# Nessun dorma - key - Pavarotti



## timothyp (Mar 31, 2018)

Hello everyone,

I'm just starting out in opera. I note that from some sheet music I have seen, the "vincero" section at the end of Nessun Dorma (sheet music key is G) is...

A4 A4 A4 E5 C#5 D5 "All'alba vincero!"
B4 D5 G5 D5 B5 A5 "Vincero! Vincero!"

but I have read elsewhere (in a couple of places) that Pavarotti did not sing higher than F5, and that in head voice. Of course, this could just be wrong.

So, yes, I'm confused. Did he sing this aria in a lower key, and if so, does anyone know which key?

If the answer is yes, is there anyone who sings it in the original key?

Thank you.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

I recommend that you locate the score for Turandot from IMSLP. Whatever key Puccini used in the score will be the key Pavarotti sung it in. Every operatic tenor will have sung it in the original key.


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## timothyp (Mar 31, 2018)

Thank you! Much appreciated.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Bonetan said:


> I recommend that you locate the score for Turandot from IMSLP. Whatever key Puccini used in the score will be the key Pavarotti sung it in. Every operatic tenor will have sung it in the original key.


But someone just stated that Pavarotti couln't read scores.......


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Pugg said:


> But someone just stated that Pavarotti couln't read scores.......


Lol Pavarotti couldn't but hopefully Timothyp can :lol:


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## timothyp (Mar 31, 2018)

So, armed with the score from IMSLP, Pavarotti _did_ sing a B5. Tsk, so much for his top note being an F5 - misinformation on the 'net, who'd a-thought it 

Have to say, that B5 is a tough one; as are the three-in-a-row A5s at "bocca lo".


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

Welcome to Talk Classical, timothyp. Come back when you want to. Nice to read your question.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

He sounds pretty good doing the nine high Cs in La Fille du Regiment too. Not too shabby.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Bonetan said:


> I recommend that you locate the score for Turandot from IMSLP. Whatever key Puccini used in the score will be the key Pavarotti sung it in. Every operatic tenor will have sung it in the original key.


I wouldn't bet on that. Just because a composer wrote an aria in one key does NOT mean that it's always sung in that key. Certain arias - "Di quella pira" and "Che gelida manina", for example - have been routinely transposed down a half step by many tenors. Domingo, toward the end of the tenor phase of his career, transposed frequently. I don't believe that "Nessun dorma" is commonly transposed in stage performances, but I'd be shocked if it hasn't happened, and in recital, it's not uncommon - Bjoerling, for example, transposed it down a half step in recitals documented on recordings.

BTW, hardly anyone sings the climax of "Nessun dorma" as written. Most tenors hang on to that B natural like a dog with a bone, despite the fact that it's only an eighth note, essentially a grace note down to the A natural. I think that Tauber sang it as written, but I can't think of any others off the top of my head.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Barbebleu said:


> He sounds pretty good doing the nine high Cs in La Fille du Regiment too. Not too shabby.






Now we are talking!!!:angel:


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

timothyp said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I'm just starting out in opera. I note that from some sheet music I have seen, the "vincero" section at the end of Nessun Dorma (sheet music key is G) is...
> 
> ...


You're thinking of F4. F5 is the F above tenor high C.


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## timothyp (Mar 31, 2018)

Now, I might not understand how to read a score correctly, but my understanding is that C4 is the one (missing) line between the bass clef and treble clef. Thus the third space up in the treble clef is C5 and the second line above the top-F line in the treble clef is C6. If so, as scored, the last "vincero" is D5-B5-A5 - is this correct? If so, that makes the B5 a semitone down from C6, which seems astonishing - the B5 as sung by Pavarotti et al doesn't sound that high...?

Apologies if I seem like a dog with a bone, but I'd like to know that I have all my ducks in a row.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

timothyp said:


> Now, I might not understand how to read a score correctly, but my understanding is that C4 is the one (missing) line between the bass clef and treble clef. Thus the third space up in the treble clef is C5 and the second line above the top-F line in the treble clef is C6. If so, as scored, the last "vincero" is D5-B5-A5 - is this correct? If so, that makes the B5 a semitone down from C6, which seems astonishing - the B5 as sung by Pavarotti et al doesn't sound that high...?
> 
> Apologies if I seem like a dog with a bone, but I'd like to know that I have all my ducks in a row.


No need to apologize, it's all complicated.

C3 - bottom of standard tenor range
C4 - middle C
C5 - tenor high C
C6 - soprano high C

however, I think the part you're confused about is that the number changes at C, so below C5, you have A4-->B4-->C5-->D5-->E5, etc. you were close. the last "vincero" is D4-->B4-->A4.

This is a collection of F5 sung by a tenors. It's.....really not a pretty note in their range  





For comparison, I'm a bass-baritone, and F4 is closer to the top of my range (when I'm in good vocal shape, my _usable_ range is something like F#2 to G4, but I generally have a few semitones of sound on either side). The ending note here is an F4.


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## timothyp (Mar 31, 2018)

Nearly there... so the missing line in between the bass and treble clefs is C3, the 3rd space up in the treble clef is C4 and the second line above the top-F line in the treble clef is C5, correct? I hope so, as then I know how to read a score


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## timothyp (Mar 31, 2018)

Aha! So, for tenor voice only, using the treble clef, the notes are written an octave higher than they are sung - as per the guitar. Finally it all falls into place. Thus C4 _is_ the missing line between the bass and treble clefs, but a tenor sings it as a C3. The treble clef third space up is sung by the tenor as C4, and the 2nd line above the top-F is sung as C5. Female voices sing notes on the treble clef as written.

The bass clef is used for bass and baritone voices. They sing the notes as written.

Thank you, wikipedia!


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