# TENOR TOURNAMENT (Round 1, Match #8): Caruso vs Tucker



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Enrico Caruso, Italy, 1873-1921






Richard Tucker, USA, 1913-1975






Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Well this one is a no brainer. After all, I wouldn't be here today if not for my high school friend Morty Slakoff (RIP) who was the one who, aside from my soprano mama, introduced me to opera through this very aria by Richard Tucker.
And when I heard that resounding high note I was hooked to opera forever and couldn't wait to bombard the stores for more and more operas as fast as possible.
My gracious thanks to you Bonetan for this beautiful travel down memory lane.
So what about a comparison study of Neil Shicoff singing "Kuda kuda" from Eugene Onegin? There have been no Russian arias as yet.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

With due respect for the elders, Tucker is my man here. "Young poet" means more liberal approach to expressing one's feelings but Caruso sounds disciplined and reserved (almost no vibrato) and something happens at 3:15 - 3:20 ("poiche, v'ha preso stanza") that his intonation turns quite unpleasant.
What I am looking for in this aria is youthful, ardent, open expression with due attention given to dynamics and phrasing. Tucker has it all.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

This pairing provides a perfect opportunity to analyze the effect of recording technology on our perception of voices, singing, and music itself. Too bad I'm not in a mood to consider the subject, except to say that as soon as the sound of the orchestra in the Tucker recording started after the Caruso I had a pang of sadness over what antique recordings have deprived us of. But then I came to myself and felt my usual gratitude for what they haven't.

For the total effect of singer and recording, I might have to give the Tucker - a fine performance by a fine voice - a slight edge. With the above considerations in mind, I can't do that. Listening to singers recorded in 1906 must entail a certain amount of knowledge and imagination, but I feel sufficiently equipped in both departments to say that in listening to Caruso here - as elsewhere - I'm hearing something more than a fine singer. 

I don't understand the criticisms expressed above. I hear no problems with Caruso's vibrato, intonation or phrasing. And I must point out the unsurprising beauty of his Italian, the "a" bright and clear as Tucker's is not; I don't enjoy hearing "Che gelidaw mawninaw."


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

This is the hardest contest. It is really really hard to follow anything Caruso sings but Tucker comes very close to beating him. I don't think anyone since Tucker could best him on this aria, but Caruso has a slight edge. Both are stupendous performances. Oh, to have had modern recordings of Caruso and Ponselle.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I'm sure there is a version of this aria sung by Caruso in better sound. I can't vote on the basis of these two examples, but I have a Caruso set and so I will try and listen to that compared with the Tucker and see.

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tucker was better in slightly heavier rep (Forza and Trovatore), but he does a very good job hear at scaling things down and there's some nicely stylish moments. That said Caruso is on a whole different level, he sounds as though he was born singing this and somehow I feel that he's singing directly to me. (So much so that I'm still blushing from him complimenting me beautiful eyes!)

N.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

nina foresti said:


> So what about a comparison study of Neil Shicoff singing "Kuda kuda" from Eugene Onegin? There have been no Russian arias as yet.


I'll see what I can do


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I will pass on this one, as I am not an admirer of either tenor.


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## Aerobat (Dec 31, 2018)

Well, I wasn't expecting that. But Tucker wins for my ears. It probably isn't fair to Caruso due to the advances in recording technology between the two, but Tucker carries more conviction and feeling as I hear him sing. Caruso by contrast seems muted & restrained - and I never thought I'd say that.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Both are good, however, Tucker's singing seems just a bit intentionally showy like he's trying hard and it shows while Caruso's seems more delicate and heartfelt. I'll vote for Caruso, but honestly, with these two I feel like I'm just nitpicking.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Tucker rather surprised me as I usually associate him with heavier roles, like Radames and Don Alvaro and he manages this lyrical aria better than I expected. Still, for me there is a suspicion that his singing is just that bit too muscular and his legato is not as perfect as Caruso's, and, as I always feel with him, a feeling that he is doing his best impression of how an Italian tenor should sing. I find his version well sung but it doesn't really speak to my heart, certainly not in the way Di Stefano's did in a previous challenge.

