# Single Round, Tenor. Bianca al par di neve. Filippeschi, Corelli, Lauri Volpi



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I don't know why all of these arias from Les Hugenots are in italian.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I wish my mustache were as perfect as Mario Filippeschi's. But then lots of people have parts I'd trade mine for.

Ahem! Sorry. It's interesting to hear Meyerbeer once in a while. You can almost always get a sense of why he was once popular, and why he no longer is. An abundance of attractive ideas embedded in a larger conception that somehow lacks clear focus and fails to attain a meaning that ties the ideas together and justifies it all. Wagner, that old scoundrel, was right.

I think Filippeschi must be old here. He was never one of the top tenors, but he was better than this. Corelli is much better, and sounds in prime vocal estate. But it's Lauri-Volpi who comes nearest to making this music sound important. The sweet mezza voce, the legato and portamenti, the rhythmic freedom - this is no doubt the sort of thing Meyerbeer counted on and got from singers in his own day. Part of the problem with his music is that modern singers don't know how to - or can't - sing it.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Woodduck guesses that Filippeschi was old at the time of this recording. He'd have been almost 50 here, so not what I'd call old, but certainly older than Lauri-Volpi (in his 30s for this recording) but not very much older than Corelli, who woud have been early 40s (I think this recording dates from 1963). However he does sound old here and his singing is not particularly attractive. Mind you, it isn't on the studio Callas *Norma* of 1954, and he isn't much better on her 1952 *Armida*. It's a curiously disjointed piece and he does nothing to make it less so.

Corelli's voice is much more impressive (of course!) but I can't say he does much with the aria either and it is left to Lauri-Volpi to give it some shape and make some sense of it.

Lauri-Volpi easily wins it for me.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

It is an odd aria... not on the same level as the thrilling O beau pays dis de la Touraine ( sp?) ... but it has it s moments.I really love some Meyerbeer, but I think it is a hit or miss thing, sort of like those old albums where the hit songs were great but the rest were forgetful.. I am glad it gave me a chance to use some tenors I had not seen pop up in my search for contestants before. Corelli forgets time when he hits that high C


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

How can I NOT give my vote to the exciting offering of Franco, especially with that exquisitely held high note that was completely missing from Lauri-Volpe's which sealed his fate for me and allowed me to give the award to Corelli even though I sensed a certain special quality in Lauri-Volpe's voice.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

Lauri-Volpi was born to sing these heroic tenor roles. His perfect legato, mezza voce and crisp diction are exemplary. Filipeschi and Corelli seem inelegant in comparison.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Shaafee Shameem said:


> Lauri-Volpi was born to sing these heroic tenor roles. His perfect legato, mezza voce and crisp diction are exemplary. Filipeschi and Corelli seem inelegant in comparison.


I totally agree but my gut gets in the way every time I play something by Franco things happen! :lol:


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Woh Boy, did I run the gamut on this one. No claims to being up to speed on my Meyerbeer - SOF you are a veritable Music history lesson personified - so I'd never heard of this. While I was completely struck by hearing such an extended piece of grand opera solo sung to (I assume) a cello obligato, and found the novelty of this great, I can't say Iwas struck by the musical ideas themselves. This was not helped byFilipeschi who failed, in a way I can remember few if any singers ever failing, to make the thing sound like a piece of music in any way! I was flabbergasted....and not in a good way! How often do we hear someone say "Thank God Franco Corelli brought a little musicality to bear"! Thats meaner than intended because in his way Franco can be musical and certainly was a big jump here. And it was not at the expense of his high notes which sounded as glorious as ever. STILL....not really getting the piece of music. Then Lauri-Volpi turns the trick, singing a piece I still don't really respond to into a clear and cohesive musical whole. I thought he did a terrific job.

I don't know Lauri-Volpi well and have been confused by what I read. For years i thought he was known as an indulgent crowd pleaser. Then I read of his musicality -on show right here! In any case, easy vote for the old timer here!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Corelli sought out Lauri-Volpi for vocal instruction. Here's a nice little account by Corelli:


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Not a big fan of Meyerbeer, but really like what Lauri-Volpi does with this aria, though I don't like his voice much.

I don't like Fillipeschi much at all and he doesn't really have much artistry to compensate.

I love Corelli's voice for its breadth, its timbre, its size and most of all because he sounds like a hero, like a tenor should. Corelli's instincts were for how to wow his listeners and that he did time and again, with the brilliance of his voice, his technique, stupendous high notes, his _diminuendi_, and the ability to hold on to his _acuti_ beyond their value and have his conductors back him up (not all of them). Thrills galore.

Some people expect him to have the delicacy of lesser endowed tenors, in vain. A self-defeating expectation. He, however, respected Lauri-Volpia and one can hear why. But I vote for Corelli.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Woodduck said:


> Corelli sought out Lauri-Volpi for vocal instruction. Here's a nice little account by Corelli:


Never heard this. I enjoy listening to Franco discuss because I find him very appealing. He can go long stretches without saying alot but I always get his sincerity and love of the art form.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

MAS said:


> I love Corelli... he sounds like a hero, *like a tenor should*.


Mas, the above is the only phrase I took exception to!

I too love Franco Corelli and I will give due consideration to see if I'm one of those vain expecters of the wrong things.... I think I agree that its a mistaken expectaion.

But surely....."sounds like a hero, *like a tenor should*".....*?????*.........Always?????????


