clarinet melody can be...

Wow. What an absolutely stunning voice, dripping with emotion and drama. I was impressed with his beautifully controlled upper register, particularly when considering the powerful tone needed for this tenor aria. He clearly understood the mood of the Italian text and expressed it beautifully in perfect balance with the orchestra. His high tones were distinct and powerful. His intake of air is unhurried, and each breath was full... His 'eh' vowel is pretty spread, but the others are tall and spacious. I wonder if he is using any neck strain to sing those upper pitches -- my sympathetic resonators tell me he might be, but I don't think the tone would sound as full and rich if he were creating tension?
** I actually watched him sing this piece as a younger man, and then again as a more seasoned singer, and found the differences interesting. The performance when he's a bit older didn't seem quite as polished as the 'opera scene' performance..
** I know so little of Tosca... I guess I should get on that, eh?

Singer #26...
Peter Schreier, tenor..
Singing three lieder by Mendelssohn...
1. Auf flugeln gesanges
2. Neue Liebe
3. Gruss

This was an absolutely wonderful rendition of three romantic lieder by Mendelssohn. The first selection clearly demonstrated the singer's ability to sing fluid and legato lines. The harpist helped greatly in expressing the idea of 'wings of song.' The second song was in a quicker tempo and contained a lot of text that was delivered effectively. The singer seems to understand completely the nuances of the German language. In the third piece, Gruss, Mr. Schreier demonstrated a mastery of line and dynamic contrast, floating to the top of his voice periodically in a well controlled manner. Wonderful. The tone is supported and expresses the text beautifully. I feel that he is purposely singing to express the text, not simply to hear himself make music. The facial expression and stage presence were clearly in line with the mood of the music. His diminuendo at the end of phrases makes my heart smile. I heart tenors.

The conductor's gesture was very high and he gave a double prep at the beginning of the second piece. He did however seem sensitive to the singer.