# Best Pavarotti YouTube clip ever



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

OK, friends. Be prepared. This is something extraordinary. This is it.

OK, the man had some vocal wear and tear, went on that commercial 3 Tenors venture, some snobs turned their noses away from him... sure, sure. But when you listen to him in his prime, he's right there with the all-time greats (well, I'm preaching to the choir, who doesn't know it?). Anyway.

This clip with _Pour mon âme_ and its 9 high C's may be the best rendition of this difficult aria ever. I mean, the best one EVER. It's quite impressive. Nobody in my opinion has ever done it as well. I'm open to challenges, if you know of a better version, do post it and I will consider it, but as of now, I think Pavarotti here is the king. Perfect French articulation, perfect clarity, perfect mastery of the musical line, perfect musicality, perfect timing and rhythm. In one word, perfect.

Enjoy:


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I really like Lawrence Brownlee's


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> I really like Lawrence Brownlee's


WoW!!!!
I take back *everything* I just said.
This version *is* superior.
Oh my God, this is sublime!!!
Is there a commercial version of this, a recital DVD or blu-ray?
I must buy it NOW!!!!


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

That's one of my favorites too Alma, actually been listening to it repeatedly over the last few days. Another great one: 




Holy cow that whistle!


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

sospiro said:


> I really like Lawrence Brownlee's


Wow, great version indeed with more impressive Cs than Florez (which might not be a fair comparison ... I assume Mr. Brownlee is a lyrical tenor and as such his Cs, like Pavarotti's, will be more assertive sounding then a leggerio like Mr. Florez). If I were to be super nitpicky, I'd say that he scooped his last C a bit ... but I'm not so I won't 

Bravo Mr. Brownlee!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> Wow, great version indeed with more impressive Cs than Florez (which might not be a fair comparison ... I assume Mr. Brownlee is a lyrical tenor and as such his Cs, like Pavarotti's, will be more assertive sounding then a leggerio like Mr. Florez). If I were to be super nitpicky, I'd say that he scooped his last C a bit ... but I'm not so I won't
> 
> Bravo Mr. Brownlee!


OK, my wife and I just went to our full set-up with the home theater linked to YouTube, and watched both versions one after the other.

We both thought that the Pavarotti one is still superior. Sorry, Annie. I take back what I took back, and go back to Pavarotti.:lol:


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Nobody in my opinion has ever done it as well. I'm open to challenges, if you know of a better version, do post it and I will consider it, but as of now, I think Pavarotti here is the king.


You're lucky I can't find a Paul Potts version online as it would surely blow Mr. Pavarotti out of the water.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> That's one of my favorites too Alma, actually been listening to it repeatedly over the last few days. Another great one:
> 
> Holy cow that whistle!


What is this delightful documentary? Is it available commercially?
Damn, there is so much that I don't own yet...


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> What is this delightful documentary? Is it available commercially?
> Damn, there is so much that I don't own yet...


You've probably already found it, but there is also a part 1 




From reading through comments, it seems this was recorded during an intermission of a concert they were performing, so I don't know that it's a full length documentary as such or whether there is much more than the 2 parts posted on YT


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

An amazing pour mon ame for sure, the third high c cracked a tad but awesome performance as a whole. the last high c is incredible. i honestly don't see how anyone doubts him as the best tenor ever. i'm biased because he was the first opera singer i listened to and he got me into the genre but honestly i've heard a lot of incredible tenors and he just takes the cake. i really have no clue how you can compare enrico caruso, gigli etc. and the older singers....the style and timbres of the human voice in general back then were just different. some of my other favorites are franco corelli, franco bonisolli, peter dvorsky etc. but pavarotti is still the best, and my favorite. he just had such a great charisma and personality, he always seemed incredibly happy while performing. what a jovial man! the one the thing i would do if i could go back in time is see him live


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

the_emptier said:


> An amazing pour mon ame for sure, the third high c cracked a tad but awesome performance as a whole. the last high c is incredible. i honestly don't see how anyone doubts him as the best tenor ever. i'm biased because he was the first opera singer i listened to and he got me into the genre but honestly i've heard a lot of incredible tenors and he just takes the cake. i really have no clue how you can compare enrico caruso, gigli etc. and the older singers....the style and timbres of the human voice in general back then were just different. some of my other favorites are franco corelli, franco bonisolli, peter dvorsky etc. but pavarotti is still the best, and my favorite. he just had such a great charisma and personality, he always seemed incredibly happy while performing. what a jovial man! the one the thing i would do if i could go back in time is see him live