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

ScottK said:


> Mas, the above is the only phrase I took exception to!
> 
> I too love Franco Corelli and I will give due consideration to see if I'm one of those vain expecters of the wrong things.... I think I agree that its a mistaken expectaion.
> 
> But surely....."sounds like a hero, *like a tenor should*".....*?????*.........Always?????????


If you consider the roles he sang, sure!


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

After listening to the samples, I knew I should vote for Lauri-Volpi. His Legato line is breathtaking, his interpretation nuanced and well thought out (not to mention the vocal freedom and expressivity!), and the execution faultless. He really deserves to win this competition, and I can see why he's in the leed.

However, and I know it's uncultured, I know it's not befitting my privileged status as a member of this forum, and I know it's rather common, but when Corelli sings his heart out blasting out a couple of stunning high notes that are held for a glorious length of time (maybe a bit too long for good taste, but I already threw that into the wind), I'm just too much of sucker not to vote for him. It's embarrassing to admit, call me an uncultured swine, but I did what I did.

I went vox populi instead of vox Volpi.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

BachIsBest said:


> After listening to the samples, I knew I should vote for Lauri-Volpi. His Legato line is breathtaking, his interpretation nuanced and well thought out (not to mention the vocal freedom and expressivity!), and the execution faultless. He really deserves to win this competition, and I can see why he's in the leed.
> 
> However, and I know it's uncultured, I know it's not befitting my privileged status as a member of this forum, and I know it's rather common, but when Corelli sings his heart out blasting out a couple of stunning high notes that are held for a glorious length of time (maybe a bit too long for good taste, but I already threw that into the wind), I'm just too much of sucker not to vote for him. It's embarrassing to admit, call me an uncultured swine, but I did what I did.
> 
> I went vox populi instead of vox Volpi.


One reason that I can understand any Corellisti voting for Franco here is the, by now, frequently mentioned lack of success of the piece of music. I'd accept anyone who said that in this case, the greatest thing going on is Franco's voice!


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

MAS said:


> Not a big fan of Meyerbeer, but really like what Lauri-Volpi does with this aria, though I don't like his voice much.
> 
> I don't like Fillipeschi much at all and he doesn't really have much artistry to compensate.
> 
> ...


Lauri-Volpi is anything but less endowed. Many people, including Corelli himself, have claimed his to be the most brilliant, squillante sound of any tenor, particularly in the upper register. Diminuendi and long high notes were Volpi's forte too. Ponselle jokes how he once held a high note in Trovatore until the audience left the opera house. Many other sopranos who sang with him testify this too. Corelli's lack of 'delicacy' as seen in this recording, was not due to his choice to want to thrill the audience over sensitive interpretation, but rather his lack of the thorough bel canto schooling that Volpi exhibits. He would never have been able to sing with the style and grace of Lauri Volpi, even if he had wanted to.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

To you Corellians: it's OK. It really is.

Sex has always driven humans over the edge. And in this case it's perfectly legal.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Shaafee Shameem said:


> Lauri-Volpi is anything but less endowed. Many people, including Corelli himself, have claimed his to be the most brilliant, squillante sound of any tenor, particularly in the upper register. Diminuendi and long high notes were Volpi's forte too. Ponselle jokes how he once held a high note in Trovatore until the audience left the opera house. Many other sopranos who sang with him testify this too. Corelli's lack of 'delicacy' as seen in this recording, was not due to his choice to want to thrill the audience over sensitive interpretation, but rather his lack of the thorough bel canto schooling that Volpi exhibits. He would never have been able to sing with the style and grace of Lauri Volpi, even if he had wanted to.


I did not say Lauru-Volpi was less endowed, mind you.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Woodduck said:


> To you Corellians: it's OK. It really is.
> 
> Sex has always driven humans over the edge. And in this case it's perfectly legal.


:lol: I'm a straight male. Really though, my post was tongue in cheek. I don't think Corelli is the better singer, but I would prefer to listen to his recording here than that of Volpi's. I suppose, rereading the question, it is "who sang it best" rather than "which recording would you listen to", so I probably gave the wrong answer anyhow.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The next music will be FABULOUS even if not well known. I was just glad to bring some tenors that are somewhat hard to fit into the contest. They don't pop up often in my searches.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

BachIsBest said:


> :lol: I'm a straight male.


No problem. I was, of course, referring to vocal sex, the most androgynous and sublime incarnation of Eros.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Woodduck said:


> No problem. I was, of course, referring to vocal sex, the most androgynous and sublime incarnation of Eros.


In that case, I'm pansexual! I don't want to miss out on any of it (this analogy is getting somewhat strange)!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

BachIsBest said:


> In that case, I'm pansexual! I don't want to miss out on any of it (this analogy is getting somewhat strange)!


The stranger the better. Strange enough, and we approach reality.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

MAS said:


> I did not say Lauru-Volpi was less endowed, mind you.


Noted, but given that we are discussing only 3 tenors here, when you state that the 'delicacy' that some have praised Volpi for, is only to be expected from 'lesser endowed tenors', the implication is precisely that.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Shaafee Shameem said:


> Noted, but given that we are discussing only 3 tenors here, when you state that the 'delicacy' that some have praised Volpi for, is only to be expected from 'lesser endowed tenors', the implication is precisely that.


Í did not mean to imply such a thing, but if you wish to take it that way, have at it.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

MAS said:


> Í did not mean to imply such a thing, but if you wish to take it that way, have at it.


No worries then, I simply wished to point out in any case, that musical 'delicacies', as you like to call it, should be expected of all singers, vocally endowed or not. Sorry if it came across the wrong way.


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