# Vote for Winner Faust " Salut! demeure. "contest.



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Kraus is getting all the votes so I think I can do the final contest vote safely.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Superfluous post….


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

MAS said:


> Superfluous post….


Nevermind nevermind


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

My heart wants to vote for Bjoerling. His voice had such a wonderful silvery beautiul, especially in the 1939 recording I detailed, but I'm going to vote for Thill because of his exceptional artistry. I think it's probably one of the best versions I've ever heard.

1. Thill
2. Bjoerling
3. Kraus
4. Di Stefano

I put Kraus before Pippo because of his greater artistry and style. Pippo's manages quite a feat with that dimiuendo on the top C, but it becomes just that - a bit of vocal showing off, which actually ends up killing the mood he has created.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Maybe not LOL LOL


I meant mine, not yours!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

For the most satisfying combination of sheer voice and style, I have to choose Thill. It's true that his timbre never touched me in quite the way Bjorling's does, regardless of what the latter mey be singing, and stylistically Bjorling shows impeccable taste in this as in virtually everything he sings. Maybe it's only Thill's soft high C that wins me over.

I was wondering the other night whether Tito Schipa ever recorded this, given that we have him in unsurpassed renditions of arias from _Manon_ and _Werther._ It turns out that he recorded "Salut," but in Italian and with the passionate middle section omitted, making it a bit of an oddity but still lovely:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Of those choices, I would say Thill, who is almost the perfect French tenor. But what about Gedda? The 1958 Cluytens recording is pretty much the definitive recording (even if Plasson has the appendix of cut numbers).


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Meyerbeer Smith said:


> Of those choices, I would say Thill, who is almost the perfect French tenor. But what about Gedda? The 1958 Cluytens recording is pretty much the definitive recording (even if Plasson has the appendix of cut numbers).


Gedda lost in the vote between him and Kraus. Round 4: Tenor: "Salut... "Faust: Nicolai Gedda and Alfredo Kraus

I'm pretty sure that it was the later of his two recordings with Cluytens that we were listening to (Cluytens recorded it twice with the same principals. once in mono and oncein stereo) and it is my favourite studio recording of the opera. However, taken in isolation, his singing seemed a bit four-square and unimaginative. Kraus was a very easy winner.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Meyerbeer Smith said:


> Of those choices, I would say Thill, who is almost the perfect French tenor. But what about Gedda? The 1958 Cluytens recording is pretty much the definitive recording (even if Plasson has the appendix of cut numbers).


I was guided in what I posted re Gedda.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I was guided in what I posted re Gedda.


I'm pretty sure the recording you posted is from the 1958 Cluytens performance.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Meyerbeer Smith said:


> But what about Gedda? The 1958 Cluytens recording is pretty much the definitive recording (even if Plasson has the appendix of cut numbers).


I beg to differ. For me, Christoff completely ruins both Cluytens recording with his nasty, brutish Mephistopheles. The part needs to have an element of Gallic charm, not to mention more idiomatic French.

Not only does Plasson include the appendices - he also has a better cast.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

wkasimer said:


> I beg to differ. For me, Christoff completely ruins both Cluytens recording with his nasty, brutish Mephistopheles. The part needs to have an element of Gallic charm, not to mention more idiomatic French.
> 
> Not only does Plasson include the appendices - he also has a better cast.


I do tend to agree with you about Christoff, but De Los Angeles remains my favourite Margeurite, so the Cluytens is a must for me.

Have you heard the new recording on Bru Zane of the 1859 version? It presents a rather different Méphistophélès than the one we'be become used to, seeming to require a much lighter voice, more of a character baritone.










Bernheim is an excellent Faust by the way.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Have you heard the new recording on Bru Zane of the 1859 version? It presents a rather different Méphistophélès than the one we'be become used to, seeming to require a much lighter voice, more of a character baritone.


I've heard it - and it's well done, it is, as you suggest, a very different experience from the Faust we usually hear.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Woodduck said:


> For the most satisfying combination of sheer voice and style, I have to choose Thill. It's true that his timbre never touched me in quite the way Bjorling's does, regardless of what the latter mey be singing, and stylistically Bjorling shows impeccable taste in this as in virtually everything he sings. Maybe it's only Thill's soft high C that wins me over.
> 
> I was wondering the other night whether Tito Schipa ever recorded this, given that we have him in unsurpassed renditions of arias from _Manon_ and _Werther._ It turns out that he recorded "Salut," but in Italian and with the passionate middle section omitted, making it a bit of an oddity but still lovely:


I've always thought that Tito Schipa, in addition to being a fine singer, bears an uncanny resemblance to this guy I sometimes interact with online. Probably nothing.


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