When it comes to Caruso, there are certain allowances that have to be made because of the awful 1906 recording, but he speaks to me in a way that Tucker does not. As the Conte has mentioned, I feel as if he is addressing the aria directly to me, there is something so personal about his delivery. Furthermore there is no sense of effort and the top C is a thing of wonder. So it's Caruso for me. If only we could hear him in good modern sound.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Tucker rather surprised me as I usually associate him with heavier roles, like Radames and Don Alvaro and he manages this lyrical aria better than I expected. Still, for me there is a suspicion that his singing is just that bit too muscular and his legato is not as perfect as Caruso's, and, as I always feel with him, a feeling that he is doing his best impression of how an Italian tenor should sing. I find his version well sung but it doesn't really speak to my heart, certainly not in the way Di Stefano's did in a previous challenge.
> 
> When it comes to Caruso, there are certain allowances that have to be made because of the awful 1906 recording, but he speaks to me in a way that Tucker does not. As the Conte has mentioned, I feel as if he is addressing the aria directly to me, there is something so personal about his delivery. Furthermore there is no sense of effort and the top C is a thing of wonder. So it's Caruso for me. If only we could hear him in good modern sound.


Have you heard the version where they recorded his voice against a modern orchestra accompaniment?


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

MAS said:


> Have you heard the version where they recorded his voice against a modern orchestra accompaniment?


The one NYT referenced as "woefully misbegotten patchwork"? :lol:


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## battistini (Jan 22, 2021)

Wow. So many thoughts. Caruso easily.

There are so mmany issues. Frst of all Tucker. A woefully underappreciated tenor in my view. I recently "rediscovered" his recordings, possibly related to my father's passing in November and my longing to be closer to my "roots". He looks like my grandfather (whom I never knew). His performances are stunning, he was responsible for so many "greatest" recordings I am surprised we don't hear him mentioned in the same breath as Bjorling.

I recently heard his famous performance of Tosca with Tebaldi at the Met, wow, the first recording I have heard that matches the excitement (for me) of either of Callas's studio recordings. In fact he was so reliable I think we mentally dismiss him, in the same way people underappreciated Melchior when he was alive.

What of this recording? I don't think almost ANY tenor can be judged by one recording, and comparing him to the great Caruso is not fair. His recording is wonderful of course.

But Caruso is another kettle of fish. I read the comments before I heard the recording, which I obviously know very well, and amongst connoisseurs, this would be an example of "high fidelity". So I'm puzzled by the comments about sound quality. I thought someonje had gamed the contest by posting some hideous download but this was great.

In fact, part of Caurso's reputation rests on the way his voice took to the medium, it was unique amongst tenors and amongst singers really. But the miriad portomenti and vocal flourishes that recall the bel canto style Caruso learned his craft in, these are jewels of vocal art. Unbelievable.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> When it comes to Caruso, there are certain allowances that have to be made because of the awful 1906 recording, but he speaks to me in a way that Tucker does not. As the Conte has mentioned, I feel as if he is addressing the aria directly to me, there is something so personal about his delivery. Furthermore there is no sense of effort and the top C is a thing of wonder. So it's Caruso for me. If only we could hear him in good modern sound.


I "cheated" and listened to a different remaster of the Boheme aria (it sounds like the same recording) on my itunes. It's a filtered version with only a minimum of surface noise so won't be for some. Once you get used to the limited sound it's not that different from listening to the good recordings from the 20s or 30s. The Tucker is actually in pretty bad sound. In any case once I had slightly better sound I could realistically compare the two.

N.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tucker did cantoring as well as opera, and was excellent at it. I think I like him better as a cantor than as an opera singer.






Speaking of cantors, Caruso was a great admirer of Gershon Sirota, whom he would go to hear and about whom he said that they would be rivals if Sirota had sung opera.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Azol said:


> The one NYT referenced as "woefully misbegotten patchwork"? :lol:


I don't think I read reviews of the conflations, but that may be appropriate. :lol:


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Woodduck said:


> Tucker did cantoring as well as opera, and was excellent at it. I think I like him better as a cantor than as an opera singer.


I certainly do. My favorite Tucker record is an early LP called "Cantorial Jewels", where he's vocally resplendant and actually a little less mannered, or maybe the mannerisms aren't as intrusive as they are in many of his operatic recordings:











> Speaking of cantors, Caruso was a great admirer of Gershon Sirota.


Everyone who heard Sirota was a great admirer. One of the last century's greatest voices.


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