I did see him live.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

After listening to the two versions posted here a couple more times each, I think I like Browlee's better. Vocal quality wise, they're close enough that you can't fit a scrap of paper between the two, but the extra syllable Pavarotti invents in the first and third C pairs is annoying. Sounds like "Pourè mon ame!" Brownlee is much cleaner in his approach to the Cs.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

eh, brownlee has that full frontal attack much like bjorling and the like. his is definitely class a stuff though


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> We both thought that the Pavarotti one is still superior. Sorry, Annie. I take back what I took back, and go back to Pavarotti.:lol:


I couldn't claim credit for finding that clip anyway - I think it was Natalie who recommended Brownlee's version to me.

Someone for everyone on here.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> I couldn't claim credit for finding that clip anyway - I think it was Natalie who recommended Brownlee's version to me.
> 
> Someone for everyone on here.


Oh no, Annie, don't tempt me! I'm on a spending freeze!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Oh no, Annie, don't tempt me! I'm on a spending freeze!


It's lovely, you won't regret it.:devil:


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Pavarotti answers questions. Great way with words considering English was not his first language.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Hey, Mickey Mouse, THIS is best Pavarotti on YT:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aramis said:


> Hey, Mickey Mouse, THIS is best Pavarotti on YT


I think you're right. I might become a convert yet.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

yes his english never got to be amazing, but he had a great way with words

that one laid me in tears many times, THIS is unbelievable though






such a great man, i recall seeing a video of him warming up backstage and he hits an epic C# and he just says "fantastic!" in the most innocent way ever


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

rgz said:


> You're lucky I can't find a Paul Potts version online as it would surely blow Mr. Pavarotti out of the water.


You're joking, right?

Paul Potts isn't even a proper tenor.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> OK, my wife and I just went to our full set-up with the home theater linked to YouTube, and watched both versions one after the other.
> 
> We both thought that the Pavarotti one is still superior. Sorry, Annie. I take back what I took back, and go back to Pavarotti.:lol:


OK, just how do you link your computer to the TV set to listen to YouTube through the TV and hi-fi system? I've been trying to find out for ages, to no avail. I can play through the hi-fi OK, but the TV? Not yet...

Pray, do tell.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

sospiro said:


> I really like Lawrence Brownlee's


Impressive!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Delicious Manager said:


> OK, just how do you link your computer to the TV set to listen to YouTube through the TV and hi-fi system? I've been trying to find out for ages, to no avail. I can play through the hi-fi OK, but the TV? Not yet...
> 
> Pray, do tell.


About Potts above - of course he was joking!:lol:

About YouTube on the TV - it's not through the computer. You have to buy either your TV or your DVD/blu-ray player from a brand that has a contract with YouTube and a model that has Internet capability and can be hooked up to your modem, with either wired, or wireless connection. It's not something you can add (because like I said, the hardware must come from a brand that has already contracted with YouTube to broadcast their service on the TV set). Several brands have this contract/capability. Mine is Panasonic. Typically older TV sets don't have the Internet capability (you could still add it just by updating your DVD/blu-ray player to one that does have it). You also need a pretty high speed connection to achieve good quality, and if it is wireless, a high speed/high data wireless protocol such as n instead of b/g.

Now, if you want to do it through the computer, it's easily done for most TV models that have either a PC monitor input or DVI input, plus RCA input for the sound, or even better, HDMI input which handles the sound as well (provided that your computer has DVI or HDMI output - all computers will have at least PC monitor output and RCA output). But it won't ever be the same quality as you would get from an Internet-capable TV or Internet-capable DVD/blu-ray player. It will only be a way to watch the image from your computer on a larger screen (often with loss of definition) and have the sound come from the TV speakers rather than from the computer speakers (it could still be a good gain if you have lousy computer speakers and good TV speakers). This minimum quality standard, however, is very simple, you only need a PC monitor cable, and an RCA cable, both dirt cheap. Both your computer manual and your TV manual should tell you how to do the hook-up.

The high quality option may be costly if you have to upgrade your player or TV set, your modem, your contract with your ISP for high speed, your wireless router for n pattern, or outlet bridges for wired connection if your modem is far from your TV, your HDMI cable, etc. You may end up spending at least some two-three hundred dollars or several hundreds if it's your TV that needs upgrading.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> About Potts above - of course he was joking!:lol:


I'd hoped so, but, as my experiences in other forums has taught me, you can never be 100% sure


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Wow, these Pavarotti videos are just amazing. What an artist he was! 
I have a DVD recorded in 1967 of one of his early performances, beardless, very young, singing Verdi's Requiem under Karajan. The legend goes (I don't know if true or not) that he was an understudy and was called in at the last moment, was very nervous (you can tell when he starts) but then grew confident and stole the show. You can see Karajan looking at him with big eyes, and apparently afterwards he said - "Who is this kid? He's got a great future!" It is probably not true because Pavarotti had started his career 6 years earlier and had had some big engagements already by 1967 and was probably already under Karajan's radar, but if true, it's a nice touch.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

yeah that's been on my list for a long time, great singing


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Thanks from Almaviva for this good thread .

My Selection from Pavarotti's clips would be the popular song *"Il Canto"*. It's very nostalgic for me.

La notte qui non torna più
dal giorno che sei andata via, 
ed il cielo ha smesso di giocare
con le stelle e con la luna,
e le nuvole sono ferme qui
come lacrime che non cadono.
Vedi come il tempo
perde anche i ricordi.
Resta solo il canto
di un amore che non muore.
Prendi la mia mano,
danza con il vento.
Apro le mie ali,
posso solo amarti così.
Vieni, vieni
via con me.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

the pavarotti video of him singing in der rosenkavalier is amazing...although the audio and video are from different productions


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

What role did he sing in Der Rosenkavalier?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> What role did he sing in Der Rosenkavalier?


The tenor who comes in to entertain the Marschallin in Act 1.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> The tenor who comes in to entertain the Marschallin in Act 1.


Of course, it had to be the role of the Italian tenor... but what a small role for such a big tenor!:lol:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Of course, it had to be the role of the Italian tenor... but what a small role for such a big tenor!:lol:


And so funny when no-one takes any notice of him. Can you imagine ignoring Pavarotti at full blast in your sitting-room!:lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> And so funny when no-one takes any notice of him. Can you imagine ignoring Pavarotti at full blast in your sitting-room!:lol:


OK, found it.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

yeah the audio is actually from a late 60's recording, but still it's great. the original video/audio is good as well but pavarotti probably wasn't at his best at that time.


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

Did you notice that both Luciano Pavarotti an Alfredo Kraus died at 71 due to pancreatic neoplasm? I found it weird. Both were amazing tenors of the last century.


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## Bix (Aug 12, 2010)

rgz said:


> You're lucky I can't find a Paul Potts version online as it would surely blow Mr. Pavarotti out of the water.


You make I laugh

Its almost too close to decide which one is better out of these two at this particular piece. Pavarotti's Francais is certainly not as clear.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

"Bella Nice, che d'amore" is a lovely song composed by Vincenzo Bellini, in 1829, as part of the cycle _Sei Ariette_.

Let's hear Luciano Pavarotti:






_Bella Nice, che d'amore
desti il fremito e il desir,
Bella Nice, del mio core
dolce speme e sol sospir,

Ahi! verrà, né sì lontano,
forse a me quel giorno è già,
che di morte l'empia mano
il mio stame troncherà.

Quando in grembo al feral nido
peso, ahi! misero, io sarò,
deh, rammenta quanto fido
questo cor ognor t'amò.

Sul mio cenere tacente
se tu spargi allora un fior,
Bella Nice, men dolente
dell'avel mi fia l'orror.

Non ti chiedo che di pianto
venga l'urna mia a bagnar,
se sperar potess'io tanto,
vorrei subito spirar._

The attentive listener will notice an uncanny resemblance to the Pollione-Adalgisa duet "Sol promessa al Dio tu fosti"...


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